What is Social Communication Disorder?

Social communication disorder (SCD), also known as pragmatic communication disorder, makes it challenging for a person to communicate with other people in social situations. It is characterized by persistent difficulty using appropriate verbal and nonverbal language and attempts to communicate with others tend to be awkward and unconventional.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, people with SCD may struggle to vary speech style, use different language components such as vocabulary, syntax, and intonation, understand the rules of communication, and share perspectives.

Symptoms of SCD begin in early childhood, but may not become fully evident until the child starts school. Though it may mimic some of the symptoms of autism, it does not fall under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder. Getting the correct diagnosis is important to identify the necessary support.

What Social Communication Disorder is Not

People with SCD are not intellectually impaired. They may have a great vocabulary and understand the meanings of words and the technical mechanics of language, such as grammar. It’s the unspoken, subtle rules of language that are hard for them to grasp. They are particularly challenged when it comes to interpreting the pragmatics.

Social communication disorder is different from autism spectrum disorder, developmental language disorder, or ADHD. It is listed as a diagnostic category of its own in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5)

Common Symptoms of Social Communication Disorder

Tendency to greet others in inappropriate or unconventional ways

People with SCD do not know how to appropriately greet others, request information, or gain attention. They have trouble making eye contact and may get too close to people when they speak.

Impaired ability to adapt communication style to match different social situations

People with SCD have difficulty recognizing when and how to change their tone of voice or communication style in a way that is socially appropriate for a particular context or setting.

Examples include speaking softly in a library, talking differently to a child than to an adult, or knowing when a situation requires a formal versus a familiar tone. They tend to have only one communication style, which they use for all interactions.

Tendency to interrupt and talk over others

People with social communication disorder have trouble following rules of communication, such as taking turns in a conversation, responding appropriately, making eye contact with the speaker, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing when to listen, and when to keep quiet. They tend to interrupt a lot, monopolize the conversation, and/or say things that are off-topic.

Trouble understanding or using facial expressions and gestures

People with social communication disorder are unable to understand nonverbal clues such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language, which causes them to miss many of the nuances of communication. They tend to use inappropriate gestures or none at all, making them look awkward or rigid.

Difficult to follow when telling a story

People with SCD tend to have problems telling coherent stories and may recount an event in a way that seems disorganized, disconnected, and difficult to follow. They may use words that don’t make sense in the context of what they are trying to express.

Awkward communication

People with social communication disorder may say things that are grammatically correct, but unsuitable for the situation or audience. They also struggle with starting, entering, and ending conversations, articulating questions, staying on topic, rephrasing what they are saying when misunderstood, and/or knowing when a chat is over.

Difficulty understanding abstract concepts, and nuances

A person with SCD interprets everything literally and may have trouble recognizing and reacting to social subtleties, or making inferences. They may struggle to understand non-literal language such as metaphors, idioms, aphorisms, irony, and humor. They may also lack listener awareness of nonverbal cues such as the interest level of the person being spoken to.

Treating Social Communication Disorder

Treatment for SCD includes:

• Addressing pragmatic communication challenges.
• Developing strategies for improving communication and social interaction skills.
• Learning how to use appropriate greetings and gestures.
• Learning how to interpret and use non-verbal cues.
• Working on conversation skills.
• Understanding the meanings of figurative and ambiguous language.
• Learning how to make inferences when information is not explicitly stated.
• Learning how tone and context can make words mean different things.
• Exposure to a variety of social scenarios depicting socially appropriate behaviors and responses and contrasting them with inappropriate ones.

If you have questions or would like to set up an appointment, please give us a call. We can help you find one-on-one and/or small social skills group sessions that provide a social setting where clients can practice what they have learned and get feedback.