Effects of a modified dialogic reading approach on emotion understanding and social functioning in preschoolers with autism

Abstract

<p><strong>Objectives:</strong> Emotion understanding is a crucial component of emotional competence. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often characterized by difficulties in recognizing and understanding emotions, and these may in turn affect their social functioning. This study examined the effects of a modified dialogic reading approach—Reading to Engage Children with Autism in Language and Learning (RECALL)—on emotion understanding and social functioning.</p><p><strong>Design and Methods:</strong> Fifty-two preschoolers (mean age=5.27y, SD=0.67; 43 boys, 9 girls) with ASD were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=25) or active control (n=27) group. The experimental group received a total of 16 weeks of RECALL training, while the control group received 8 weeks of training without implementing RECALL followed by 8 weeks of RECALL training in this study. Data were collected at baseline (Time 1), after the first phase of intervention at Week 8 (Time 2), and after the second phase of intervention at Week 16 (Time 3).</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Multilevel growth curve analyses showed that RECALL significantly enhanced emotion understanding in the experimental group. Both groups showed reduction in social communication impairment, but the effect size was larger in the experimental group. Emotion understanding at Time 3 significantly mediated the effects of the experimental condition on social functioning outcomes measured at Time 3.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> This study represented one of the first few randomized controlled trials of RECALL. The association between emotion understanding and social functioning underscores the importance of providing early training to children with ASD to enhance their social cognitive abilities.</p>