Motor and Communication Skills

Project Overview 

This project examined the relationship between various aspects of motor and communication skills in minimally verbal children on the autism spectrum. Using data from my dissertation, the study focused on subdomains of motor skills, expressive communication skills, and communication functions while controlling for children’s age and country of residence. This research provided valuable insights into the connection between motor and communication skills, serving as an initial step toward informing intervention programs that support optimal development in minimally verbal autistic children.

Roles and Responsibilities 

I led a first-author publication in collaboration with a researcher from the University of Arkansas. My responsibilities included:

• Conceptualizing the study and developing research questions and hypotheses

• Designing the analytical approach and coordinating with collaborators for data analyses

• Conducting literature reviews to contextualize findings within existing research

• Interpreting results and drafting the manuscript, ensuring methodological rigor and clarity

• Incorporating feedback from co-authors and revising the manuscript accordingly

• Preparing figures, tables, and supplementary materials for publication

• Managing journal submission and revisions, including responding to reviewer comments

• Disseminating research findings through presentations and publications