Communication, Executive Function and Inner Speech in Autism Spectrum Disorder [Research Assistant]

Professor Greg Wallace
Department: Speech and Hearing Sciences
The Project
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share significant deficits in the ability to successfully navigate the social world and engage in effective social interaction. From a Vygotskian perspective, these social impairments may hinder development of self-regulatory executive function (EF) skills. Indeed, individuals with ASD demonstrate impaired EF, as indicated by difficulty with problem solving tasks like the Tower of London. It may be that impaired inner speech or self-talk mediates the relationship between broader social and EF difficulties in ASD. The current study will examine this relationship first in a sample of typically developing adults by having them complete assessments of EF, pragmatic (i.e., social) vs. structural language, and inner speech. Subsequent studies will then assess this association in the context of individuals with ASD.
Research Assistant Tasks
The research assistant will complete various tasks in the context of this study, ranging from recruiting subjects, performing assessments with subjects, entering data, and analyzing data.
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per week
Contact Email: gwallac1@gwu.edu
Additional Instructions for Applying: Interested students should send an up-to-date CV/resume to Dr. Wallace.