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Semin Speech Lang 1997; 18(3): 197-212
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1064073
© 1997 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

The Emergence of Repair Strategies in Infants and Toddlers

Dianne Alexander1 , Amy Wetherby2 , Barry Prizant3
  • 1Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
  • 2Department of Communication Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
  • 3Division of Communication Disorders, Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts
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Publication Date:
15 May 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

This article describes the emergence of repair behaviors in young children as a reflection of three significant developmental achievements: the emergence of communicative intentionality, the development of socioemotional perspective taking, and the acquisition of effective communicative means. Because research in the emergence of preverbal communicative repairs is limited, a cross-sectional study was conducted on the ontogeny of repair strategies using the normative samples from the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales (Wetherby & Prizant, 1993). Patterns of early repair behaviors of typically developing children, as well as those of small groups of children with hearing impairments and pervasive developmental disorders, are presented. Findings of this study suggest that the ability to repair communicative breakdowns develops at the same time as intentional communication and that gestures are integral to preconversational repairs. Assessment and intervention implications for clinical practice are discussed.

KEY WORDS

repair strategies - communicative intent - preverbal communication