The impact of bilingualism on executive functions of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder:
implications for teaching and learning decisions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/rhla.v24i2.56424Keywords:
Bilingualism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Executive FunctionsAbstract
Qualitative studies reveal that parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) feel insecure about stimulating the acquisition of an additional language. However, there is evidence of a positive impact of bilingualism on cognitive aspects impaired by ASD. Objective: To evaluate recent evidence on the impact of bilingualism on executive functions of children with ASD. Methods: This is an integrative literature review through the survey of scientific articles from the LILACS, PubMed, and CAPES databases. The following descriptors were used in English and Portuguese: "Autism AND Bilingualism AND Language", "Bilingualism AND Autism", and "Bilingualism AND Autism AND Language". Results: We identified 114 articles, of which 11 were directly related to the research question. Conclusions: The findings of this review suggest that bilingualism does not negatively affect the executive functions of children with ASD. In fact, it seems to mitigate the deficits of some components of the executive functions of children with ASD.
Downloads
References
ANDREOU, M. et al. Theory of mind, executive functions, and syntax in bilingual children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Languages, [S.l], v. 5, n. 67, 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.3390/languages5040067. Acesso em: 27 nov. 2024.
BADDELEY, A. Working memory: Theories, models and controversies. Annual Review of Psychology, [S.l], v. 63, n. 1, p. 1-29, Jan. 2012. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100422. Acesso em: 23 jul. 2022.
BALDIMTSI, E. et al. Proceedings of the 44th Boston University Conference on Language Development. In: MEGAN M. B.; KOHUT, A. (Ed.). Proceedings of the 44th Boston University Conference on Language Development. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press, 2020. p. 40-52.
BARAC, R.; BIALYSTOK, E. Bilingual effects on cognitive and linguistic development: role of language, cultural background, and education. Child Development, [S.l.], v. 83, n. 2, p. 413-422, 2012.
BARENDSE, E. et al. Working memory deficits in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: neuropsychological and neuroimaging correlates. J Neurodev Disord., [S.l.], v. 4, n. 5, 2013. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1186/1866-1955-5-14. Acesso em: 28 nov. 2024.
BIALYSTOK, E. Bilingualism in Development: language, literacy, & cognition. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
BIALYSTOK, E.; CODD, J. Cardinal limits: evidence from language awareness and bilingualism for developing concepts of number. Cognitive Development, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 1, p. 85-106, 1997.
BOER, J. D. C.; ELIAS, L. C. S. Habilidades sociais, funções executivas e desempenho acadêmico: revisão sistemática. Revista Psicopedagogia, [S.l.], v. 39, n. 119, p. 270-284, 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.51207/2179-4057.20220024. Acesso em: 16 nov. 2024.
BRASIL. Conselho Nacional de Educação/Câmara de Educação Básica. Parecer CNE/CEB Nº 2/2020. Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a oferta de Educação Plurilíngue. Disponível: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://portal.mec.gov.br/docman/setembro-2020-pdf/156861-pceb002-20/file. Acesso em: 15 jul. 2025.
BRASIL. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Censo Demográfico 2022. Rio de Janeiro: IBGE, 2024. Disponível em: https://censo2022.ibge.gov.br/panorama/. Acesso em: 15 jul. 2025.
BRASIL. Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (INEP). Censo Escola da Educação Básica 2024: Resumo Técnico. Brasília, DF: Inep/MEC, 2025.
CARIM, D. B.; MIRANDA, M. C.; BUENO, O. F. A. Tradução e Adaptação para o Português do “Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function”. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, [S.l.], v. 25, n. 4, p. 653-661, 2012.
CARLSON, S.; MELTZOFF, A. Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children. Developmental Science, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 2, p. 282-298, 2008.
CHEN, J. et al. Working memory as the focus of the bilingual effect in executive functions. Behavioral Sciences, [S.l.], v. 15, n. 2, 2025. Disponível em: https://doi.org/ 10.3390/bs15020134. Acesso em: 12 dez. 2024.
DIAMOND, A. Activities and Programs that improve children’s executive functions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, [S.l.], v. 21, n. 5, p. 335-341, 2012. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721412453722. Acesso em: 22 jul. 2022.
DIAMOND, A. Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, [S.l.], v. 64, n. 1. p. 135-168, Jan. 2013. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750. Acesso em: 22 jul. 2022.
ETNOLOGUE. Brazil. Disponível em: https://www.ethnologue.com/country/BR/. Acesso em: 15 jul. 2025.
GARCÍA, O. Bilingual education in the 21st century: a global perspective. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
GEURTS, H. M.; VAN DEN BERGH, S. F. W. M.; RUZZANO, L. Prepotent response inhibition and interference control in Autism Spectrum Disorders: two meta-analyses. Autism Research, [S.l.], v. 7, n. 4, p. 407-420, Mar. 2014. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1369. Acesso em: 22 jul. 2022.
GONZALEZ-BARRERO, A. M.; NADIG, A. S. Can Bilingualism Mitigate Set-Shifting Difficulties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders? Child Development, [S.l.], v. 90, n. 4, p. 1043-1060, Nov. 2017. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12979. Acesso em: 27 nov. 2024.
GREEN, D., ABUTALEBI, J. Language control in bilinguals: the adaptive control hypothesis. J Cogn Psychol, [S.l.], v. 25, n. 5, p. 515-530, 24 May 2013. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2013.796377. Acesso em: 27 nov. 2024.
GROSJEAN, F. Bilingual. Boston: Harvard University Press, 2010.
HABIB, A. et al. A meta-analysis of working memory in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. PLoS ONE, [S.l.], v. 14, n. 4, 30 Apr. 2019. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216198. Acesso em: 5 out. 2024.
HAMPTON, S. et al. Autism and Bilingualism: a qualitative interview study of parents' perspectives and experiences. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, Edinburg, v. 60, n. 2, p. 435-446, 2017. Disponível em: doi.org/10.1044/2016 JSLHR-L-15-0348. Acesso em: 20 jul. 2022.
HERNANDEZ, A. et al. Language switching and language representation in Spanish-English bilinguals: an fMRI study. NeuroImage, [S.l.], v. 14, n. 2, p. 510-520, 2001.
HOWARD, K. B.; KATSOS, N.; GIBSON, J. L. Practitioners' perspectives and experiences of supporting bilingual pupils on the autism spectrum in two linguistically different educational settings. Jornal Britânico de Pesquisa Educacional, [S.l.], v. 47 n. 2, p. 427-449, 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3662. Acesso em: 16 jul. 2022.
HUIZINGA, M.; BAEYENS, D.; BURACK, J. A. Executive function and education. Frontiers of Psychology, [S.l.], v. 9, p. 1367, 2018. Disponível em: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01357/full. Acesso em: 16 nov. 2024.
IAROCCI, G.; HUTCHISON, S. M.; O'TOOLE, G. Second language Exposure, functional communication, and executive function in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, [S.l.], v. 47, n. 6, p. 1818-1829, 2017. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3103-7. Acesso em: 31. jul. 2022.
KREMER-SADLIK, T. To be or not to be bilingual: Autistic children from multilingual families. In: MEGAN M. B.; KOHUT, A. (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Bilingualism. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press, 2004. p. 1225-1234.
LI, H. K. et al. How does being bilingual influence children with autism in the aspect of executive functions and social and communication competence? Journal of Brain Science, [S.l.], v. 47, p. 21-49, 2017. Disponível em: http://dx.doi.org/10.20821/jbs.47.0_21. Acesso em: 31 jul. 2022.
LIM, N. et al. Understanding the Linguistic needs of diverse individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: some comments on the research literature and suggestions for clinicians. J Autismo Dev Disord, [S.l.], v. 48, n. 8, p. 2890-2895, Aug. 2018.
MARTIN-RHEE, M. M.; BIALYSTOK, E. The development of two types of inhibitory control in monolingual and bilingual children. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 1, p. 81-93, Mar. 2008. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728907003227. Acesso em: 22 jul. 2022.
MATSON, J. T.; THORNE, J. C.; KOVER, S. T. Relationship between task-based and parent report-based measures of attention and executive function in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Journal of Pediatric Neuropsychology, [S.l.], v. 6, n. 3, p. 176-188, 2020.
MOITA LOPES, L. Por uma Linguística Aplicada indisciplinar. São Paulo: Parábola Editorial, 2006. v. 279.
MONTGOMERY, L. et al. Measuring the impact of bilingualism on executive functioning via inhibitory control abilities in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, [S.l.], v. 52, p. 3560–3573, 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05234-y. Acesso em: 30 jul. 2022.
PASCUAL C. A.; MUÑOZ, M. N.; ROBRES, Q. A. The relationship between executive functions and academic performance in primary education: review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol., v. 10, p. 1582, Jul. 2019. doi: https://10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01582. PMID: 31354585; PMCID: PMC6638196.
PERES, E. H. et al. Cerca de 2 milhões de pessoas vivem com autismo no Brasil. Correio Braziliense, Brasília, DF, Seção Sociedade, 2 abr. 2022. Disponível em: https://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/brasil/2022/04/4997766-cerca-de-2-milhoes-de-pessoas-vivem-com-o-autismo-no-brasil.html. Acesso em: 22 jul. 2022.
PERISTERI, E. et al. The impact of bilingualism on the narrative ability and the executive functions of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Communication Disorders, [S.l.], v. 85, p. 105999, May-June 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.105999. Acesso em: 31 jul. 2022.
PERISTERI, E.; VOGELZANG, M.; TSIMPLID, I. M. Bilingualism effects on the cognitive flexibility of autistic children: evidence from verbal dual-task paradigms. Neurobiology of Language, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 4, p. 558-585, 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00055. Acesso em: 31 jul. 2022.
RATTO, A. B. et al. Parents report fewer executive functioning problems and repetitive behaviors in young dual-language speakers with autism. Child Neuropsychol, [S.l.], v. 26, n. 7, p. 917-933, Mar. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2020.1733512. Acesso em: 1 ago. 2022.
SCHOLL, A. P.; BILLIG, J.; FINGER, I. Bilinguismo e memória de trabalho em crianças em idade escolar: uma revisão integrativa da literatura. Prolíngua, [S.l.], v. 15, n. 2, p. 212-226. ago./dez. 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.1983-9979.2020v15n2.54874. Acesso em: 5 out. 2024.
SHARAAN, S.; FLETCHER-WATSON, S.; MACPHERSON, S. E. The Impact of bilingualism on the executive functions of autistic children: a study of English-Arabic children. Autism Research, United Kingdom, v. 14, n. 3, p. 533-544, 2020. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2439. Acesso em: 30 jul. 2022.
SHARAAN, S.; MACPHERSON, S. E.; FLETCHER-WATSON, S. The impact of bilingualism on everyday executive functions of English‑Arabic autistic children: through a parent‑teacher lens. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, United Kingdom, v. 52, p. 2224–2235, 2021. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05114-5. Acesso em: 30 jul. 2022.
TOPLAK, M.; WEST, R.; STANOVICH, K. Practitioner review: do performance-based measures and ratings of executive function assess the same construct? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, [S.l.], v. 54, n. 2, p. 131-143, 2013.
VAN HEIJST, B. F.; GEURTS, H. M. Quality of life in autism across the lifespan: A meta-analysis. Autism, [S.l.], v. 19, n. 2, p. 158-167, 2014. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361313517053. Acesso em: 21 nov. 2024.
WANG, Y. et al. A Meta-Analysis of Working Memory Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuropsychol Rev., [S.l.], v. 27, p. 46-61, 2017 Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-016-9336-y. Acesso em: 5 dez. 2024.
WHARTON, R. H. et al. Children with special needs in bilingual families: A developmental approach to language recommendations. In: GREENSPAN, S. I.; WIEDER, S. (Ed.). The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders clinical practice guidelines. Bethesda, MD: The Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, 2000. p. 141-151.
WING, L.; GOULD, J.; GILLBERG, C. Autism spectrum disorders in the DSM-V: Better or worse than the DSM-IV? Research in Developmental Disabilities, v. 32, n. 2, p. 768-773, 2011. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2010.11.003. Acesso em 18 ago. 2025.
YU, B. Issues in bilingualism and heritage language maintenance: perspectives of minority-language mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, [S.l.], v. 22, n. 1, p. 10-24, Feb. 2013. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1044/1058-0360(2012/10-0078). Acesso em: 16 jul. 2022.
ZEIDAN, J. et al. Global prevalence of autism: a systematic review update. Autism Research, [S.l.], v. 15, n. 5, p. 778-790, 2022. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2696. Acesso em: 24 out. 2023.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Horizontes de Linguistica Aplicada
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Articles published by the Journal Horizontes de Linguística Aplicada are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
By publishing in Horizontes de Linguística Aplicada, authors agree to the transfer of economic copyright to the journal. Authors retain their moral rights, including the right to be recognized as the creators of the work.
Authors and readers are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes .
- NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
