Understanding Human Communication Patterns with LLMs: A Study of Short Conversations in Autistic Children

Understanding Human Communication Patterns with LLMs: A Study of Short Conversations in Autistic Children | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Short Report Understanding Human Communication Patterns with LLMs: A Study of Short Conversations in Autistic Children Yahan Yang, Sunghye Cho, Maxine Covello, Julia Parish-Morris, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5671653/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Automated systems that analyze short conversation samples could offer valuable insights into autistic children's real-world social communication competence while highlighting opportunities for growth. In this study, we explore the potential of using large language models (LLMs) to assess social interaction quality during casual conversations that include autistic youth. We focus on evaluating the ability of LLMs to predict conversation quality, with the long-term goal of informing tailored communication support strategies that promote optimal social outcomes. Results underscore the need for caution when using LLMs to inform clinical decision-making in autism. Biological sciences/Psychology/Human behaviour Health sciences/Health care/Paediatrics/Paediatric research Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5671653","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Short Report","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":404766405,"identity":"59193fcb-2241-4f49-b653-160aa91a8ffe","order_by":0,"name":"Yahan Yang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNCCChs5VAEeglrOpBmTqIWx7VBiA9FaDI6fPfyat+1A+vz25scfGNvuyJlLNzA+eNuGR8uZvDRrnnN3cjecOWYmwdj2zNhyzgFmw7n4tBzIMTPmKXuWu0EiwQzowsOJG24ksEnz4tNy/g1QC9vhdPn5zz8DHXa4HqiF/TdeLTdyjB/ztB1OYLjBYwB02OEEA6AtzPi0SN54Y8Y450ya4YYzOWUSCeeeGW64kdgsOeccbi1853OMP7ypsJGXbz+++cOHsjvyBjeSD354U4Zbi8IBBjYpeCwkMBwAkowNuNUDgXwDA/PHHwj+AbyqR8EoGAWjYGQCACrqXKQodMfZAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Pennsylvania","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yahan","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang","suffix":""},{"id":404766407,"identity":"06b22992-b42c-4d66-b3e3-ff56b96b0093","order_by":1,"name":"Sunghye Cho","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Pennsylvania","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sunghye","middleName":"","lastName":"Cho","suffix":""},{"id":404766411,"identity":"29f26b78-c55a-44a6-a090-cde2b650e6d6","order_by":2,"name":"Maxine Covello","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Georgia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maxine","middleName":"","lastName":"Covello","suffix":""},{"id":404766414,"identity":"17791227-e28e-41e6-9ecb-b2fb8014146c","order_by":3,"name":"Julia Parish-Morris","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Children's Hospital of Philadelphia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Julia","middleName":"","lastName":"Parish-Morris","suffix":""},{"id":404766417,"identity":"587047f8-b033-478b-a2e5-33a620b92fef","order_by":4,"name":"Insup Lee","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Pennsylvania","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Insup","middleName":"","lastName":"Lee","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-12-18 18:38:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5671653/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5671653/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":77705450,"identity":"f2f0a089-7c0e-4e56-8012-40c6fd8cec03","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-03-04 11:54:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":532646,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"AutismLLMNPJMED.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5671653/v1_covered_59dd1162-a9bb-4734-a215-2527425db01e.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Understanding Human Communication Patterns with LLMs: A Study of Short Conversations in Autistic Children","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5671653/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5671653/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Automated systems that analyze short conversation samples could offer valuable insights into autistic children's real-world social communication competence while highlighting opportunities for growth. 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