A new study from UCLA Health reveals that children with autism benefit cognitively from growing up in multilingual households. The study highlights improved executive functions and reduced autism symptoms, showing the positive impact of speaking multiple languages.
In a significant breakthrough, researchers at UCLA Health have discovered that multilingualism can significantly enhance cognitive functions and reduce symptoms of autism in children. The study, published in the journal Autism Research, provides groundbreaking insights into how speaking more than one language can improve critical cognitive abilities and help manage autism-related symptoms.
“It turns out that speaking multiple languages, whether or not you have a diagnosis of autism, is associated with better inhibition, better shifting or flexibility, and also better perspective-taking ability,” lead author Lucina Uddin, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences and director of the UCLA Brain Connectivity and Cognition Laboratory, said in a news release.
The study initially conducted at the University of Miami recruited over 100 children, both autistic and non-autistic, aged 7-12 from monolingual and multilingual households, with a large number speaking Spanish and English at home.
Parents completed surveys assessing their children’s executive function skills, which are often impacted by autism spectrum disorder. These skills included inhibition (the ability to control distractions), working memory (the ability to retain information) and shifting (the ability to switch between tasks). Additionally, core autism abilities, such as perspective-taking, social communication and repetitive behaviors, were evaluated.
The results showed that children in multilingual households demonstrated stronger inhibition, task-shifting capabilities and perspective-taking skills compared to those in monolingual households.
“If you have to juggle two languages, you have to suppress one in order to use the other. That’s the idea, that inhibition might be bolstered by knowing two languages,” Uddin added.
Moreover, speaking multiple languages had a positive impact on core autism symptoms, enhancing communication, reducing repetitive behaviors and improving the ability to understand different perspectives. Addressing a common concern among parents, Uddin emphasized that multilingualism does not contribute to developmental delays in language learning but instead offers potential long-term benefits.
“The big takeaway is we don’t see any negative effects of speaking multiple languages in the home,” Uddin added. “It’s actually beneficial to celebrate all the languages associated with your culture.”
Encouraged by these promising findings, Uddin plans to expand the study to include 150 children with autism, incorporating more executive function and language tests, as well as brain imaging.
This research could be transformative for how parents and educators support children with autism, highlighting the cognitive advantages of nurturing a multilingual environment. As awareness of these benefits grows, it may encourage more multilingual households to embrace their linguistic diversity, fostering a more inclusive approach to cognitive development and autism care.