Elective Language in Children on the Autism Spectrum: From Neurocognitive Therapy to the Development of Receptive and Expressive Communication Skills

Abstract

This study examines the neurological, cognitive and linguistic dimensions that explain communication disorders in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), emphasising that their linguistic deficits are not so much due to structural grammatical deficiencies as they are to a contextual-pragmatic gap that hinders the functional use of language in social interaction. The article reviews the neurobiological foundations of the disorder, focusing on the role of the mirror neuron system (MNS) in explaining deficits in imitation and theory of mind, and drawing on explanatory cognitive models such as central coherence impairment and in executive functions. The article also details receptive and expressive language features; it refutes the common perception that expressive language is superior to receptive language, demonstrating the association of language disparities with non-verbal cognitive abilities, neural tonality processing and event-related potentials (ERPs). The study concludes that it is important to shift from formalistic approaches to early pragmatic and functional interventions, and to integrate behavioural assessment tools (such as the VB-MAPP) to enhance communicative competence and self-awareness in natural environments.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, pragmatic linguistics, mirror neurons, theory of mind, receptive and expressive language, early intervention.

Received Date: June 19, 2026

Accepted Date: July 10, 2026

Published Date: August 01, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/868