Date on Senior Honors Thesis

5-2021

Document Type

Senior Honors Thesis

Degree Name

B.S.

Department

Psychological and Brain Sciences

Degree Program

College of Arts and Sciences

Author's Keywords

Williams syndrome; communication; complexity; development; IDD; disability

Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with intellectual disability accompanied by a distinct cognitive profile. Despite their socially outgoing nature, children with WS exhibit delayed communication development and specific deficits across various functions of communication. The purpose of this study was to describe the range of communication complexity observed in 24-month-olds with WS and determine relations between communication complexity and other areas of cognitive development. The communication complexity of 17 24-month-old children with WS was measured using the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS), which quantifies optimal and typical communication complexity, as well as optimal communication for Joint Attention (JA) and Behavior Regulation (BR) functions. Other aspects of development were measured using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI), and language measures derived from a naturalistic play session with the child’s mother. A wide range of communication complexity was observed, from dual and triadic orientations to multiple-word phrases. Communication complexity was significantly and strongly correlated with expressive and receptive language, fine motor skills, overall cognitive development, expressive vocabulary size, and language abilities in a naturalistic setting. The findings indicated that the CCS is a valid measure of communication complexity in young children with WS and could be used as a diagnostic tool to identify intervention goals and measure the effectiveness of implementation of intervention techniques targeting communication development.

Lay Summary

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental genetic disorder associated with intellectual disability accompanied by a distinct cognitive profile. Despite their socially outgoing nature, children with WS exhibit delayed communication development. The purpose of this study was to describe the communication skills of 24-month-olds with WS and determine relations between their communication complexity and other areas of their cognitive development.

Communication complexity is determined by the use of different forms of communication (such as eye contact, gestures, vocalizations, or spoken words), and how these forms of communication are used together when communicating with another person. There are three main levels of communication complexity in children: Preintentional, Intentional Presymbolic, and Intentional Symbolic. Preintentional communication is the simplest type of communication and describes behavior that could be interpreted by an observer as communicative but that does not demonstrate a clear intent on the child’s part to communicate. Examples would include, for example, a change in eye gaze when reaching for an object. The next level of communication complexity is Intentional Presymbolic communication, which demonstrates an intentional attempt at communication and includes behaviors such as alternating eye contact between another person and a desired toy while vocalizing or pointing toward the toy while vocalizing and looking up at another person. The highest level of communication complexity is Intentional Symbolic, which describes communication using one or more words or signs like “toy”, “I want that”, or “no more”.

The communication complexity of seventeen 24-month-old children with WS was measured using the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS), which is a standardized measure that quantifies communication complexity in a variety of contexts. Other aspects of development were measured using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), which measures children’s nonverbal and language development; the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI), a measure completed by the parent which assesses the child’s expressive vocabulary development and early grammatical development; and child language measures derived from a 30-minute naturalistic play session with the child’s mother. A wide range of communication complexity was observed, ranging from intentional shifts in eye contact to multiple-word phrases. Communication complexity was significantly and strongly correlated with expressive language (the ability to communicate using words), receptive language (the ability to understand what someone else said), fine motor skills (the ability to perform simple tasks with the hands), overall cognitive development, expressive vocabulary size, and language abilities in a naturalistic setting. The findings indicated that the CCS is a valid measure of communication complexity in 24-month-olds with WS and could be used as a tool to identify specific deficits in communication that could be addressed by speech therapists or developmental therapists providing early intervention services.

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