The first report examines the understanding of gestures during speech in children with and without ASD, highlighting differences and similarities in how they perceive and interpret non-verbal signals. The second report focuses on the effect of bilingualism on Theory of Mind in autistic and neurotypical children, exploring how the ability to understand the mental states of others is influenced by the knowledge and use of multiple languages. 

Finally, the third paper presents in-depth research on the experiences of adolescents with ASD, analysing the daily challenges, coping strategies and emotional experiences of this developing population. 

This meeting offers a unique opportunity to deepen the understanding of the different dimensions of the cognitive and socio-emotional experience of individuals with ASD and DSA, thus promoting greater awareness and information in the field of research and clinical intervention.

Breakpoint with

Pauline Wolfer, speech therapist, studies the understanding of gestures during speech in children with and without ASD. Originally from the Swiss-French-German Alsace region, she combines clinical experience with research to understand the impact of multilingualism on the communication of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Franziska Baumeister, with masters degrees in Mathematics and French and Multilingualism Studies, is researching the effects of bilingualism on Theory of Mind in autistic and neurotypical children. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.

Giulia Lampugnani, PhD specialising in the Psychopathology of Learning for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, is the Talents in the Clouds Project Manager and project developer. Her work focuses on the experiences of adolescents with ASD, exploring methodologies and findings from field research.

Participation

The meeting is free and open to the public upon registration by writing to dfa.breakpoint@supsi.ch. 
It is also possible to follow the event remotely via Teams.