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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Language and Cognitive Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Language and Cognitive Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2026 | Viewed by 1889

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sobh Chahboun

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Guest Editor
Department of Pedagogy, Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education/QMUC, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
Interests: autism spectrum disorder; language processing; neurodevelopmental disorders; developmental psychology; neuroscience; minorities; special education; inclusion
Dr. Alexander Gamst Page

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Social Work, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
Interests: autism; cross-cultural research; discrimination; diversity; ethnic minorities; iInclusion; incorporation; integration; islamophobia; language; religious minorities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Language and cognitive development in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) remains a highly relevant and evolving area of research. Individuals with ASDs often exhibit distinct linguistic and cognitive profiles, with variations in speech acquisition, pragmatic language use, executive functioning, and social communication. Understanding these differences is critical for developing effective educational strategies, therapeutic interventions, and support systems that enhance communication skills and cognitive flexibility.

This Special Issue invites contributions that explore the intersection of language and cognition in ASDs across various domains, including early language acquisition, bilingualism, neurocognitive processing, and the role of social and environmental factors. We welcome empirical studies, theoretical reviews, and interdisciplinary approaches that provide insights into how language and cognition interact in autistic individuals across the lifespan.

By bringing together cutting-edge research from diverse perspectives—including psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and education—this Special Issue aims to advance knowledge on the mechanisms underlying language and cognitive development in ASDs and to inform more inclusive and effective interventions.

Prof. Dr. Sobh Chahboun
Dr. Alexander Gamst Page
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
  • language development
  • cognitive processing
  • executive functioning
  • pragmatic language
  • bilingualism in autism
  • neurocognitive development
  • social communication
  • early intervention
  • inclusion and education

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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20 pages, 694 KB  
Article
Windows to the Social Mind: What Eye-Tracking Reveals About Theory of Mind in Children and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
by Sobh Chahboun, Brian Sullivan, David Saldaña, Mila Vulchanova and Martina Micai
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15121622 - 25 Nov 2025
Viewed by 459
Abstract
Human social life is dependent on the ability of individuals to understand other people as separate cognitive agents, capable of thought independent from themselves. This understanding and the attribution of mental states to others, often called Theory of Mind (ToM), is a naturally [...] Read more.
Human social life is dependent on the ability of individuals to understand other people as separate cognitive agents, capable of thought independent from themselves. This understanding and the attribution of mental states to others, often called Theory of Mind (ToM), is a naturally developing ability. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) seem to experience difficulty in attributing mental states to others, and this may explain impaired social interaction and communication behaviors. The Frith-Happé animations are short videos designed to test ToM development by varying the degree of intentionality present and asking viewers to describe their interpretation. The present study recorded eye movements and verbal descriptions in 15 children and 23 young adults with ASD and 20 and 15 typically developing (TD) peers, respectively. The results showed eye movement patterns in ASD and TD children did not differ significantly, but both groups differed from adults in their verbal responses. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) produced shorter (F(1,60) = 5.8, p = 0.019) and less appropriate (F(1,60) = 4.4, p = 0.04) ToM descriptions than TD peers, although their eye movement patterns were comparable to those of TD children. While low-level visual processing may be intact in individuals with ASD, challenges with social cognition and verbal expression may remain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Language and Cognitive Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders)
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Review

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20 pages, 578 KB  
Review
Opening New Worlds of Meaning—A Scoping Review of Figurative Language in Autism Spectrum Disorder
by Bjørn Skogli-Christensen, Kristine Tyldum Lefstad, Marie Florence Moufack and Sobh Chahboun
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1556; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111556 - 14 Nov 2025
Viewed by 803
Abstract
Figurative language (metaphor, idiom, irony/sarcasm) is central to pragmatic communication but is frequently challenging for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A scoping review was conducted to map pedagogical and clinical interventions that target figurative-language skills in school-age learners with ASD [...] Read more.
Figurative language (metaphor, idiom, irony/sarcasm) is central to pragmatic communication but is frequently challenging for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A scoping review was conducted to map pedagogical and clinical interventions that target figurative-language skills in school-age learners with ASD and to summarize reported outcomes. Following a PCC (Population–Concept–Context) framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting, systematic searches were performed in ERIC and Google Scholar (2010–2025). Eligibility required an ASD sample (ages 5–18), an intervention explicitly addressing figurative-language comprehension, and empirical outcome data from educational or related practice settings. Seven studies met inclusion criteria: five targeting metaphors, one targeting idioms, and one targeting sarcasm/irony. Interventions were predominantly delivered one-to-one or in small groups and emphasized structured, explicit instruction with visual scaffolds and stepwise prompting. Across studies, participants demonstrated clear gains on trained items. Generalization beyond trained material was most often observed for metaphor and sarcasm interventions, particularly when instruction highlighted underlying semantic relations or cue-based pragmatic signals; by contrast, the idiom program yielded item-specific learning with minimal near-term transfer. Limited follow-up data suggested short-term maintenance where assessed. Reported variability across individuals was substantial, underscoring the influence of underlying structural-language skills and social-pragmatic demands. Overall, the evidence indicates that figurative-language skills in ASD are amenable to targeted intervention; effective programs tend to combine explicit teaching, visual supports, multiple exemplars, and planned generalization opportunities. Given small samples and methodological heterogeneity, further classroom-based trials with longer follow-up and detailed learner profiles are needed. The findings support integrating figurative-language goals within individualized education and speech-language therapy plans, while aligning instructional complexity with each learner’s linguistic and pragmatic profile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Language and Cognitive Development in Autism Spectrum Disorders)
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