Language vs. Behavior: The Greater Impact on Social Skills in Children with Autism

When improving social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is important to consider the verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Speech-Language Pathologists work on refining expressive language in children with ASD while Clinical Psychologists focus more on modifying their behavior. Using the different branches of knowledge from both clinical perspectives produces more treatment approaches for bettering social communication in children with autism. Although Speech-Language Pathologists and Clinical Psychologists work interprofessionally to determine the best course of treatment, one specialty may hold a greater impact over the other. Behavior can have an impact on social communication however, language is the driving force for how children with ASD communicate with one another