Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Gustavo Mario Ramírez-Santana, Víctor Manuel Acosta-Rodríguez, and Sergio Hernández-Expósito
Universidad de La Laguna
Background: Problems with communication and language are among the main characteristics of both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The main objective of the present study was to analyze whether the two disorders have similar formal language profiles. Method: The study involved three groups of 20 students each, divided into ASD, SLI, and Control, of similar ages and IQ. The CELF-4 standardized test was administered to assess their language skills. Results: No significant differences in language were found between the SLI and ASD groups, with no effect sizes. Differences were observed between the SLI and ASD groups when they were compared separately with the Control group, with a large effect size. Conclusions: There is an overlap in the linguistic profiles of children with SLI and children with ASD. Similarity is thus confirmed in comprehensive and expressive language, as well as in morphosyntactic and lexical-semantic production.
Estudio comparativo de los fenotipos lingüísticos en el Trastorno del Espectro Autista y en el Trastorno Específico del Lenguaje. Antecedentes: los problemas de comunicación y lenguaje constituyen una de las características principales tanto del Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) como del Trastorno Específico del Lenguaje (TEL). El objetivo principal del presente estudio ha sido analizar si ambos trastornos presentan perfiles de lenguaje formal similares. Método: en el estudio participaron tres grupos de 20 alumnos cada uno, divididos en TEA, TEL y Control, equiparados en las variables edad y CI. A todos los participantes se les administró el test estandarizado CELF-4 para evaluar sus habilidades lingüísticas. Resultados: no existen diferencias significativas en lenguaje entre los grupos TEL y TEA, con tamaños del efecto prácticamente nulos. Las diferencias se establecen entre los grupos TEL y TEA cuando se les compara por separado con el grupo Control, obteniéndose un tamaño del efecto grande. Conclusiones: se produce un solapamiento en los perfiles lingüísticos entre niños con TEL y TEA. En consecuencia, se confirma la similitud en lenguaje comprensivo y expresivo, así como en la producción morfosintáctica y léxico-semántica.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2019.92