A Qualitative Analysis of the Three Minute Speech Sample in Youth with ASD

• In Event: Socio-cognitive abilities in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Evidence in neurotypical youth shows multiple benefits of positive parent-adolescent relationships, including better emotion regulation, less stress, fewer risky behaviors, and better mental health in youth (Collins & Laursen, 2004). However, little research has examined the relationship quality of parents and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and what few studies there are have primarily focused on early and middle childhood (e.g., Beurkens et al., 2013). Existing research has also almost exclusively relied on mother-reported relationship characteristics (e.g., Taylor & Seltzer, 2011), in part because traditional methods of data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews) that depend on written language or social interaction may be difficult or uncomfortable for youth with ASD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to utilize a narrative method of measuring adolescents with ASD’s perception of the quality of their relationship with their mother: the Three Minute Speech Sample (TMSS; Sher-Censor, 2015).
Twenty youth (13-17 years; M = 15.28; 83% male) with a diagnosis of ASD were enrolled in the study with their mothers. While separated from their parent, youth were asked to speak, uninterrupted, for three minutes about their thoughts and feelings regarding their mothers and how they get along together. Audio-recorded speech samples were later transcribed and coded for emergent themes. First, the transcripts were read by a postdoctoral fellow and graduate student to identify ‘codable’ units in the speech samples. Data were then organized into codes, which served as the basis for the codebook. The codes were then grouped into categories/themes and transcripts were subsequently coded using the final codebook, with 20% overlap between coders. Results presented here represent the themes that developed from the codebook.
All 20 youth completed the TMSS without distress. Eight themes emerged, with three pertaining to characteristics of the mother and five referring to the adolescent-mother relationship (see Table 1). Youth described both positive and negative characteristics of their mothers, and maternal love and caring were dominant descriptors throughout the speech samples. Adolescents highlighted the ways their mothers provide them emotional support and acceptance in the context of their dyadic relationship. They discussed support mothers provide for the adolescents’ mental health, efforts to build the relationship through shared activities, and areas of conflict within the relationship. Youth also talked about both positive and negative aspects of communication within the relationship and shared some insights into their relationship with their mother.
Findings suggest that the TMSS is a low cost, low burden method by which adolescents with ASD can comfortably and effectively self-report the quality of their relationship with their mother. The speech samples included detailed, specific, and relevant examples of youths’ affective attitudes toward the relationship and provided rich insight into their perceptions of the parent-child relationship in the context of ASD. Results will be discussed with two perspectives in mind – first, developmentally (e.g., implications for the parent-adolescent relationship), and second, within the specific context of ASD.

Authors

• Jessica Greenlee, Kenyon College
  Presenting Author

• Claire Stelter, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Non-Presenting Author

• Megan Carlson, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marcia Winter, Virginia Commonwealth University
  Non-Presenting Author