Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Parent–Child Gesture Use During Problem Solving in Autistic Spectrum Disorder

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between child language skills and parent and child gestures of 58 youths with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Frequencies and rates of total gesture use as well as five categories of gestures (deictic, conventional, beat, iconic, and metaphoric) were reliably coded during the collaborative Tower of Hanoi task. Children with ASD had lower Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores and gestured less and at lower rates compared to typically developing children. Gesture use was unrelated to vocabulary for typically developing children, but positively associated with vocabulary for those with ASD. Demographic correlates of gesturing differed by group. Gesture may be a point of communication intervention for families with children with ASD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baranek, G. T. (1999). Autism during infancy: A retrospective video analysis of sensory-motor and social behaviors at 9–12 months of age. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29, 213–224. doi:10.1023/A:1023080005650.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, N. L., Lassiter, K. S., Matthews, T. D., & Hutchinson, M. B. (2001). Comparison of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Third edition and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third edition with university students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 417–422. doi:10.1002/jclp.1024.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Betancur, C. (2011). Etiological heterogeneity in autism spectrum disorders: More than 100 genetic and genomic disorders and still counting. Brain Research, 22, 42–77. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.11.078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. M., Bell, S. K., & Keith, L. K. (2001). Concurrent validity of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Third edition as an intelligence and achievement screener for low SES African American children. Assessment, 8, 85–94. doi:10.1177/107319110100800108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Capone, N. C., & McGregor, K. K. (2004). Gesture development: A review for clinical and research practices. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47, 173–186.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carbone, V. J., Sweeney-Kerwin, E. J., Attanasio, V., & Kasper, T. (2010). Increasing the vocal responses of children with autism and developmental disabilities using manual sign mand training and prompt delay. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43(4), 705–709. doi:10.1901/jaba.2010.43-705.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cartmill, E. A., Armstrong, B. F., Gleitman, L. R., Goldin-Meadow, S., Medina, T. N., & Trueswell, J. C. (2013). Quality of early parent input predicts child vocabulary 3 years later. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110, 11278–11283. doi:10.1073/pnas.1309518110.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cihak, D. F., & Ayres, K. M. (2010). Comparing pictorial and video-modeling activity schedules during transitions for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(4), 763–771. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.01.017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Marchena, A., & Eigsti, I. M. (2010). Conversational gestures in autism spectrum disorders: Asynchrony but not decreased frequency. Autism Research, 3(6), 311–322. doi:10.1002/aur.159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Demir, O. E., Fisher, J. A., Goldin-Meadow, S., & Levine, S. C. (2013). Narrative processing in typically developing children and children with early unilateral brain injury: Seeing gesture matters. Developmental Psychology, (no pagination specified). doi:10.1037/a0034322.

  • Doussard-Roosevelt, J. A., Joe, C. M., Bazhenova, O. V., & Porges, S. W. (2003). Mother–child interaction in autistic and nonautistic children: Characteristics of maternal approach behaviours and child social responses. Development and Psychopathology, 15, 277–295. doi:10.1017/S0954579403000154.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, L. M. (1997). The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (3rd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eikeseth, S., Klintwall, L., Jahr, E., & Karlsson, P. (2012). Outcome for children with autism receiving early and intensive behavioral intervention in mainstream preschool and kindergarten settings. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(2), 829–835. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2011.09.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, G. W., Maxwell, L. E., & Hart, B. (1999). Parental language and verbal responsiveness to children in crowded homes. Developmental Psychology, 35, 1020–1023. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.35.4.1020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freeth, M., Ropar, D., Chapman, P., & Mitchell, P. (2010). The eye-gaze direction of an observed person can bias perception, memory and attention in adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 105, 20–37. doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2009.10.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ganz, J. B. (2007). Classroom structuring methods and strategies for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Exceptionality, 15(4), 249–260. doi:10.1080/09362830701655816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganz, J. B., Davis, J. L., Lund, E. M., Goodwyn, F. D., & Simpson, R. L. (2012). Meta-analysis of PECS with individuals with ASD: Investigation of targeted versus non-targeted outcomes, participant characteristics, and implementation phase. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(2), 406–418. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.023.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garber, P., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2002). Gesture offers insight into problem-solving in adults and children. Cognitive Science, 26, 817–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geschwind, D. H., & Levitt, P. (2007). Autism spectrum disorders: Developmental disconnection syndromes. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 17, 103–111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin-Meadow, S. (2009a). From gesture to word. In E. L. Bavin (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of child language (pp. 145–160). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511576164.009.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Goldin-Meadow, S. (2009b). How gesture promotes learning throughout childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 3, 106–111.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grimminger, A., Rohlfing, K., & Stenneken, P. (2010). Children’s lexical skills and task demands affect gestural behavior in mothers of late-talking children and children with typical language development. Gesture, 10, 251–278. doi:10.1075/gest.10.2-3.07gri.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutmann, A. J., & Turnure, J. E. (1979). Mothers’ production of hand gestures while communicating with their preschool children under various task conditions. Developmental Psychology, 15, 197–203. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.15.2.197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ham, H. S., Bartolo, A., Corley, M., Rajendran, G., Szabo, A., & Swanson, S. (2011). Exploring the relationship between gestural recognition and imitation: Evidence of dyspraxia in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41, 1–12. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1011-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ham, H. S., Bartolo, A., Corley, M., Swanson, S., & Rajendran, G. (2010). Case report: Selective deficit in the production of intransitive gestures in an individual with autism. Cortex: A Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior, 46(3), 407–409. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2009.06.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1992). American parenting of language-learning children: Persisting differences in family-child interactions observed in natural home environments. Developmental Psychology, 28, 1096–1105. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.28.6.1096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudry, K., Leadbitter, K., Temple, K., Slonims, V., McConachie, H., Aldred, C., et al. (2010). Preschoolers with autism show greater impairment in receptive compared with expressive language abilities. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 45(6), 681–690. doi:10.3109/13682820903461493.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ibañez, L. V., Grantz, C. J., & Messinger, D. S. (2013). The development of referential communication and autism symptomatology in high-risk infants. Infancy, 18, 687–707. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7078.2012.00142.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iverson, J. M. (2010). Multimodality in infancy: Vocal-motor and speech-gesture coordinations in typical and atypical development. Enfance, 62(3), 257–274. doi:10.4074/S0013754510003046.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iverson, J. M., & Braddock, B. A. (2011). Gesture and motor skill in relation to language in children with language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 54(1), 72–86. doi:10.1044/1092-4388.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Iverson, J. M., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2005). Gesture paves the way for language development. Psychological Science, 16, 368–371. doi:10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01542.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasari, C., Gulsrud, A., Freeman, S., Paparella, T., & Hellemann, G. (2012). Longitudinal follow-up of children with autism receiving targeted interventions on joint attention and play. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(5), 487–495. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.02.019.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, S. D., Manning, S. M., & Rodak, S. (2008). Gesture gives a hand to language and learning: Perspectives from cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology and education. Language and Linguistics Compass, 2(4), 569–588. doi:10.1111/j.1749-818X.2008.00067.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuchi, Y., Senju, A., Tojo, Y., Osanai, H., & Hasegawa, T. (2009). Faces do not capture special attention in children with autism spectrum disorder: A change blindness study. Child Development, 80, 1421–1433. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01342.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kjellmer, L., Hedvall, A., Fernell, E., Gillberg, C., & Norrelgen, F. (2012). Language and communication skills in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders: Contribution of cognition, severity of autism symptoms, and adaptive functioning to the variability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(1), 172–180. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.003.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kurt, O. (2011). A comparison of discrete trial teaching with and without gestures/signs in teaching receptive language skills to children with autism. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Bilimleri, 11, 1436–1444.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landa, R. J. (2007). Early communication development and intervention for children with autism. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 13(1), 16–25. doi:10.1002/mrdd.20134.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landa, R. J., & Garrett-Mayer, E. (2006). Development in infants with autism spectrum disorders: A prospective study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47, 629–638. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01531.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landa, R. J., Holman, K. C., & Garrett-Mayer, E. (2007). Social and communication development in toddlers with early and later diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64, 853–864. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.7.853.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Landa, R. J., Holman, K. C., O’Neill, A. H., & Stuart, E. A. (2011). Intervention targeting development of socially synchronous engagement in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52, 13–21. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02288.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leaper, C., Anderson, K. J., & Sanders, P. (1998). Moderators of gender effects on parents’ talk to their children: A meta-analysis. Developmental Psychology, 34, 3–27. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.34.1.3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lemanek, K. L., Stone, W. L., & Fishel, P. T. (1993). Parent–child interactions in handicapped preschoolers: The relation between parent behaviors and compliance. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 68–77. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp2201_7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loveland, K., & Landry, S. H. (1986). Joint attention and language in autism and developmental language delay. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 335–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mayberry, R. I., & Nicoladis, E. (2000). Gesture reflects language development: Evidence from bilingual children. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9(6), 192–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHale, S., Simeonsson, R., Marcus, L., & Olley, J. (1980). The social and symbolic quality of autistic children’s communication. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 299–310.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miniscalco, C., Fränberg, J., Schachinger-Lorentzon, U., & Gillberg, C. (2012). Meaning what you say? Comprehension and word production skills in young children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(1), 204–211. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2011.05.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, S., Brian, J., Zwaigenbaum, L., Roberts, W., Szatmari, P., Smith, I., et al. (2006). Early language and communication development of infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, 69–78. doi:10.1097/00004703-200604002-00004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mostofsky, S. H., Dubey, P., Jerath, V. K., Jansiewicz, E. M., Goldberg, M. C., & Denckla, M. B. (2006). Developmental dyspraxia is not limited to imitation in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12(3), 314–326. doi:10.1017/S1355617706060437.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Namy, L. L., & Waxman, S. R. (2002). Patterns of spontaneous production of novel words and gestures within an experimental setting in children ages 1; 6 and 2; 2. Journal of Child Language, 29, 911–921. doi:10.1017/S0305000902005305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nassan El-Ghoroury, N., & Romanczyk, G. (1999). Play interactions of family members towards children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29, 249–258. doi:10.1023/A:1023036223397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozcaliskan, S., Gentner, D., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2013).s’s early verbs? Applied Psycholinguistics, First View, 1–20. doi:10.1017/S0142716412000720.

  • Peters, T., & Gillberg, C. (1999). Autism: Medical and educational aspects. London, England: Whurr.

    Google Scholar 

  • Presmanes, A. G., Walden, T. A., Stone, W. L., & Yoder, P. J. (2007). Effects of different attentional cues on responding to joint attention in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 133–144. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0338-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riby, D., Doherty-Sneddon, G., & Whittle, L. (2012). Face-to-face interference in typical and atypical development. Developmental Science, 15, 281–291. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2011.01125.x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, W. M., & Lawless, D. (2002). Scientific investigations, metaphorical gestures, and the emergence of abstract scientific concepts. Learning and Instruction, 12, 285–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rozga, A., Hutman, T., Young, G. S., Rogers, S. J., Ozonoff, S., Dapretto, M., et al. (2011). Behavioral profiles of affected and unaffected siblings of children with autism: Contribution of measures of mother–infant interaction and nonverbal communication. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(3), 287–301. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1051-6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saint-Georges, C., Mahdhaoui, A., Chetouani, M., Cassel, R. S., Laznik, M. C., & Apicella, F. (2011). Do parents recognize autistic deviant behavior long before diagnosis? Taking into account interaction using computational methods. Public Library of Science, 6, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schertz, H. H., Odom, S. L., Baggett, K. M., & Sideris, J. H. (2013). Effects of joint attention mediated learning for toddlers with autism spectrum disorders: An initial randomized controlled study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28, 249–258. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2012.06.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheinkopf, S., Mundy, P., Oller, K., & Steffens, M. (2000). Vocal atypicalities of preverbal autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 345–354. doi:10.1023/A:1005531501155.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, I. M., & Bryson, S. E. (2007). Gesture imitation in autism: II. Symbolic gestures and pantomimed object use. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 24, 679–700. doi:10.1080/02643290701669703.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sowden, H., Perkins, M., & Clegg, J. (2008). The co-development of speech and gesture in children with autism. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 22, 804–813. doi:10.1080/02699200801919745.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, W. L., & Caro-Martinez, L. M. (1990). Naturalistic observations of spontaneous communication in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 437–453.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, W. L., Ousley, O. Y., Yoder, P. J., Hogan, K. L., & Hepburn, S. L. (1997). Nonverbal communication in two- and three-year-old children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27(6), 677–696.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tincani, M., & Devis, K. (2011). Quantitative synthesis and component analysis of single-participant studies on the picture exchange communication system. Remedial and Special Education, 32(6), 458–470. doi:10.1177/0741932510362494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valentino, A. L., & Shillingsburg, M. A. (2011). Acquisition of mands, tacts, and intraverbals through sign exposure in an individual with autism. Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 27, 95–101.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walton, K. M., & Ingersoll, B. R. (2013). Expressive and receptive fast-mapping in children with autism spectrum disorders and typical development: The influence of orienting cues. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7, 687–698. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2013.02.012.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, M. W., Green, J., Elsabbagh, M., Johnson, M., Charman, T., & Plummer, F. (2012a). Parent–infant interaction in infant siblings at risk of autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(3), 924–932. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.12.011.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, L. R., Crais, E. R., Baranek, G. T., Dykstra, J. R., & Wilson, K. P. (2013). Communicative gesture use in infants with and without autism: A retrospective home video study. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 22, 25–39. doi:10.1044/1058-0360(2012/11-0145.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, M. W., Green, J., Elsabbagh, M., Johnson, M., Charman, T., & Plummer, F. (2012b). Parent–infant interaction in infant siblings at risk of autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(3), 924–932. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.12.011.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Welsh, M. C., Pennington, B. F., & Groisser, D. B. (1991). A normative-developmental study of executive function: A window of prefrontal function in children. Developmental Neuropsychology, 7, 131–149. doi:10.1080/87565649109540483.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wetherby, A. M., Prizant, B. M., & Hutchinson, T. A. (1998). Communicative, social/affective, and symbolic profiles of young children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 7(2), 79–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherby, A. M., Woods, J., Allen, L., Cleary, J., Dickinson, H., & Lord, C. (2004). Early indicators of autism spectrum disorders in the second year of life. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34(5), 473–493.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winsler, A., Abar, B., Feder, M., Rubio, D. A., & Schunn, C. (2007). Private speech and executive functioning among high functioning children with autistic spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 37, 1617–1635. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0294-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, C. S. (2013). A play and joint attention intervention for teachers of young children with autism: A randomized controlled pilot study. Autism, 17, 340–357.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yirmiya, N., Gamliel, I., Pilowsky, T., Feldman, R., Baron-Cohen, S., & Sigman, M. (2006). The development of siblings of children with autism at 4 and 14 months: Social engagement, communication, and cognition. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47, 511–523. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01528.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, P., Stone, W. L., Walden, T., & Malesa, E. (2009). Predicting social impairment and ASD diagnosis in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1381–1391. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0753-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zwaigenbaum, L., Bryson, S., Rogers, T., Roberts, W., Brian, J., & Szatmari, P. (2005). Behavioral manifestations of autism in the first year of life. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 23, 143–152. doi:10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2004.05.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State University of New York at New Paltz, 600 Hawk Dr, JFT 306, New Paltz, NY, 12561, USA

    Kristen Medeiros

  2. Applied Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology-3F5, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030-4444, USA

    Adam Winsler

Authors
  1. Kristen Medeiros
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adam Winsler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristen Medeiros.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Medeiros, K., Winsler, A. Parent–Child Gesture Use During Problem Solving in Autistic Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 1946–1958 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2069-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2069-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation