BACKGROUND: Language in autism. PURPOSE: the data obtained through two protocols and also from the dialogical analysis of the pair mother-son were analyzed comparatively and the therapeutic implications of these analysis were discussed. METHODS: The sample was made of three children between 2 years and 1 month and 4 years and 6 months with diagnosis within the autistic spectrum. The collect was carried out through video recording of mother-child play interaction sessions during 30 minutes. Data analysis procedures were: video transcription and checking, application of two protocols, one concerning mother-son interaction analysis and another one child communicative behaviors, and a qualitative analysis of the linguistic function with the pair. RESULTS: The mother-child interaction protocol showed similar category frequencies between the three mothers, and elevated frequency of questions and intrusive directivity. In the same protocol, children demonstrated exploratory and functional play, verbal and non-verbal stereotypes, which were also observed in the child communicative behaviors protocol. The mother-child interaction protocol allows to better show the mother-child behavior linkage than the communicative one, but only qualitative analysis exposed the nature of this linkage. CONCLUSION: The interactional protocol showed better information for therapeutic plan than the child communicative behaviors did. That protocol, with qualitative analysis, permitted more qualified election of therapeutic strategies.
Child Language; Autistic Disorder; Language Disorders
