“Mommy Will Help You”: Mothers’ Pronoun and Name Input Trends in Pronoun-Reversing Autistic and Typically Developing Toddlers in Longitudinal Case Studies

Pronouns play a key role in daily communication that help determine perspective and referents. They are unique linguistic tools as their referents shift depending on the speaker, a concept that often leads toddlers to confusing I versus You. Research suggests caregivers’ mixed pronoun-name input can help decrease toddlers’ confusion regarding this difference. This study examined two single-case studies of mothers’ pronoun and name use (impostor) in typically developing and autistic toddlers. We calculated the usage rates of first- and second-person pronouns and mother’s/child’s names between the ages of 11–35 months from natural observation recordings. Using these rates, the adherence to the typical name-to-pronoun use shift trend was studied. Simple linear regressions revealed mother’s second-person pronoun usage remained stable, whereas name use significantly decreased only in the autistic case. We discuss theoretical implications regarding the impact of talkativeness and joint attention, and practical implications for how these results may aid video-feedback interventions in home environments.