Despite the importance of the pragmatics skills in the interactions with other people and in the communicative exchanges, little research focused on these abilities and on their relationships with psychological well-being and other cognitive domains in typically developing (TD) children and in individuals with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). Previous works focused mainly on pragmatic abilities in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) and Schizophrenia. In these clinical populations, the studies reported close relationships between pragmatic abilities and both quality of life (QoL) and behavioural problems. Surprisingly, the link between pragmatic skills and psychological health in TD children is still underinvestigated. Studying more in depth the relationships between pragmatics and psychological health in TD children appears as a central issue to better understand the child’s development and prevent later behavioural and emotional difficulties. Moreover, in Italy, the instruments for the identification of pragmatic difficulties in children are still limited and the discrimination between children with various language difficulties into different diagnostic profiles remains a major challenge in clinical settings. Regarding clinical populations, little is known about pragmatic abilities in individuals with (SLD). Studying pragmatic abilities and their relationships with other cognitive domains, i.e. Theory of Mind (ToM) and Executive functions (EFs) in patients with SLD could contribute to define their cognitive functioning and plan an effective support. Guided by this evidence, three studies were designed. Study 1 aimed at analysing the relationships between pragmatic abilities, school well-being and behavioural problems in a group of 66 TD children. The data collected suggested a strong relationship between pragmatic skills and both school well-being and children behavioural features. Study 2 evaluated and compared pragmatic skills in children with TD (n = 26) and with different neurodevelopmental disorders: ASD with good intellectual functioning (n = 19), SLD with associated DLD (n=23) and SLD without linguistic impairments (n = 21). The findings contributed to discriminate the pragmatic profile between these clinical populations. We investigated and confirmed the validity of the Children Communication Checklist (CCC-2) as screening measure for pragmatic skills as well. Study 3 assessed the pragmatic comprehension abilities in 26 young adults with SLD and in 30 adults from the general population. We studied the relationship between pragmatics, QoL, ToM and EFs as well. Our results showed that pragmatic abilities were compromised in young adults with SLD. In this clinical population we found also a link between pragmatic comprehension and ToM. Independently from the presence of SLD, pragmatics abilities were in relationship with QoL. Overall, this work contributes to shed light on the relationships between pragmatic abilities and other psychological and cognitive domains in both typically developing individuals and clinical samples, SLD in particular. Moreover, our data suggest that pragmatic difficulties should be considered as a possible risk factor for emotional and behavioural problems during development. Thus, an early identification of pragmatic difficulties, even in children without evident psychopathological symptoms, may prevent psychological problems that could occur later in the development. To date pragmatic abilities still appear underestimated and rarely evaluated in clinical settings. Our results highlight the importance of including the evaluation of these abilities in the clinical assessment of children and adults with SLD, in order to better define their cognitive profile and plan an intervention.

Nonostante l'importanza delle abilità pragmatiche nelle interazioni sociali e negli scambi comunicativi, pochi studi hanno indagato tali abilità e il loro rapporto con il benessere psicologico e con altri domini cognitivi in soggetti a sviluppo tipico (ST) o in presenza di Disturbi Specifici dell'Apprendimento (DSA). I lavori si sono concentrati principalmente su pazienti con disturbi neurologici e psichiatrici, in particolare Spettro dell’Autismo (ASD), Disturbi Specifici di Linguaggio (DSL) e Schizofrenia. In queste popolazioni cliniche, è stata descritta una relazione tra pragmatica, qualità della vita (QdV) e problemi comportamentali. Sorprendentemente, il legame tra abilità pragmatiche e benessere nei bambini a ST è ancora poco indagato. Studiare la pragmatica e la sua relazione con la salute psicologica nei bambini a ST e con disturbi del neurosviluppo è importante non solo per comprendere in modo più approfondito il loro sviluppo psicologico e cognitivo, ma anche per prevenire successive difficoltà comportamentali ed emotive. In Italia, gli strumenti per l'identificazione delle difficoltà pragmatiche nei bambini sono ancora limitati e la discriminazione tra i profili linguistici di bambini con diversi disturbi rappresenta un’attuale sfida in ambito clinico. Per quanto riguarda le abilità pragmatiche in popolazioni cliniche, in letteratura sono presenti pochi studi riguardanti i DSA. Valutare le capacità pragmatiche e le loro relazioni con altri domini cognitivi, in particolare Teoria della mente (ToM) e Funzioni esecutive (FE), rappresenta un obiettivo primario al fine di meglio definire il profilo di funzionamento e pianificare un supporto efficace. Guidati da queste evidenze, per il presente lavoro sono stati progettati tre studi. Nello studio 1 è stata analizzata la relazioni tra le abilità pragmatiche, il benessere scolastico e i problemi comportamentali in un gruppo di 66 bambini a ST. I dati raccolti suggeriscono una forte relazione tra abilità pragmatiche e le variabili psicologiche/comportamentali indagate. Nello studio 2 sono state valutate e confrontate le abilità pragmatiche in 4 gruppi di bambini: a ST (n = 26), con ASD e buon funzionamento intellettivo (n = 19), con DSA con associato un DSL (n = 23) e con DSA senza disturbi linguistici (n = 21). Dalle analisi sono emersi profili pragmatici differenti a seconda del disturbo considerato. Inoltre, è stata indagata, e confermata, la validità della Children Communication Checklist 2 (CCC-2) come misura di screening per le abilità pragmatiche. Nello studio 3 sono state valutate le capacità di comprensione pragmatica in 26 giovani adulti con DSA e in 30 adulti a sviluppo tipico. È stata indagata anche la relazione tra pragmatica, QdV, ToM ed FE. Le abilità pragmatiche sono risultate compromesse nei giovani adulti con DSA. Inoltre, in questa popolazione clinica, è stato trovato un legame tra la comprensione pragmatica e la ToM. Infine la pragmatica è risultata in stretta relazione con la QdV indipendentemente dalla presenza di diagnosi di DSA. Nel complesso, il presente lavoro ha contribuito a definire le relazioni tra la pragmatica e altri domini psicologici (QdV) e cognitivi (ToM e FE) sia nella popolazione generale che in gruppi clinici, in particolare nei DSA. Inoltre, i dati suggeriscono l’importanza di considerare le difficoltà pragmatiche come possibili fattori di rischio per problemi emotivi e comportamentali durante lo sviluppo. Pertanto, un'identificazione precoce delle difficoltà pragmatiche, anche nei bambini senza evidenti sintomi psicopatologici, potrebbe prevenire problemi psicologici a esordio tardivo. Ad oggi, le capacità pragmatiche appaiono ancora sottovalutate e raramente valutate in ambito clinico. I risultati evidenziano la necessita di includere queste abilità nella valutazione clinica di bambini e adulti con DSA, al fine di definire meglio il loro funzionamento e pianificare un intervento.

Le abilità pragmatiche e la loro relazione con la Teoria della mente, le Funzioni Esecutive e la salute psicologica in bambini a sviluppo tipico, bambini con differenti disturbi del neurosviluppo e adulti con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento / Michela Camia , 2021 Feb 25. 33. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2019/2020.

Le abilità pragmatiche e la loro relazione con la Teoria della mente, le Funzioni Esecutive e la salute psicologica in bambini a sviluppo tipico, bambini con differenti disturbi del neurosviluppo e adulti con Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento.

CAMIA, MICHELA
2021

Abstract

Despite the importance of the pragmatics skills in the interactions with other people and in the communicative exchanges, little research focused on these abilities and on their relationships with psychological well-being and other cognitive domains in typically developing (TD) children and in individuals with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). Previous works focused mainly on pragmatic abilities in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) and Schizophrenia. In these clinical populations, the studies reported close relationships between pragmatic abilities and both quality of life (QoL) and behavioural problems. Surprisingly, the link between pragmatic skills and psychological health in TD children is still underinvestigated. Studying more in depth the relationships between pragmatics and psychological health in TD children appears as a central issue to better understand the child’s development and prevent later behavioural and emotional difficulties. Moreover, in Italy, the instruments for the identification of pragmatic difficulties in children are still limited and the discrimination between children with various language difficulties into different diagnostic profiles remains a major challenge in clinical settings. Regarding clinical populations, little is known about pragmatic abilities in individuals with (SLD). Studying pragmatic abilities and their relationships with other cognitive domains, i.e. Theory of Mind (ToM) and Executive functions (EFs) in patients with SLD could contribute to define their cognitive functioning and plan an effective support. Guided by this evidence, three studies were designed. Study 1 aimed at analysing the relationships between pragmatic abilities, school well-being and behavioural problems in a group of 66 TD children. The data collected suggested a strong relationship between pragmatic skills and both school well-being and children behavioural features. Study 2 evaluated and compared pragmatic skills in children with TD (n = 26) and with different neurodevelopmental disorders: ASD with good intellectual functioning (n = 19), SLD with associated DLD (n=23) and SLD without linguistic impairments (n = 21). The findings contributed to discriminate the pragmatic profile between these clinical populations. We investigated and confirmed the validity of the Children Communication Checklist (CCC-2) as screening measure for pragmatic skills as well. Study 3 assessed the pragmatic comprehension abilities in 26 young adults with SLD and in 30 adults from the general population. We studied the relationship between pragmatics, QoL, ToM and EFs as well. Our results showed that pragmatic abilities were compromised in young adults with SLD. In this clinical population we found also a link between pragmatic comprehension and ToM. Independently from the presence of SLD, pragmatics abilities were in relationship with QoL. Overall, this work contributes to shed light on the relationships between pragmatic abilities and other psychological and cognitive domains in both typically developing individuals and clinical samples, SLD in particular. Moreover, our data suggest that pragmatic difficulties should be considered as a possible risk factor for emotional and behavioural problems during development. Thus, an early identification of pragmatic difficulties, even in children without evident psychopathological symptoms, may prevent psychological problems that could occur later in the development. To date pragmatic abilities still appear underestimated and rarely evaluated in clinical settings. Our results highlight the importance of including the evaluation of these abilities in the clinical assessment of children and adults with SLD, in order to better define their cognitive profile and plan an intervention.
Pragmatic abilities and their relationship with Theory of mind, Executive Functions and psychological health. An investigation in children with typical development, children with different neurodevelopmental disorders, and adults with Specific Learning Disorders.
25-feb-2021
SCORZA, Maristella
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1236817
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