Beyond Words: Natural Language Sampling of Lexical and Non-Word Vocalizations in Preschool Children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Fragile X Syndrome
- 1Boston Children's Hospital
Abstract
PurposeThis study examined whether word-based and non-word natural language sampling (NLS) measures complement standardized language scores in characterizing expressive communication among preschool children with autism with language impairment (AUT-LI), Down syndrome (DS), and fragile X syndrome (FXS).
MethodParticipants included 82 preschool children with AUT-LI (n = 32), DS (n = 34), or FXS (n = 16). Expressive communication was characterized using the Preschool Language Scales and 10-minute natural language samples collected during a standardized play-based protocol. NLS measures included traditional word-based metrics, such as lexical diversity, intelligibility, and word approximations, as well as tiered non-word vocalization measures, including non-speech, single-phoneme, and multi-phoneme vocalizations. Analyses examined age associations, diagnostic group differences, between group differences in variability, and exploratory communication profiles derived using principal component analysis and partitioning around medoids clustering.
ResultsDiagnostic groups did not significantly differ on standardized expressive language scores. Children with FXS showed higher performance than the AUT-LI and DS groups on several word-based NLS measures, whereas non-word vocalization measures primarily revealed differences in within-group variability. Word-based NLS measures were consistently associated with standardized expressive language skills, while associations for non-word vocalizations varied by vocalizations type. Cluster-validity indices factored a two-cluster solution. A hypothesis-informed three cluster solution that included non-word vocalizations suggested Higher Language, Lower Output, and High Output-Low Structure profiles.
ConclusionsStandardized and NLS measures provide complementary descriptions of expressive communication in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Non-word vocalization coding may be especially useful for describing clinical meaningful variation among children with limited expressive language.
Related
- The association between cognitive disengagement syndrome and language in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Nutritional, psychosocial, socioeconomic, and family factors associated with conceptual skill development among preschool children: evidence from Rupandehi District, Nepal
- Home environmental factors associated with screen time among Japanese preschool children: a cross-sectional secondary analysis using exploratory structural equation modeling
- Psychological and anthropometric outcomes in preschool children exposed to antenatal maternal obesity: modelling of early life risk factors.
- Characterizing Preschool Children's Multi-Matrix Air Pollutant Exposures Across Home and Early Childhood Education Settings: A Paired Silicone Wristband Study Protocol
BibTeX
@misc{adekogbe2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond Words: Natural Language Sampling of Lexical and Non-Word Vocalizations in Preschool Children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Fragile X Syndrome}},
author = {A. S. Adekogbe and A. Tran and G. Miller and M. Norberg and A. Monk and T. Chanda and X. Hou and K. Palowski and N. Baumer and K. T. Johnson and C. Wilkinson},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.21.26363560},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.21.26363560v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Beyond Words: Natural Language Sampling of Lexical and Non-Word Vocalizations in Preschool Children with Autism, Down Syndrome, and Fragile X Syndrome
AU - A. S. Adekogbe
AU - A. Tran
AU - G. Miller
AU - M. Norberg
AU - A. Monk
AU - T. Chanda
AU - X. Hou
AU - K. Palowski
AU - N. Baumer
AU - K. T. Johnson
AU - C. Wilkinson
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/21
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.21.26363560
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.21.26363560v1
AB - PurposeThis study examined whether word-based and non-word natural language sampling (NLS) measures complement standardized language scores in characterizing expressive communication among preschool children with autism with language impairment (AUT-LI), Down syndrome (DS), and fragile X syndrome (FXS). MethodParticipants included 82 preschool children with AUT-LI (n = 32), DS (n = 34), or FXS (n = 16). Expressive communication was characterized using the Preschool Language Scales and 10-minute natural language samples collected during a standardized play-based protocol. NLS measures included traditional word-based metrics, such as lexical diversity, intelligibility, and word approximations, as well as tiered non-word vocalization measures, including non-speech, single-phoneme, and multi-phoneme vocalizations. Analyses examined age associations, diagnostic group differences, between group differences in variability, and exploratory communication profiles derived using principal component analysis and partitioning around medoids clustering. ResultsDiagnostic groups did not significantly differ on standardized expressive language scores. Children with FXS showed higher performance than the AUT-LI and DS groups on several word-based NLS measures, whereas non-word vocalization measures primarily revealed differences in within-group variability. Word-based NLS measures were consistently associated with standardized expressive language skills, while associations for non-word vocalizations varied by vocalizations type. Cluster-validity indices factored a two-cluster solution. A hypothesis-informed three cluster solution that included non-word vocalizations suggested Higher Language, Lower Output, and High Output-Low Structure profiles. ConclusionsStandardized and NLS measures provide complementary descriptions of expressive communication in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Non-word vocalization coding may be especially useful for describing clinical meaningful variation among children with limited expressive language.
ER -