Development of communication skills in an adolescent with autism, using alternative communication: a case report

ABSTRACT Alternative communication has been successfully used in interventions to develop communication skills in children with ASD. However, few studies in Brazil have approached nonverbal adolescents with autism. This article aimed to demonstrate the impact of using an alternative communication system on the development of communication skills in a nonverbal adolescent presented with ASD. This is a single-case study with longitudinal intervention. Skills were assessed with the Communication Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ACOTEA). There was progress in communicative and behavioral skills. Receptive communications had a greater variation between the first, second, and third applications, increasing from 50% to 66.60% and then 83.30%, followed by social behavior, which increased from 45.80% to 70.80% and then 75%. The use of alternative communication with a robust communication system indicated evidence of the development of communication skills and social behavior in the adolescent with ASD that received the treatment.

摘要 替代性沟通已被成功应用于自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童的干预实践，用于培养其沟通技能。然而巴西境内针对自闭症非言语青少年的相关研究仍为数不多。本研究旨在验证替代性沟通系统的应用，对一名自闭症非言语青少年沟通技能发展的影响。本研究属于一项附带纵向干预的单案例研究，采用《自闭症谱系障碍沟通评估量表》（Communication Assessment in Autism Spectrum Disorder，缩写ACOTEA）对相关技能进行评估。研究对象的沟通与行为技能均出现进步：接受性沟通在首轮、第二轮及第三轮评估中的变化幅度最为显著，得分从50%提升至66.60%，后续进一步升至83.30%；社交行为得分则从45.80%依次提升至70.80%与75%。本研究结果表明，应用成熟完善的替代性沟通系统，可有效促进接受干预的自闭症非言语青少年的沟通技能与社交行为发展。