Pragmatic functioning in natural setting and the emergence of ‘theory-of-mind' in autistic and control children. A comparative study

Abstract : The pragmatic functioning of six 7 to 9 year-old moderately retarded autistic children is compared to that of nine control children (2 to 8 years old) selected according to comparable ranges of verbal measures. Each child was video recorded at home during naturally-occurring play and meal times. The present study focuses on conflicting situations and on children's abilities a) to offer justifications; b) to take into account the justifications offered by their interlocutors; and c) to adapt their productions according to the online unfolding of the conversational exchange in these oppositional contexts. Results show the existence of resemblances and differences in the pragmatic functioning of autistic and normally developing children. Findings will be discussed for their theoretical and methodological implications in the advancement of our understanding of autistic children's communicative competencies, and of their implicit knowledge of the mind, as well as for the potential use of the analytical tools for innovative evaluation and intervention