Audra Sterling, PhD

Position title: Associate Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders

PhD, University of Kansas

Contact Information

Waisman Center
1500 Highland Ave
Room 481
Madison, WI 53705
608.265.6901
asterling@waisman.wisc.edu
Website: Research in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Language Lab (RIDDLL)

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).

Selected Publications

Pubmed

Elmquist, M., Ford, A. L. B., Lorang, E., & Sterling, A. (2024). Opportunities to Respond During Dyadic Caregiver-Child and Naturalistic Family Interactions Among Children With Down Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation. American journal of speech-language pathology, 1–10. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-23-00179
Potter, S. N., Harvey, D., Sterling, A., & Abbeduto, L. (2024). Parental Responsivity and Child Communication During Mother-Child and Father-Child Interactions in Fragile X Syndrome. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 67(3), 939–959. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00517
DiFilippo, A., Jonaitis, E., Makuch, R., Gambetti, B., Fleming, V., Ennis, G., Barnhart, T., Engle, J., Bendlin, B., Johnson, S., Handen, B., Krinsky-McHale, S., Hartley, S., & Christian, B. (2024). Measurement of synaptic density in Down syndrome using PET imaging: a pilot study. Scientific reports, 14(1), 4676. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54669-7
Maltman, N., Willer, R., & Sterling, A. (2023). An Exploratory Study of Pragmatic Language Use Across Contexts With the Pragmatic Rating Scale-School Age Among Autistic Boys and Boys With Fragile X Syndrome Plus Autism. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 66(11), 4547–4557. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00024
Abbeduto, L., Del Hoyo Soriano, L., Berry-Kravis, E., Sterling, A., Edgin, J. O., Abdelnur, N., Drayton, A., Hoffmann, A., Hamilton, D., Harvey, D. J., & Thurman, A. J. (2023). Expressive language sampling and outcome measures for treatment trials in fragile X and down syndromes: composite scores and psychometric properties. Scientific reports, 13(1), 9267. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36087-3
Maltman, N., Hilvert, E., Friedman, L., & Sterling, A. (2023). Comparison of Linguistic Error Production in Conversational Language Among Boys With Fragile X Syndrome + Autism Spectrum Disorder and Autistic Boys. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66(1), 296–313. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_JSLHR-22-00078
Del Hoyo Soriano, L., Villarreal, J. C., Sterling, A., Edgin, J., Berry-Kravis, E., Hamilton, D. R., Thurman, A. J., & Abbeduto, L. (2022). The association between expressive language skills and adaptive behavior in individuals with Down syndrome. Scientific reports, 12(1), 20014. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24478-x
Del Hoyo Soriano, L., Sterling, A., Edgin, J., Hamilton, D. R., Berry-Kravis, E., Dimachkie Nunnally, A., Thurman, A. J., & Abbeduto, L. (2024). Associations among sex, cognitive ability, and autism symptoms in individuals with Down syndrome. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 54(1), 301–311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05779-6
Maltman, N., Klusek, J., DaWalt, L., Hong, J., Sterling, A., Berry-Kravis, E., & Mailick, M. R. (2022). Verbal inhibition declines among older women with high FMR1 premutation expansions: A prospective study. Brain and cognition, 159, 105851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2022.105851
Hoffmann, A., Thurman, A. J., Sterling, A., Kover, S. T., Finestack, L., Berry-Kravis, E., Edgin, J. O., Drayton, A., Fombonne, E., & Abbeduto, L. (2022). Analysis of a repetitive language coding system: Comparisons between fragile X syndrome, autism, and Down syndrome. Brain sciences, 12(5), 575. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12050575
Hilvert, E., Lorang, E., Maltman, N., & Sterling, A. (2022). Assessing the Quantity and Quality of Language Used by Mothers and Fathers of Children with Down Syndrome During Shared Book Reading. Journal of child language, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000922000046
Potter, S. N., Harvey, D. J., Sterling, A., & Abbeduto, L. (2022). Mental Health Challenges, Parenting Stress, and Features of the Couple Relationship in Parents of Children With Fragile X Syndrome. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 857633. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.857633
Lorang, E., Maltman, N., Venker, C., Eith, A., & Sterling, A. (2022). Speech-language pathologists’ practices in augmentative and alternative communication during early intervention. Augmentative and alternative communication (Baltimore, Md. : 1985), 38(1), 41–52. https://doi.org/10.1080
Maltman, N., Friedman, L., Lorang, E., & Sterling, A. (2021). Brief Report: Linguistic Mazes and Perseverations in School-Age Boys with Fragile X Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder and Relationships with Maternal Maze Use. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(2), 897–907. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04981-2
Hilvert, E., Lorang, E., & Sterling, A. (2021). Maternal Use of Decontextualized and Contextualized Talk: An In-Depth Investigation of Early Parent-Child Interactions in Down Syndrome. American journal of speech-language pathology, 30(4), 1767–1780. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00190
Thurman, A. J., Edgin, J. O., Sherman, S. L., Sterling, A., McDuffie, A., Berry-Kravis, E., Hamilton, D., & Abbeduto, L. (2021). Spoken language outcome measures for treatment studies in Down syndrome: feasibility, practice effects, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of variables generated from expressive language sampling. Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders, 13(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-021-09361-6
Barton-Hulsey, A., & Sterling, A. (2020). Grammatical judgment and production in male participants with idiopathic autism spectrum disorder. Clinical linguistics & phonetics, 34(12), 1088–1111. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2020.1719208
Barton-Hulsey, A., Lorang, E., Renfus, K., & Sterling, A. (2020). Maternal Input and Child Language Comprehension During Book Reading in Children With Down Syndrome. American journal of speech-language pathology, 29(3), 1475–1488. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00156
Lorang E, Hartley S, Sterling A. (2020). Physiological arousal and observed behaviour in parent-child interactions involving young children with Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 64(6):426-433. doi: 10.1111/jir.12714. Epub 2020 Jan 23. PMID: 31971300; PMCID: PMC7237288.
Hilvert E, Hoover J, Sterling A, Schroeder S. (2020). Comparing Tense and Agreement Productivity in Boys With Fragile X Syndrome, Children With Developmental Language Disorder, and Children With Typical Development. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63(4):1181-1194. doi: 10.1044/2019_JSLHR-19-00022. Epub 2020 Apr 13. PMID: 32282263; PMCID: PMC7242987.
Abbeduto, L., Berry-Kravis, E., Sterling, A., Sherman, S., Edgin, J. O., McDuffie, A., Hoffmann, A., Hamilton, D., Nelson, M., Aschkenasy, J., & Thurman, A. J. (2020). Expressive language sampling as a source of outcome measures for treatment studies in fragile X syndrome: feasibility, practice effects, test-retest reliability, and construct validity. Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders, 12(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-020-09313-6
Friedman L, Lorang E, Hilvert E, Sterling A. (2020). “Are We Done Yet?” Question-Asking in Boys With Fragile X Syndrome and Idiopathic Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63(6):1822-1834. doi: 10.1044/2020_JSLHR-19-00139. Epub 2020 May 18. PMID: 32421422; PMCID: PMC7839035.
Klusek J, Hong J, Sterling A, Berry-Kravis E, Mailick MR. (2020). Inhibition deficits are modulated by age and CGG repeat length in carriers of the FMR1 premutation allele who are mothers of children with fragile X syndrome. Brain and Cognition, 139:105511. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2019.105511. Epub 2019 Dec 27. PMID: 31887710; PMCID: PMC6954879.
Friedman L, Sterling A, DaWalt LS, Mailick MR. (2019). Conversational Language Is a Predictor of Vocational Independence and Friendships in Adults with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(10):4294-4305. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-04147-1.
Friedman L, Sterling A, Barton-Hulsey A. (2018). Gaze avoidance and perseverative language in fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder: brief report. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 15:1-4. doi: 10.1080/17518423.2018.1424264.
Movaghar A, Mailick MR, Sterling A, Greenberg J, Saha K. (2017) Automated Screening for Fragile X Premutation Carriers Based on Linguistic and Cognitive Computational Phenotypes. Scientific Reports . 7(1):2674. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-02682-4. PMCID:PMC5454004.
Haebig E, Sterling A. (2017) Investigating the Receptive-Expressive Vocabulary Profile in Children with Idiopathic ASD and Comorbid ASD and Fragile X Syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(2):260-274. doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-2921-3.
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, 59(5):1046-1058. doi: 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-L-15-0185.
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.
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.
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.
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, 55(6):1704-15. doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2012/10-0106).
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.