Conversational Repair Strategies in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
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CONVERSATIONAL REPAIR STRATEGIES IN ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS Biji Alice Philip A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2008 Committee: Lynne E. Hewitt, Advisor Mary L. Hare Graduate Faculty Representative Elizabeth I. Burroughs Lauren A. Katz Mark A. Earley © 2008 Biji Philip All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Lynne E. Hewitt, Advisor The purpose of this case study was to explore the conversational repair responses of 3 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to communication breakdowns that occurred naturally in conversations. Adolescents with ASD are at the threshold of entry into independent living in society where their ability to manage communication breakdowns is essential. Of equal interest to the purposes of this study was describing how individuals with ASD were similar or different from each other in their sources of communication breakdowns, types of clarification requests, and repair responses used. The study used an embedded multiple-case study design to identify the sources of breakdowns, types of clarification requests made by the listener, and the types of repair responses used. Language samples were elicited across two conversational contexts (an Adult-Client context and a Peer with ASD context). A compiled coding system based on coding systems in the existing literature, pilot study findings, and those that emerged from the data was used to analyze the language samples. Results showed that all 3 participants exhibited and repaired breakdowns. Although similarities existed between the 3 participants in the types of repair responses used, they differed from each other in the variety of repair strategies used to resolve the breakdowns. Furthermore, the use of a compiled coding system enabled the identification of a pattern of strengths and weaknesses for each participant when faced with a communication breakdown. Investigations of linguistic pragmatics in autism are needed because they will generate information essential in designing effective assessments, interventions and support. The findings of this study are iv discussed with respect to prior theory and research, and its implications for the clinical and research fields. v To George Joseph, my loving husband whose patience, support, and love, got me through the roughest moments of this dissertation. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I thank you my dearest Jesus and Mother Mary for giving me the strength and wisdom to complete this dissertation successfully. My dearest Lord, you have always been there to help me and guide me throughout my life. Every time I faced a challenge, you went before me to set everything right. Every time I was discouraged, you sent your angels to console me and increase my faith in you. I thank you Lord for constantly blessing me and my family. Mother Mary, my heavenly mother, thank you for interceding for me to your beloved son. I would like to thank Dr. Lynne E. Hewitt for being my advisor and supporting me throughout my doctoral program. Your mentorship enabled me to be an independent researcher, and instilled in me a critical style of thinking. Thank you also for being so accommodating and for always finding a solution to the numerous setbacks I faced with my data collection. I cannot thank you enough for patiently responding to my endless queries throughout the different stages of my dissertation. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Elizabeth Burroughs, Dr. Mark Earley, Dr. Mary Hare, and Dr. Lauren Katz for their support throughout my dissertation. I surely had a winning committee as you all were a part of it. I learned so much from the experience of seeing great minds come together and bring the best out of this project. This dissertation is a culmination of all of your invaluable insights and suggestions. I would like to thank Dr. Pratibha Karanth for instilling in me a strong desire to pursue a doctoral program in child language disorders. Your mentorship during my Masters’ thesis is what got me interested in autism spectrum disorders in the first place. The dedication and passion by which you provide interventions for these individuals is what inspires me to this day. vii I also would like to take this opportunity to thank the Graduate College and the Department of Communication Disorders for all the financial support throughout my doctoral program. I also thank the Department of Communication Disorders for awarding me with a non- service dissertation fellowship in the final year of my program. The financial aid enabled me to devote my time completely to my dissertation. I express my sincere gratitude to the director, speech-language pathologist, curriculum specialist, teachers, behavioral specialists, and facilitators of the school from where the participants were recruited. I thank each one of you for devoting your time and energy for this project. If it were not for all of your efforts and support, the data for this dissertation would not have been possible. Thank you for supporting beginning researchers like me. I also want to especially thank the four participants who were part of this study. You have taught me so much from this experience, and I hope to use this information to make your lives and those of other individuals with language impairments better. I also would like to thank the two independent coders Sophia Guarracino and Kristine Zachrich for painstakingly and patiently coding the data. Thank you both for your time and sincere efforts! Thanks go to all the doctoral students at the Department of Communication Disorders: Ramya Konnai, Haidee Tan, Farzan Irani, Emily Rusnak, Scott Palasik, and Eric Swartz for bringing so much laughter and life to the doctoral office. I also thank my doctoral cohorts, Stephanie Hughes and Derek Daniels for their invaluable friendship. I enjoyed all the times we spend together, and I miss those long lunches and discussions we had of our projects, aspirations, and frustrations. I also thank all my friends from my undergraduate and Masters’ program for all their prayers, love, and support. viii Vijay and Sethu, thank you so much for the gift of your friendship. If it weren’t for the two of you, I do not know how I would have survived the first year of my doctoral program. You were my home away from home. Vijay, it was your enthusiastic teaching of language disorders in my undergraduate program that inspired me to pursue this area of interest. Bindu, Mary, Anju, Arju, Yamini, Princy: Our friendship has survived distances and time. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me. I am blessed to have you as my dearest friends. Princy, I am so glad that you were here during my dissertation. Your generous spirit and patience are qualities I truly cherish. I would like to thank my parents for always believing in me and teaching me that everything is possible if I put my heart and soul into it. Papa and Mummy, thank you for being there whenever I needed you. Thank you for your unconditional love, constant prayers, and endless support throughout my life. I know how much your hearts ached when you put me on that flight to the U.S. to do my doctoral program. I am here at the end of this doctoral journey because of your blessings and heartfelt prayers. I surely am the luckiest to have you as my parents! I would like to thank my parents-in-law for their constant support, love, and prayers. Achachen and Mumma, I have been blessed to have you both in my life. You patiently listened to all the hurdles I faced during my dissertation, and you always reminded me to never lose hope. In spite of the many miles that separate us, you always took the time to see if everything was going well with me. Thank you for all your love! Kunjupa and Aunty, I cannot thank your enough for taking that long drive to Mangalore to secure my admission for the undergraduate program. My dream of pursuing a career in communication disorders was made possible because of the two of you. ix Bu, my dearest brother, I cannot thank you enough for all the things you do in my life. You have been my constant companion in all the endeavors I have taken. You were always there to patiently listen to my countless worries, and always reassure me that everything would be alright. There were so many times during my doctoral program when I doubted myself, and it was your encouraging words and unconditional love that got me through it all. Chechi, you were always there to lend me a helping hand, and I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to have you as my sister-in-law, but more so as a friend and a sister. My dearest Esther, I am so happy you are a part of our lives now—your laughter and antics bring so much joy into our lives. Binchi my dearest sister, from you I have learnt what it means to be self-sacrificing. You put so much love in whatever you do and you do everything without complaining. Your love knows no limits and I am so glad to have you as my sister. Binzchettan, Alan, Anita, and Andrew, thank you all for bringing so much joy into my life. Theresa, Maria, and Anna, my dearest sisters (I just can’t get myself to call you sisters- in-law!); you bring so much laughter and joy into my life. The long fun-filled conversations we have had is what kept me going on whenever I felt disheartened. Gabriel, my dearest angel, my sweet baby, I cannot thank God enough for blessing my life with your presence.