No Differences in Code-Related Emergent Literacy Skills in Well-Matched 4-Year-Old Children With and Without ASD

This study used data from a prospective community-based sample and compared the code-related emergent literacy skills (phonological awareness and letter knowledge) of 4-year-old children with ASD ( n = 36) to their peers without ASD ( n = 36), matched for age, gender, socio-economic status, language ability, and nonverbal cognition. We also compared groups on parent-reported home literacy measures, including the amount of time their child enjoyed being read to. There were no significant group differences in emergent literacy, indicating that an ASD diagnosis was not related to children’s emergent literacy performance. We found no group differences in parent-reported home literacy experiences. This highlights the need for careful consideration of factors beyond ASD traits that may influence literacy outcomes in this population.