Remote Natural Language Sampling of Parents and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Role of Activity and Language Level

Natural language sampling (NLS) is a common methodology in research and clinical practice used to evaluate child's spontaneous spoken naturalistic context. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) complex neurodevelopmental condition that results heterogeneous profiles. NLS has emerged as useful method for better understanding use development this population. Prior work examined the effects contexts (e.g., home, lab) conversational partners examiner, parent) have on childrens production, but less known about remote collection of interactions between parents children with ASD at home. Increasing our in-home will improve approaches assessment ASD. We analyzed natural samples 90 dyads four- seven-year old collected remotely home using items activities from family's own The 15-min parent-child were transcribed level measured by number different words. range relationship level. found fell into 13 descriptive categories, we no significant difference (measured mean words) across activities. involving higher levels engaged significantly fewer compared lower levels. words elicited five most frequent sample. These support feasibility sampling. While types did not affect richness elicited, was associated Allowing steer toward more may allow fully demonstrate their abilities.