How Simplified Language Affects Comprehension and Learning in Young Autistic Children

The long-term study goal is to experimentally evaluate the components (and likely active ingredients) of early language interventions for young children with ASD. The overall objective is to determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects real-time language processing and word learning in young children with ASD (relative to full, grammatical utterances). The proposed project will investigate three specific aims: 1) Determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects language processing. 2) Determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects word learning. 3) Evaluate child characteristics that may moderate the effects of linguistic simplification on language processing and word learning. Aim 1 will test the hypothesis that children with ASD will process full, grammatical utterances faster and more accurately than single-word or telegraphic utterances. Aim 2 will test the hypothesis that full, grammatical utterances will support word learning better than telegraphic or single-word utterances. Aim 3 will test the hypothesis that language and cognitive skills significantly moderate the effects of linguistic simplification on language processing and word learning in young children with ASD.

NCT Number	NCT05707923
Lead Sponsor	Michigan State University Collaborators: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Conditions	Autism Spectrum Disorder
Enrollment	104 participants
Start Date	2023-06-01
Primary Completion	2027-05-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-05-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-15