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Can Bilingualism Mitigate Set‐Shifting Difficulties in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders?
Author(s) -
GonzalezBarrero Ana Maria,
Nadig Aparna S.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.12979
Subject(s) - neuroscience of multilingualism , psychology , working memory , set (abstract data type) , autism , autism spectrum disorder , task (project management) , developmental psychology , cognitive flexibility , typically developing , executive functions , cognition , cognitive psychology , psychiatry , management , neuroscience , computer science , economics , programming language
This study investigated the effects of bilingualism on set‐shifting and working memory in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Bilinguals with ASD were predicted to display a specific bilingual advantage in set‐shifting, but not working memory, relative to monolinguals with ASD. Forty 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children participated (20 ASD, 20 typically‐developing). Set‐shifting was measured using a computerized dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task, and by parent report of executive functioning in daily life. Results showed an advantage for bilingual relative to monolingual children with ASD on the DCCS task, but not for set‐shifting in daily life. Working memory was similar for bilinguals and monolinguals with ASD. These findings suggest that bilingualism may mitigate some set‐shifting difficulties in children with ASD.