Audra Sterling, Ph.D.

Waisman Center Profile

Research in Developmental Disabilities and Language Lab (RIDDLL)

Education

Ph.D., University of Kansas

Courses Taught

CS&D 440: Child Language Disorders
CS&D 703: Language & Learning Disorders of Children

Research Statement

My work focuses on the cognitive and language development of individuals with developmental disabilities. In particular I am interested in children with fragile X syndrome, autism, and Down syndrome. The long term goals of my research seek to understand the contributions of both biology (as represented by genetic syndromes, e.g., FXS) and environment (as represented in this case by parenting) in the development of language and cognition in children with developmental disabilities.

The current study in my lab focuses on the language development of boys with fragile X syndrome as well as boys with idiopathic autism. Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and shares a striking number of similarities in terms of the language and behavioral phenotype with autism. Approximately 25-45% of males with fragile X also have a co-diagnosis of autism. The current study aims to describe the language profile of children with fragile X and children with autism, with a particular focus on syntax and morphology. I am also interested in the impact of autism on fragile X, and how this is similar and/or different to language in idiopathic autism. Additionally the study is also examining the best methods for assessing language in fragile X and autism. Very little is known about assessment and intervention for language development in fragile X, and the results of this study have important clinical implications in terms of designing and implementing the most effective treatments in this population.

I have several other projects focused on other areas of language and cognitive development in developmental disabilities, including the language and cognitive development of females with fragile X syndrome, adult language in idiopathic autism, and best assessment measures for autism in other clinical populations (i.e., fragile X).

Representative Publications

Haebig E, Sterling A, Hoover JR. (2016) Examining the language phenotype in children with typical development, specific language impairment, and fragile X syndrome. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. In Press.

Haebig E, Sterling A. (2016) Investigating the Receptive-Expressive Vocabulary Profile in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. In Press.

Brady N, Warren SF, Fleming K, Keller J, Sterling A. (2014) Effect of sustained maternal responsivity on later vocabulary development in children with fragile X syndrome. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2014 Feb;57(1):212-26.

Sterling A, Warren SF. (2014) Maternal responsivity in mothers of young children with Down syndrome. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 17(5):306-17. doi: 10.3109/17518423.2013.772671.

Sterling, A., Mailick, M.R., Greenberg, J.S., Warren, S.F., & Brady, N. (2013) Language dysfluencies in females with the FMR1 premutation. Brain and Cognition. 82(1):84-9.

Berry-Kravis E, Doll E, Sterling A, Kover ST, Schroeder SM, Mathur S, Abbeduto L. (2013) Development of an expressive language sampling procedure in fragile X syndrome: a pilot study. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. 34(4):245-51.

Finestack LH, Sterling AM, & Abbeduto L. (2013) Discriminating Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome based on language ability. Journal of Child Language. 40(1):244-65.

Sterling A, Warren SF. (2013) Maternal responsivity in mothers of young children with Down syndrome. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. In Press.

Sterling AM, Warren SF, Brady N, Fleming K. (2013) Influences on maternal responsivity in mothers of children with fragile X syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 118(4):310-26.

Sterling AM, Rice M, & Warren SF. (2012) Finiteness marking in boys with fragile X syndrome. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. In Press.

Sterling A, Abbeduto L. (2012) Language development in school-age girls with fragile X syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Ressearch. 56(10):974-83.

Sterling AM, Barnum L, Skinner D, Warren SF, & Fleming K. (2012) Parenting young children with and without fragile X syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities . 117, 194-206.

Warren SF, Brady N, Sterling A, Fleming K, Marquis J. (2010) Maternal responsivity predicts language development in young children with fragile X syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Jan;115(1):54-75.

Brady N, Warren SF, Sterling A. (2009) Interventions Aimed at Improving Child Language by Improving Maternal Responsivity. International Review of Research in Mental Retardation. 37:333-357.