Il lessico psicologico di soggetti autistici in situazione di comunicazione facilitata

This research is aimed at studying linguistic abilities in people with autism, by considering written texts produced by 3 autistic boys with the support of facilitated communication. The aim of the study is twofold: to analyse the linguistic and behavioural characteristics of FC of autistic subjects, also in order to bring a contribution to the debate on the authorship of facilitated production; to analyse frequency and different uses of lexicon referred to internal states in facilitated production . The three boys maintain a high level of physical autonomy during all sessions. Exclusive words, particularly the rare ones, testify the originality of subjects’ productions and the relative independency from interlocutors’ language, especially with the mothers. All boys, with every facilitator, use internal state terms in a consistent way, with a particular presence of cognitive references. The suitable and mature usage of internal state references - often rare and exclusive - indicates some level of knowledge of mind and emotional states.