Brief Report: "Um" Fillers Distinguish Children With and Without ASD.
Karla K McGregor, Rex R Hadden
PMID 30171507WHAT IT FOUND
Children with ASD used fewer 'um' pauses than typically developing peers, while 'uh' use did not differ.
Using fewer than two 'um' per 100 fluent words was associated with ASD, but it is not a standalone diagnostic test.
Key findings
01Typically developing children used more 'um' fillers than children with ASD, while 'uh' use did not differ.
02A cut-off of fewer than two 'um' per every 100 fluent words identified children who were 2.5 times as likely to have ASD, but the authors say this is not adequate as a sole index of ASD.
03In this sample, autism symptom severity scores were not related to 'um' use.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The ASD sample was small, with only 31 children, so the study was underpowered to test relationships between 'um' use and cognition, language, or autism symptoms. Only two girls with ASD were included, so sex differences in 'um' use could not be concluded. The favourite game or sport task was low demand, and filled pauses were fewer than in a more demanding picture description task, so task choice affects the results. Sensitivity and specificity were not adequate for use as a sole diagnostic index of ASD. All participants had normal hearing and nonverbal intelligence above 80, so findings may not apply to children with hearing loss or lower nonverbal intelligence. Two children in the ASD group did not meet the SCQ cut-off but were retained because diagnosis was verified by ADOS.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat fewer than two 'um' per every 100 words as proof of ASD. The authors state this measure is not adequate as a sole index, and the study was underpowered to link 'um' use to symptom severity.