
Growth trajectories of joint attention and play as predictors for language in young children at elevated likelihood for autism
- Author
- Floor Moerman (UGent) , Hanna Van de Vyver (UGent) , Petra Warreyn (UGent) , Maide Erdogan (UGent) , Ilse Noens, Maithri Sivaraman (UGent) , Fieke Vlaeminck (UGent) , Steven Wallaert (UGent) and Herbert Roeyers (UGent)
- Organization
- Project
- Abstract
- This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of initial level and growth rate of joint attention and play from 10 to 24 months for language abilities of 24-month-old toddlers at elevated likelihood (EL) for autism. (Semi-)structured assessments were used to measure all variables at different timepoints prospectively in younger siblings of children with autism (siblings, n = 48) and children born before 30 gestational weeks (preterms, n = 49). A positive association was found between initial level of play at 10 months and expressive language at 24 months in siblings, but not in preterms. We did not find an association between initial level of play and receptive language. Growth rate of play and initial level and growth rate of joint attention were not related to language abilities in siblings and preterms. Our results indicate that play and expressive language are interrelated, and early play behaviour may contribute to later language. As this association was absent in preterms, they may follow qualitatively different developmental processes. Moreover, future research including different EL-groups is needed to clarify these differential associations. In contrast to previous studies, no association between early joint attention and later language was found. These inconsistent findings warrant further exploration and highlight the importance of exploring alternative aspects of early development, for instance non-social factors, to expand our understanding of language acquisition.
- Keywords
- Play, Joint attention, Language, Social communication, Very preterm-born children, Siblings at elevated likelihood, LONGITUDINAL FOLLOW-UP, SYMBOLIC PLAY, SPECTRUM DISORDERS, PRETERM INFANTS, DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES, 2ND YEAR, PRESCHOOLERS, SIBLINGS, ASSOCIATIONS, ACQUISITION
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01JK65H4S7G2KDQM7D6QWYM80D
- MLA
- Moerman, Floor, et al. “Growth Trajectories of Joint Attention and Play as Predictors for Language in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood for Autism.” JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, 2025, doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06685-9.
- APA
- Moerman, F., Van de Vyver, H., Warreyn, P., Erdogan, M., Noens, I., Sivaraman, M., … Roeyers, H. (2025). Growth trajectories of joint attention and play as predictors for language in young children at elevated likelihood for autism. JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06685-9
- Chicago author-date
- Moerman, Floor, Hanna Van de Vyver, Petra Warreyn, Maide Erdogan, Ilse Noens, Maithri Sivaraman, Fieke Vlaeminck, Steven Wallaert, and Herbert Roeyers. 2025. “Growth Trajectories of Joint Attention and Play as Predictors for Language in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood for Autism.” JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06685-9.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Moerman, Floor, Hanna Van de Vyver, Petra Warreyn, Maide Erdogan, Ilse Noens, Maithri Sivaraman, Fieke Vlaeminck, Steven Wallaert, and Herbert Roeyers. 2025. “Growth Trajectories of Joint Attention and Play as Predictors for Language in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood for Autism.” JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06685-9.
- Vancouver
- 1.Moerman F, Van de Vyver H, Warreyn P, Erdogan M, Noens I, Sivaraman M, et al. Growth trajectories of joint attention and play as predictors for language in young children at elevated likelihood for autism. JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. 2025;
- IEEE
- [1]F. Moerman et al., “Growth trajectories of joint attention and play as predictors for language in young children at elevated likelihood for autism,” JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, 2025.
@article{01JK65H4S7G2KDQM7D6QWYM80D, abstract = {{This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of initial level and growth rate of joint attention and play from 10 to 24 months for language abilities of 24-month-old toddlers at elevated likelihood (EL) for autism. (Semi-)structured assessments were used to measure all variables at different timepoints prospectively in younger siblings of children with autism (siblings, n = 48) and children born before 30 gestational weeks (preterms, n = 49). A positive association was found between initial level of play at 10 months and expressive language at 24 months in siblings, but not in preterms. We did not find an association between initial level of play and receptive language. Growth rate of play and initial level and growth rate of joint attention were not related to language abilities in siblings and preterms. Our results indicate that play and expressive language are interrelated, and early play behaviour may contribute to later language. As this association was absent in preterms, they may follow qualitatively different developmental processes. Moreover, future research including different EL-groups is needed to clarify these differential associations. In contrast to previous studies, no association between early joint attention and later language was found. These inconsistent findings warrant further exploration and highlight the importance of exploring alternative aspects of early development, for instance non-social factors, to expand our understanding of language acquisition.}}, author = {{Moerman, Floor and Van de Vyver, Hanna and Warreyn, Petra and Erdogan, Maide and Noens, Ilse and Sivaraman, Maithri and Vlaeminck, Fieke and Wallaert, Steven and Roeyers, Herbert}}, issn = {{0162-3257}}, journal = {{JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS}}, keywords = {{Play,Joint attention,Language,Social communication,Very preterm-born children,Siblings at elevated likelihood,LONGITUDINAL FOLLOW-UP,SYMBOLIC PLAY,SPECTRUM DISORDERS,PRETERM INFANTS,DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES,2ND YEAR,PRESCHOOLERS,SIBLINGS,ASSOCIATIONS,ACQUISITION}}, language = {{eng}}, pages = {{16}}, title = {{Growth trajectories of joint attention and play as predictors for language in young children at elevated likelihood for autism}}, url = {{http://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06685-9}}, year = {{2025}}, }
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