Anaphor Processing during Reading Comprehension in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Anaphor Processing during Reading Comprehension in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Language: English
Authors: Fajardo, Inmaculada (ORCID 0000-0002-3954-6479), Pérez, Ana I. (ORCID 0000-0002-3211-231X), Ferrer, Antonio (ORCID 0000-0002-0891-1699), Pérez-Fuster, Patricia (ORCID 0000-0001-6525-9847), García-Blanco, Ana C. (ORCID 0000-0002-7840-000X)
Source: Reading & Writing Quarterly. 2022 38(6):505-525.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2022
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Students with Disabilities, Reading Comprehension, Reading Difficulties, Children, Adolescents, Eye Movements, Semantics, Nouns, Attention, Reading Processes, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Spain
DOI: 10.1080/10573569.2021.1982430
ISSN: 1057-3569
1521-0693
Abstract: With the purpose of promoting academic inclusion, it is essential for educators to understand the nature underlying poor reading comprehension in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we examined the time course of anaphor resolution during text comprehension in children and adolescents with ASD and a group of children with Typical Development (TD) matched in chronological age (age range: 9-16) and non-verbal IQ. Their eye movements were monitored as they read short paragraphs in which two factors were manipulated: (1) the semantic typicality of an antecedent (e.g. shark vs. salmon) with regards to a category noun that serves as anaphor (e.g. fish) and (2) the distance between the antecedent and anaphor (e.g. near vs. far). Both, children with ASD and TD showed more and longer first fixations in the near anaphors than in the far anaphors but not in the post-anaphor region which suggests that the effect of distance on anaphor resolution was immediate. The reverse effect of distance indicated that the far condition was too demanding for students of these ages to occur online. Typical antecedents received fewer and shorter revisits than atypical antecedents but only for participants with TD. In contrast, ASD participants did not show such typicality facilitation. Finally, children with ASD made more but shorter fixations and revisits in general than their typical peers. Theoretical and applied implications of our results for the literacy training on ASD participants are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1369965
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:With the purpose of promoting academic inclusion, it is essential for educators to understand the nature underlying poor reading comprehension in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we examined the time course of anaphor resolution during text comprehension in children and adolescents with ASD and a group of children with Typical Development (TD) matched in chronological age (age range: 9-16) and non-verbal IQ. Their eye movements were monitored as they read short paragraphs in which two factors were manipulated: (1) the semantic typicality of an antecedent (e.g. shark vs. salmon) with regards to a category noun that serves as anaphor (e.g. fish) and (2) the distance between the antecedent and anaphor (e.g. near vs. far). Both, children with ASD and TD showed more and longer first fixations in the near anaphors than in the far anaphors but not in the post-anaphor region which suggests that the effect of distance on anaphor resolution was immediate. The reverse effect of distance indicated that the far condition was too demanding for students of these ages to occur online. Typical antecedents received fewer and shorter revisits than atypical antecedents but only for participants with TD. In contrast, ASD participants did not show such typicality facilitation. Finally, children with ASD made more but shorter fixations and revisits in general than their typical peers. Theoretical and applied implications of our results for the literacy training on ASD participants are discussed.
ISSN:1057-3569
1521-0693
DOI:10.1080/10573569.2021.1982430