Understanding Social Communication

Social communication, as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), is the “use of language in social contexts”, and is comprised of 4 components: 

social interaction, 

social cognition, 

pragmatics, 

and language processing.

Social interaction refers to the ability to interact with others (peers, teachers, etc.) in accordance with cultural, linguistic, and age-related norms. Social cognition has to do with executive functioning, Theory of Mind (I am me, and you are you), and emotional competency. Pragmatics, including both verbal and nonverbal communication, is the term we use to describe how one uses supralinguistic language skills to convey messages (i.e. body language, intonation, literal/nonliteral meanings). Lastly, language processing refers to the way we form words (morphology), the order in which words are presented (syntax), and the meaning of words (semantics). 

Here are some examples of social communication deficits you may recognize in your child. (Just because your child engages in one or some of these behaviors, it does not mean that social communication therapy is warranted. Please consult with your psychologist or speech-language pathologist to determine whether or not services are appropriate.) 

Playing alone:

While it is not uncommon for children to want to play alone on occasion, children who always play alone may not have the skills to play with others even if they desire to do so.

Relating to adults and not peers:

Sometimes, children who possess an adult-like intellect and an above average capacity for higher level thinking relate to and communicate with adults better than they do with their peers. This could be due to a deficit in social communication and adults unknowingly providing the support necessary to have a successful conversation with the child. This may impact the ability to build and maintain friendships.

Emotional regulation:

Children who have not yet learned how to interpret and understand their own emotions may appear to go from "0 to 100" with their reactions.

Appropriate volume:

Children who use the same volume in the library as they do on the playground may not have the awareness or the skills to regulate their volume.

Organizational skills:

Teens and adolescents who consistently need assistance planning their schedule, completing homework assignments on time, maintaining a clean environment, and managing their time may be experiencing difficulty with executive functioning.

Thoughts and conversations:

Children who are unable to attend during class or for the duration of a single-topic conversation, or they are hyper focused on topics of their choosing, may benefit from social communication goals in speech therapy.

What is the role of an SLP in social communication?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) may administer various tests, both formal and informal, to determine whether speech therapy may benefit the child in terms of overall communication, functioning, and quality of life. If services are deemed appropriate, your SLP will develop a plan of care with goals to amplify your child’s current strengths while addressing areas of need, as well as goals for the parent/family unit working towards full understanding and enjoyment in the parent-child relationship. If you aren’t certain if your child may benefit from a speech evaluation/therapy services, please contact our office at (602) 345-1785 for a free 15-minute consultation. 

My child is a teen/young adult. Is it too late to start speech therapy? 

It’s never too late! At Grow with Words, we evaluate each individual to determine current skills, then we create a plan starting from their zone of proximal development (targeting skills that aren’t too easy or too hard), in order to take full advantage of their strengths to make progress. While age can play a role, we look at global development to gain a holistic idea of the individual to ensure we are working towards functional goals. 

If you have specific questions, please feel free to call, email, or text us at (602) 345-1785 or contactus@growwithwords.com.