In children with high-functioning autism, what is a key factor in language skill variance?

In children with high-functioning autism, impaired working memory plays a crucial role in the variance of language skills. Working memory is essential for various cognitive tasks, including processing language in real-time, following multi-step instructions, and constructing coherent narratives. Children with high-functioning autism often exhibit differences in working memory capacity, which can impact their ability to understand and produce language effectively.

This impairment can lead to challenges in both expressive and receptive language skills. For instance, a child may struggle to hold onto information long enough to respond appropriately in conversations or to comprehend longer sentences. As a result, language outcomes can differ significantly among children with high-functioning autism based on their working memory capabilities.

While reading ability, social media interaction, and gender differences may influence aspects of communication or social interactions, they do not directly address the intricate relationship between cognitive processing and language development as working memory does. Thus, understanding the role of impaired working memory is essential in comprehending language skill variance in this population.