Novel metaphors comprehension in a child with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders: a study on assessment and treatment.

摘要

Until the first decade of the current millennium, the literature on metaphor comprehension\udhighlighted typical difficulties in children with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder\ud(ASD). More recently, some scholars have devised special programs for enhancing\udthe capability of understanding metaphors in these children. This article presents a\udcase study based on a treatment aiming at enhancing novel metaphor comprehension\udin a high-functioning child with ASD. M.M., a pseudoacronym for an 8;10 year-old\udboy, diagnosed with high-functioning ASD, was first assessed with a metaphor\udcomprehension test. This testing (at time T0) highlighted a rigid refusal of metaphors\udand a marked tendency toward literal interpretation. A baseline treatment (8 sessions\udof 45–60 min each, twice a week) was implemented, based on a series of recognition,\uddenomination and emotion comprehension activities. M.M.’s metaphor comprehension\udwas assessed a second time (T1), followed by the experimental treatment (same duration\udand frequency as the first one), specifically focused on metaphor comprehension. Finally,\uda third assessment of metaphor comprehension took place (T2), followed by a last\udassessment 4 months later (follow-up, T3). The comparison between the performances\udat the metaphor comprehension test across the four assessments, from T0 to T3,\udshowed that the baseline treatment produced no effect at all, whereas a significant\udimprovement appeared at T2, just after the experimental treatment, later confirmed at\udthe follow up. Both quantitative and qualitative results showed an evident improvement\udin the way M.M. handled the semantic issues posed by the metaphors of the test, in line\udwith the strategies he was taught during the treatment.