A team of scientists led by clinical psychologist Kelia Romero studied 112 children aged 7 to 12. These included both children with autism and children without developmental disabilities. The study found that bilingual children have better self-control and are more comfortable switching between tasks. These skills are important for both academic success and adult success.
"We found that bilingualism is associated with improved executive function, which in turn alleviates autism symptoms," explains study co-author Lynn Perry. This finding supports a hypothesis that had previously been discussed in the scientific literature but lacked robust evidence.
Children with autism often struggle with social communication difficulties and impaired executive functions. These are cognitive skills that enable them to plan, focus, remember instructions, and effectively manage multiple tasks. These skills typically develop throughout life, and even if a child doesn't master them immediately, they can catch up later. Autistic children have a more challenging time with these skills than their neurotypical peers, but research shows that bilingual children with ASD overcome these challenges more easily.
Interestingly, the benefits of bilingualism weren't limited to children with autism. Scientists have found that bilingual children, even those without neurological disorders, exhibit enhanced perspective-taking abilities.
They more easily understand the thoughts and intentions of others, which is also important for their social development. "We noticed that bilingual children have a more developed ability to perceive the perspectives of others," noted Kelia Romero.
Neuroscience explains this phenomenon by the phenomenon of co-activation. The two languages in the brain are constantly active and compete with each other, requiring a person to exert increased control and the ability to switch between them. This phenomenon is known as the "bilingual advantage," which stimulates the development of executive functions. According to neuroscientist Lucina Uddin, knowing two languages develops the ability to suppress one language in favor of the other, which strengthens self-control skills.
Kelia Romero began researching the impact of bilingualism on children with autism when she noticed that some families were reluctant to teach their children a second language, believing it to be harmful. However, research has shown that there is no reason to restrict a child's language exposure, even if they have a neurological disorder. "I want to convey to families that learning a second language will not harm their children," Romero emphasizes.
Furthermore, research shows that bilingualism has a positive impact on typical children as well.
"This is good news for us because it supports our recommendations not to limit the language development of children in multilingual families," said Michael Alessandri, executive director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the University of Miami.
The research is ongoing. Romero and Perry are studying the impact of bilingualism on children's interactions with peers in preschool, while Uddin is analyzing how knowledge of a second language influences the cognitive development of children with autism.
