How Do We Measure the Social Skills of Teenagers with Communication Disability?

What is it about?

This paper looks at how we assess the social skills of teenagers (aged 12–17) who have communication disability. These challenges might come from conditions like developmental language disorder, autism, or ADHD, and they can make it harder for young people to interact with others. We reviewed 173 studies to understand what kinds of tools are used to measure these teens’ ability to communicate and connect with others, whether that’s talking face-to-face or online. We found that most assessments focus on isolated skills (for example, grammar or understanding spoken language) and few tools look at how teens use communication in everyday life, like chatting with friends or posting on social media. More practical, real-world assessments are needed, which reflect how teens with communication disability communicate and connect with others. This would help speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working with these teens to support the participation of young people in their social life.

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Why is it important?

This research highlights a gap in how we assess and support teenagers with communication disability. In today’s world, digital interaction (such as social media and texting) is a central part of teen life. However, most of the tools used to assess teenagers’ communication skills are too narrow, or do not consider the settings (e.g., online) that matter most to young people. This means current assessments don’t reflect how teens communicate day-to-day or how they socially participate. Instead of focusing on isolated skills in clinical tests, this paper calls for a shift toward evaluating how teens communicate with others in real-life situations. It’s about moving from measuring ability in theory to understanding participation in practice.