Perception of pragmatic skills by speech therapists and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers compared how speech therapists and parents view communication skills in 70 children with autism. While both groups mostly agreed on children's communication abilities, therapists saw some areas differently than parents, particularly in how well children respond to others and use communication effectively. This suggests parents and therapists generally have similar views about their child's communication progress.

This cross-sectional study examined how speech therapists and parents perceive pragmatic communication skills in 70 children with autism spectrum disorder (aged 2-12 years) receiving speech therapy. Nine speech therapists and 70 parents/caregivers completed the Protocol for Assessment of Pragmatic Skills (PAHPEA). Results showed statistically significant differences between groups on three of five factors: responsiveness, functionality, and inadequacy, with therapists rating children's performance differently than parents. However, overall perceptions were similar across most factors assessed, suggesting general agreement between professional and parent perspectives on children's pragmatic communication abilities.

Findings suggest need for improved communication between therapists and parents regarding pragmatic skill assessment. Differences in perception may indicate areas requiring enhanced parent education or modified assessment approaches to ensure collaborative treatment planning.

Single-center study with convenience sampling from one Brazilian clinic limits generalizability. Sample size details unclear. Cross-sectional design prevents examination of changes over time in perceptions.

To analyze the perceptions of speech therapists and parents or guardians regarding the performance of pragmatic skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), between 2 and 12 years old, undergoing speech therapy. Cross-sectional, prospective, observational, analytical study, conducted in a speech therapy clinic in the Midwestern Region of Brazil, including two groups and convenience sampling: Group 1. nine speech therapists who were caring for 70 children with ASD, in the established age range; Group 2. 70 parents or guardians or caregivers of these children. Participants responded to the Protocol for the Assessment of Pragmatic Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (PAHPEA). Descriptive analyses were conducted to identify the children's pragmatic difficulties perceived by the two groups, Mann-Whitney U test to compare the perceptions of participants in the two groups about the children's pragmatic skills, and Spearman rho correlational analysis to verify the occurrence of an association between these perceptions of participants in both groups.

A statistically significant difference was found in three of the five factors covered by PAHPEA (responsiveness, functionality, and inadequacy), as the members of Group 1 interpreted the children's performance differently from that of the participants in Group 2. Overall, the perceptions of speech therapists and parents or guardians were similar in almost all factors and questions evaluated.