Analysis of Autistic Adolescents' Essays Using Computer Techniques.
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| Title: | Analysis of Autistic Adolescents' Essays Using Computer Techniques. |
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| Authors: | Chojnicka, Izabela (AUTHOR), Wawer, Aleksander (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Oct2026, Vol. 56 Issue 10, p4183-4189. 7p. |
| Subjects: | Computers, Elementary schools, Research funding, Autism, Positive psychology, Affinity groups, Manuscripts, Natural language processing, Emotions, Descriptive statistics, Middle school students, Teachers, Storytelling, Asperger's syndrome, Written communication, Adolescence |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Challenges associated with narrative discourse remain consistently observable across the entire spectrum of autism. We analyzed written narratives by autistic and non-autistic adolescents and aimed to investigate narrative writing using quantitative computational methods. Methods: We employed Natural Language Processing techniques to compare 333 essays from students in the final eighth grade of primary school: 195 written by autistic and 138 by non-autistic participants. Results: Autistic students used words with a positive emotional polarity statistically less frequently (p <.001), and their stories were less abstract (p <.001) than those written by peers from the non-autistic group. However, autistic adolescents wrote more complex stories in terms of readability than participants from the non-autistic group (p <.001). The writing competencies assessed by teachers did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion: Findings suggest that written narratives by autistic individuals may exhibit characteristics similar to those detected by computational methods in spoken narratives. Collecting data from national exams and its potential usefulness in distinguishing autistic individuals could pave the way for future large-scale and cost-effective epidemiological studies on autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Purpose: Challenges associated with narrative discourse remain consistently observable across the entire spectrum of autism. We analyzed written narratives by autistic and non-autistic adolescents and aimed to investigate narrative writing using quantitative computational methods. Methods: We employed Natural Language Processing techniques to compare 333 essays from students in the final eighth grade of primary school: 195 written by autistic and 138 by non-autistic participants. Results: Autistic students used words with a positive emotional polarity statistically less frequently (p <.001), and their stories were less abstract (p <.001) than those written by peers from the non-autistic group. However, autistic adolescents wrote more complex stories in terms of readability than participants from the non-autistic group (p <.001). The writing competencies assessed by teachers did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion: Findings suggest that written narratives by autistic individuals may exhibit characteristics similar to those detected by computational methods in spoken narratives. Collecting data from national exams and its potential usefulness in distinguishing autistic individuals could pave the way for future large-scale and cost-effective epidemiological studies on autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 01623257 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10803-024-06482-4 |
