The Effect of Autism Degree on Children’s Verbal Communication Ability: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Function

Abstract

The study examined how the severity of autism affects children’s verbal communication skills, especially focus on the mediating role of cognitive function. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. It often causes difficulties in not only communication but also social interactions. We invited 200 children aged 3 to 6 years from Beijing to participant in our test. And the aim is to see how the level of autism impacts children’s communication skills by influencing cognitive function. In our research, we used many standardized tools to evaluate the severity of autism, cognitive function, and verbal communication abilities. For example, we used the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Language Impairment Assessment Scale for Preschool Children. There are many ways for us to collect data, such as natural observation and questionnaires. And we analyzed the data by using SPSS and Mplus 8.3 software. The results show that verbal communication skills are different in different groups, and cognitive function plays a key mediating role among them. In conclusion, cognitive function is very important in finding out the truth of how autism severity influences verbal communication. What’s more, this study aims to find out more targeted intervention strategies. In this way, educators can create more personalized teaching methods to help autistic children grow up much more healthily.