Connections between executive function and pragmatic skills in Finnish 5–10-year-old children on the autism spectrum and control children

This study explored the performance of children on the autism spectrum (AS) and control children in executive function (EF) tasks and the relationship between EF and pragmatic skills using clinically available measures. 15 Finnish children on the AS (mean age 7;8 years) and 15 control children (mean age 7;7 years) participated in this study. We examined EF domains of working memory (verbal working memory) and inhibitory control of attention (selective auditory and visual attention) using the neuropsychological assessment battery NEPSY-II. Pragmatic skills were assessed by using the Pragma Test and Pragmatic Composite score of the Children’s Communication Checklist-2 (CCC-2). According to the results, the control group performed better in verbal working memory and selective auditory attention subtests, but no between-group difference was observed in selective visual attention. In the control group, verbal working memory was positively associated with the Pragmatic Composite score of the CCC-2. No statistically significant associations were observed in the AS group. Our findings indicate that many, but not all, children on the AS have domain-specific EF difficulties. Our findings also suggest that verbal working memory has a stronger relationship with pragmatic skills in the control group than in the AS group. Clinical implications are discussed.