Exploring how bilingualism affects language development in young children with autism
Dual Language Development in Young Children with ASD
This study looks at how young bilingual children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, who are learning both Spanish at home and another language in their community, develop their language skills, and it aims to help families understand the best ways to support their children's language growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11093435 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how young bilingual children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) develop language skills in both their home language and the community language. It focuses on children aged 18-36 months who are exposed to Spanish at home, examining the patterns of their dual-language development and how different language inputs influence their language outcomes. The study employs experimental tasks and parent-child interactions to gather data on language skills, aiming to provide insights that can help bilingual families navigate language choices for their children with ASD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are bilingual children aged 18-36 months who are exposed to Spanish at home and have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Not a fit: Children who are not bilingual or who do not have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide valuable guidance for bilingual families on how to support language development in children with autism.
How similar studies have performed: While there have been studies on bilingualism in children with ASD, this research takes a novel approach by focusing specifically on dual-language development patterns rather than simple comparisons with monolingual peers.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaushanskaya, Margarita — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Kaushanskaya, Margarita
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.