Differences in stress production of non-meaningful syllables for high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders

Prosody is the paralinguistic aspect of speech. Studies that examine prosodic function in autism acknowledge its striking appearance as a deviant speech pattern. In order to add to the body of knowledge concerning prosodic characteristics in high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), this study compares the differences in stress production in non-meaningful syllables in stressed and unstressed conditions produced on the Tennessee Test of Rhythm and Intonation Patterns (T-TRIP) by high-functioning individuals with ASDs as compared to normal controls. The recorded data are analyzed with the Computerized Speech Lab (CSL) program. Findings reveal significant differences between groups in terms of accent range (ratio of highest to lowest pitch) for stressed syllables, and for duration of stressed syllables. The implications of these findings for understanding prosodic function in ASDs is discussed.