Social relations disorders of persons with asperger syndrome as a consequence of linguistic deficits, based on the analysis of language behaviour

Abstract

Asperger Syndrome (AS) was first described by Hans Asperger in 1944 and was initially referred to as autistic psychopathy. In the case of individuals with AS, a whole range of social interaction disorders is observed, which is mainly manifested by difficulties at the pragmatic and semantic levels. Linguistic and communicative behaviours of individuals with AS take a specific form. The aim of this article is to present an analysis of the language behaviour of this group of people, based on the author’s own research and the latest literature. The cases of two boys with the aforementioned disorder are discussed. The deficits in selected linguistic, communicative and interactional skills, occurring to a different degree and extent in the examined persons with Asperger Syndrome, prove the existence of linguistic deficits in this group of people. Pointing out the principles of linguistic functioning of individuals with AS will help to understand them and facilitate the work of speech therapists.