Features of the predicative vocabulary and prefrontal synthesis in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders

Context and relevance. Comprehensive vocabulary development is an important component of speech development and verbal communication. Impairments in phrasal and coherent speech in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often lead to difficulties in acquiring and using verbs as a means of conveying the social meaning of utterances. Objective. The aim is to investigate the characteristics of verb vocabulary acquisition and their possible relationship with prefrontal synthesis (PFS) processes as basic mental mechanisms in preschoolers with ASD. Hypothesis. The state of prefrontal synthesis may be a prognostic factor for the acquisition of predicative vocabulary. Methods and materials. The study involved 20 preschoolers aged 5-7 years with ASD. The study program included two sets of tasks aimed at examining the structure of the verb vocabulary and the PFS as a cognitive mechanism that fosters the ability to synthesize subject, qualitative, and spatial relationships necessary for understanding and subsequently assimilating verb vocabulary. Results. It was revealed that a higher level of development of PFS skills is associated with greater efficiency in the acquisition and expansion of the verb vocabulary, which allows us to consider PFS as a significant cognitive factor in speech development in children with ASD. Conclusions. The presented results supplement the knowledge about the process of verb vocabulary formation in children with ASD, including the basic psycholinguistic skills associated with the development of PFS (the ability to integrate lexical and syntactic components of an utterance), necessary for optimal verb acquisition. Further study of the problem will allow us to justify the inclusion of sections aimed at the formation of the psychological and psycholinguistic basis of speech, including the development of PFS operations, in the program of speech therapy work with preschoolers with ASD in order to improve communication skills.