Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39692959›Full record

ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2026

Growth Trajectories of Joint Attention and Play as Predictors for Language in Young Children at Elevated Likelihood for Autism.

Floor Moerman, Hanna Van de Vyver, Petra Warreyn, Maide Erdogan, Ilse Noens, Maithri Sivaraman, Fieke Vlaeminck, Steven Wallaert, TIARA Team, Herbert Roeyers

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Floor Moerman *Research in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. floor.moerman@ugent.be.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3025-0484
Hanna Van de Vyver *Research in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Hanna.VandeVyver@UGent.be.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8799-296X
Petra WarreynResearch in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Maide ErdoganResearch in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Ilse NoensLeuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium.
Maithri SivaramanTeachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA.
Fieke VlaeminckResearch in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Steven WallaertBiostatistics Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
TIARA Team
Herbert RoeyersResearch in Developmental Diversity Lab (RIDDL) UGent, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.

Funding

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek S001517N
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of initial level and growth rate of joint attention and play from 10 to 24 months for language abilities of 24-month-old toddlers at elevated likelihood (EL) for autism. (Semi-)structured assessments were used to measure all variables at different timepoints prospectively in younger siblings of children with autism (siblings, n = 48) and children born before 30 gestational weeks (preterms, n = 49). A positive association was found between initial level of play at 10 months and expressive language at 24 months in siblings, but not in preterms. We did not find an association between initial level of play and receptive language. Growth rate of play and initial level and growth rate of joint attention were not related to language abilities in siblings and preterms. Our results indicate that play and expressive language are interrelated, and early play behaviour may contribute to later language. As this association was absent in preterms, they may follow qualitatively different developmental processes. Moreover, future research including different EL-groups is needed to clarify these differential associations. In contrast to previous studies, no association between early joint attention and later language was found. These inconsistent findings warrant further exploration and highlight the importance of exploring alternative aspects of early development, for instance non-social factors, to expand our understanding of language acquisition.

Indexed as

AttentionAutistic DisorderLanguage DevelopmentPlay and PlaythingsChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantLongitudinal StudiesMaleSiblingsJoint attentionLanguagePlaySiblings at elevated likelihoodSocial communicationVery preterm-born children

Identifiers

PMID39692959

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.