Non-Literal Language in Children with ASD

The Effects of Frequency and the Theory of Mind on Metaphors and CGI

Abstract

Numerous studies on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have addressed metaphor comprehension and, since at least a decade, the understanding of scalar implicatures. The present study analyses the relation between, on the one hand, the comprehension of both original and conventionalised metaphors and, on the other, the understanding of generalised conversational implicatures (GCIs, types I, Q and M), and it does so in three groups of children (one on the spectrum and two neurotypical). The aim is to ascertain in which cases correlations can be established between the different implicit meanings. To this end, the three groups of children were administered tests assessing metaphor comprehension and the different types of GCI. The results of these tests were then used to establish correlations between the implicit meanings. This comparison allowed us to conclude that the degree of conventionalisation is strongly linked with comprehension, as evidenced by the results obtained in the ASD children. We were also able to detect when there may be influence from non-linguistic knowledge and skills.