Understanding indirect requests for information in high-functioning autism

Eleonora Marocchini (Author), Simona Di Paola (Author), Greta Mazzaggio (Author), Filippo Domaneschi (Author)

Abstract

Few works have addressed the processing of indirect requests in High-Functioning Autism (HFA), and results are conflicting. Some studies report HFA individuals’ difficulties in indirect requests comprehension; others suggest that it might be preserved in HFA. Furthermore, the role of Theory of Mind in understanding indirect requests is an open issue. The goal of this work is twofold: first, assessing whether comprehension of indirect requests for information is preserved in HFA; second, exploring whether mind-reading skills predict this ability. We tested a group of (n = 14; 9–12 years) HFA children and two groups of younger (n = 19; 5–6 years) and older (n = 28; 9–12 years) typically developing (TD) children in a semi-structured task involving direct, indirect and highly indirect requests for information. Results suggested that HFA can understand indirect and highly indirect requests, as well as TD children. Yet, while Theory of Mind skills seem to enhance older TD children understanding, this is not the case for HFA children. Therefore, interestingly, they could rely on different interpretative strategies.

Keywords

autism;indirect requests;speech acts;pragmatics;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2022
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UNG - University of Nova Gorica
UDC:	159.9
COBISS:	97397507
ISSN:	1612-4782
Views:	980
Downloads:	0
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

URN:	URN:SI:UNG
Pages:	str. 129-153
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ23
Issue:	ǂiss. ǂ1
Chronology:	2022
DOI:	10.1007/s10339-021-01056-z
ID:	14536834