Abstract:

The research aim:
The main objective of the presented paper is to introduce the changes related to assessment and treatment of communication difficulties and disability in persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the Czech Republic, regarding the analysis of available assessment materials and empirical research. The main attention is paid to the issue of pragmatic language level (PLL) and disturbed co-verbal behaviour and other specifics associated with the social application of communication skills in speech and language therapy (SLT) (and special needs education) intervention. The paper introduces some of the partial empirical research results of a project called "Pragmatic language level in people with autism spectrum disorder" supported by GAČR (14-31457S, 2014/2016). The comparison with the previous and contemporary more detailed and quantitatively expanded research results reveals that speech and language therapists (SLTs) voice their dissatisfaction with the creation and distribution of national diagnostic materials focused mainly on PLL in persons with ASD. Therefore, we also introduce a short study aimed at ascertaining the efficiency of SLT intervention concentrated on the development of PLL in persons with ASD and point out the possible desirable outcomes of the intervention with a special emphasis on new worldwide classifications of Autism Spectrum and Communication Disability application.

Methodology:
As the main research method, we selected questionnaire examination and the combination of the quantitative data (structured and semi-structured items; comparison of the research findings form 2011 and 2014; n=144 and n=177 of SLTs) combined with short qualitative case study based on the evidence-based intervention benefit evaluating the increase of the pragmatic communication skills in a 10-year old boy with Asperger syndrome. The quantitative study analysed the development of the SLTs focus on communication areas in individuals with ASD in order to evaluate their systematic stimulation focused on PLL in persons with this diagnose.

Results:
We can claim that the results of both investigations conducted with a time lapse of 3 years are more-less congruent. Anyway, although the primary area correctly and repeatedly perceived as deficit is PLL, followed by lexical-semantic and morphologic-syntactic language levels and phonetic-phonologic language level at the weakest end, this was characterized only by 22.26% of replies, which is twice less number of respondents comparing our research data from 2011. Despite the fact that the majority of SLTs in the Czech Republic perceive the diagnostics of pragmatics as fully justified, they also point out the insufficient provisioning of diagnostic and evaluation materials. We can thus say that given certain positive awareness, detailed and objectified diagnostics is rather difficult in every-day work experience of the SLTs. Therefore, and regarding the fact that new DSM-V classification established a new diagnose of social-pragmatic communication disorder, the discussion should be focused on the appropriate, culturally and specifically educationally-ecologically based diagnostic tools and approaches to assessment of PLL communication differences in evaluating individuals with ASD (with the emphasis of SLTs involvement in this difficult and differentiate-diagnostically subtle process).

Keywords:

Autism spectrum disorder, communication disability, pragmatic language level, speech and language therapy, assessment, diagnostics.