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Murphy S, Bell K, Cook EJ, Crafter S, Davidson R, Fairhurst C, Hicks K, Joffe V, Messer D, Robinson-Smith L, Strachan L, Torgerson D, Welch C. Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication difficulties (E-PLAYS-2) trial: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating a computerised intervention to promote communicative development and collaborative skills in young children. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:266. [PMID: 38741221 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01749-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of children experience difficulties with social communication and this has long-term deleterious effects on their mental health, social development and education. The E-PLAYS-2 study will test an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting such children. E-PLAYS uses a dyadic computer game to develop collaborative and communication skills. Preliminary studies by the authors show that E-PLAYS can produce improvements in children with social communication difficulties on communication test scores and observed collaborative behaviours. The study described here is a definitive trial to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of E-PLAYS delivered by teaching assistants in schools. METHODS The aim of the E-PLAYS-2 trial is to establish the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of care as usual plus the E-PLAYS programme, delivered in primary schools, compared to care as usual. Cluster-randomisation will take place at school level to avoid contamination. The E-PLAYS intervention will be delivered by schools' teaching assistants. Teachers will select suitable children (ages 5-7 years old) from their schools using guidelines provided by the research team. Assessments will include blinded language measures and observations (conducted by the research team), non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and parent-reported use of resources and quality of life. A process evaluation will also include interviews with parents, children and teaching assistants, observations of intervention delivery and a survey of care as usual. The primary analysis will compare pragmatic language scores for children who received the E-PLAYS intervention versus those who did not at 40 weeks post-randomisation. Secondary analyses will assess cost-effectiveness and a mixed methods process evaluation will provide richer data on the delivery of E-PLAYS. DISCUSSION The aim of this study is to undertake a final, definitive test of the effectiveness of E-PLAYS when delivered by teaching assistants within schools. The use of technology in game form is a novel approach in an area where there are currently few available interventions. Should E-PLAYS prove to be effective at the end of this trial, we believe it is likely to be welcomed by schools, parents and children. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN 17561417, registration date 19th December 2022. PROTOCOL VERSION v1.1 19th June 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Murphy
- University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK.
| | - Kerry Bell
- York Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Erica Jane Cook
- University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK
| | - Sarah Crafter
- Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, Milton, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Rosemary Davidson
- University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK
| | | | - Kate Hicks
- York Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Victoria Joffe
- University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - David Messer
- Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, Milton, MK7 6AA, UK
| | | | - Luke Strachan
- York Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - David Torgerson
- York Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Charlie Welch
- York Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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Baraldi MA, Domaneschi F. Pragmatic Skills in Late Adulthood. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH 2024; 53:20. [PMID: 38424410 DOI: 10.1007/s10936-024-10061-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Research investigating pragmatic abilities in healthy aging suggests that both production and comprehension might be compromised; however, it is not clear how pragmatic abilities evolve in late adulthood, as well as when difficulties are more likely to arise. The aim of this study is to investigate the decline of pragmatic skills in aging, and to explore what cognitive and demographic factors support pragmatic competence. We assessed pragmatic production skills, including discourse abilities such as speech, informativeness, information flow, paralinguistic aspects, as well as the ability to produce informative descriptions of pictures, and pragmatic comprehension skills, which encompassed the ability to understand discourse and the main aspects of a narrative text, to infer non-literal meanings and to comprehend verbal humor in a group of elderly individuals and in a sample of younger participants. Moreover, specific cognitive functions (short-term memory, verbal and visuospatial working memory, inhibition Theory of Mind, and Cognitive Reserve) were assessed in both groups. Pragmatic difficulties seem to occur in late adulthood, likely around 70 years, and emerge more prominently when participants are asked to understand verbal humor. Age was the only predictor of general pragmatic performance in a sample of cognitively unimpaired older adults; conversely, when elderly individuals with less intact inhibitory control are considered, a general role of inhibition emerged, in addition to working memory and ToM in specific tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Alice Baraldi
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Department of Humanities, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 2, 16126, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Filippo Domaneschi
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Department of Humanities, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 2, 16126, Genoa, Italy
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Bodur K, Nikolaus M, Prévot L, Fourtassi A. Using video calls to study children's conversational development: The case of backchannel signaling. FRONTIERS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fcomp.2023.1088752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding children's conversational skills is crucial for understanding their social, cognitive, and linguistic development, with important applications in health and education. To develop theories based on quantitative studies of conversational development, we need (i) data recorded in naturalistic contexts (e.g., child-caregiver dyads talking in their daily environment) where children are more likely to show much of their conversational competencies, as opposed to controlled laboratory contexts which typically involve talking to a stranger (e.g., the experimenter); (ii) data that allows for clear access to children's multimodal behavior in face-to-face conversations; and (iii) data whose acquisition method is cost-effective with the potential of being deployed at a large scale to capture individual and cultural variability. The current work is a first step to achieving this goal. We built a corpus of video chats involving children in middle childhood (6–12 years old) and their caregivers using a weakly structured word-guessing game to prompt spontaneous conversation. The manual annotations of these recordings have shown a similarity in the frequency distribution of multimodal communicative signals from both children and caregivers. As a case study, we capitalize on this rich behavioral data to study how verbal and non-verbal cues contribute to the children's conversational coordination. In particular, we looked at how children learn to engage in coordinated conversations, not only as speakers but also as listeners, by analyzing children's use of backchannel signaling (e.g., verbal “mh” or head nods) during these conversations. Contrary to results from previous in-lab studies, our use of a more spontaneous conversational setting (as well as more adequate controls) revealed that school-age children are strikingly close to adult-level mastery in many measures of backchanneling. Our work demonstrates the usefulness of recent technology in video calling for acquiring quality data that can be used for research on children's conversational development in the wild.
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Alduais A, Majorano M, Andrés‐Roqueta C, Hamaguchi P, Persici V, Qasem F. Conceptualizing, defining, and assessing pragmatic language impairment in clinical settings: A scoping review. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Alduais
- Department of Human Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy
| | | | - Clara Andrés‐Roqueta
- Department of Developmental, Educational, Social and Methodological Psychology Universitat Jaume I de Castellón Castelló de la Plana Spain
| | - Patricia Hamaguchi
- Hamaguchi Apps for Speech‐Language & Auditory Development, Hamaguchi & Associates Pediatric Speech‐language Pathologists, Inc. Cupertino California USA
| | | | - Fawaz Qasem
- Department of English, College of Science and Arts University of Bisha Al‐Namas Saudi Arabia
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Camia M, Benassi E, Giovagnoli S, Scorza M. Specific learning disorders in young adults: Investigating pragmatic abilities and their relationship with theory of mind, executive functions and quality of life. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 126:104253. [PMID: 35526492 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are lifelong conditions often associated with language difficulties, executive dysfunctions, and psychological problems. Previous research has shown that communicative-pragmatic ability may be impaired in SLD. However, the role of other cognitive abilities in explaining pragmatic difficulties has still not been fully investigated. The relationship between pragmatics and quality of life is not yet clear, as well. AIMS Firstly, the study assessed pragmatic comprehension abilities in adults with SLD. Secondly, we examined the relationship between pragmatics, theory of mind, executive functions and quality of life. METHOD AND PROCEDURES We enrolled 26 adults with SLD and 30 adults without SLD. Standardized tests assessing pragmatic comprehension, theory of mind and executive functions were used. The quality of life was investigated with a self-reported questionnaire. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Pragmatic comprehension abilities were compromised in young adults with SLD. In this clinical population we also found a link between pragmatic comprehension and visual theory of mind. Finally, independently from the presence of SLD, pragmatics abilities were in relationship with quality of life. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Overall, these data highlight the importance of including pragmatic abilities both in the clinical evaluation, as well as in psychological intervention for adults with SLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Camia
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Campus San Lazzaro, Via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Erika Benassi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Campus San Lazzaro, Via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Sara Giovagnoli
- Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari", University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Maristella Scorza
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Campus San Lazzaro, Via Amendola 2, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
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Baraldi MA, Avanzino L, Pelosin E, Domaneschi F, Di Paola S, Lagravinese G. Pragmatic abilities in early Parkinson's disease. Brain Cogn 2021; 150:105706. [PMID: 33761383 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Language impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been investigated at different levels of linguistic skills. Only a few studies dealt with pragmatic abilities in PD, and these suggest an impairment of pragmatic skills, which might affect quality of life. However, previous studies enrolled patients with heterogeneous symptom severity. The goal of this study is twofold: first, to investigate whether pragmatic skills are compromised at the early stage of PD; second, to explore whether an early pragmatic impairment is explained by a decay of a specific cognitive function. We assessed pragmatic abilities (discourse production, comprehension of narratives, humour, and figurative language), and a cluster of cognitive functions (memory, verbal fluency, inhibition, shifting, and ToM) in a sample of early PD patients and a group of age-matched healthy controls. Early PD patients showed impaired general pragmatic skills (the ability to perform different pragmatic tasks in language production and comprehension), as well as a deficit in the production and comprehension individual scores. Our results suggest that good general cognitive skills (a good overall cognitive level) and high education support patients' pragmatic competence. Inhibitory processes have been found to predict patients' ability to understand figurative language, such as metaphors, and this might be related to frontal lobe dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Alice Baraldi
- Department of Educational Sciences (DISFOR), Psychology Unit, Corso Podestà 2, University of Genoa, 16128 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Laura Avanzino
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Largo Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), Section of Human Physiology, Via Leon Battista Alberti 2, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Elisa Pelosin
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Largo Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), Largo Daneo 3, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Filippo Domaneschi
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Via Balbi 30, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Simona Di Paola
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Via Balbi 2, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Lagravinese
- IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Largo Benzi 10, 16132 Genoa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health (DINOGMI), Largo Daneo 3, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy.
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Murphy S, Joffe V, Donald L, Radley J, Sunthararajah S, Welch C, Bell K, Messer D, Crafter S, Fairhurst C, Corbacho B, Rodgers S, Torgerson D. Evaluating 'Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication impairments' (E-PLAYS): a feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2021; 7:5. [PMID: 33390188 PMCID: PMC7780650 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-020-00724-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This article reports the results from a feasibility study of an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting children who experience difficulties with social communication. E-PLAYS is based around a dyadic computer game, which aims to develop collaborative and communication skills. A pilot study found that when E-PLAYS was delivered by researchers, improvements on communication test scores and on collaborative behaviours were observed. The aim of this study was to ascertain the feasibility of running a full-scale trial to test the effectiveness of E-PLAYS in a National Health Service (NHS) setting with delivery by speech and language therapists and teaching assistants. METHODS The study was a two-arm feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial of the E-PLAYS intervention with a treatment as usual control arm. Data relating to recruitment and retention, treatment fidelity, acceptability to participants, suitability of outcomes and feasibility of collecting health economic measures and of determining cost-effectiveness were collected. Speech and language therapists selected suitable children (ages 4-7 years old) from their caseload. E-PLAYS intervention (experimental group) was then delivered by teaching assistants overseen by speech and language therapists. The control group received usual care. Assessments included blinded language measures and observations, non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and non-blinded parent-reported use of health and education resources and quality of life. RESULTS Planned recruitment was for 70 children, in the event, 50 children were recruited which was sufficient for feasibility purposes. E-PLAYS was very highly rated by children, teaching assistants and speech and language therapists and treatment fidelity did not pose any issues. We were able to collect health economic data which suggests that E-PLAYS would be a low-cost intervention. CONCLUSION Based on recruitment, retention and adherence rates and our outcome measures, a full-scale randomised controlled trial estimated appears feasible and warranted to assess the effectiveness of E-PLAYS for use by the NHS and schools. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN 14818949 (retrospectively registered).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Murphy
- Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU UK
| | - Victoria Joffe
- University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ UK
| | - Louisa Donald
- Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU UK
| | - Jessica Radley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX UK
| | - Sailaa Sunthararajah
- Research and Development Office, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Barley Lane, Ilford, IG3 8XJ UK
| | - Charlie Welch
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Kerry Bell
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - David Messer
- Education & Language Studies, Faculty of Wellbeing, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Sarah Crafter
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Caroline Fairhurst
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Belen Corbacho
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Sara Rodgers
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - David Torgerson
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
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Janik Blaskova L, Gibson JL. Reviewing the link between language abilities and peer relations in children with developmental language disorder: The importance of children's own perspectives. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2021; 6:23969415211021515. [PMID: 36381523 PMCID: PMC9620691 DOI: 10.1177/23969415211021515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Background and aims Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are at risk of difficulties in their friendships and peer relations. The present review explores how research directly involving children with DLD can inform our understanding of peer relations in this group, and how research insights may change according to the nature of their involvement in the studies. We further examine how these findings might shape current theoretical understandings of the links between language impairment and peer relations. Methods An integrative review methodology was used in order to identify relevant studies and synthesise the findings. A structured database search was carried out using the qualitative PICo framework; Population = 4-12-year-old children with DLD, phenomenon of Interest = peer relations, Context = research studies directly including children. After screening, 52 studies were included in a narrative research synthesis.Main contribution: We identified six main types of study that directly included children with DLD; interview, sociometric, self-report, task-based, naturalistic observation and staged observation. Interview-based studies were the most likely to use a meaningful participatory approach. Indications of good practices for participation included reporting on involvement practices, seeking child assent, adapting materials and language used, using visual supports, using child-preferred communication methods and using art-based approaches. Findings from the narrative synthesis of studies highlight the importance of friendships to quality of life, and the role of pragmatic language skills and self-perceptions in building friendships. Conclusions Research on the peer relations of children with DLD is in the early stages when it comes to taking a participatory approach, however there are some examples of inclusive practice from which the whole field can learn. The findings show that research that directly includes children with language disorders and takes account of their communication challenges can help build a more comprehensive knowledge of their world and leads to interesting avenues for interventions targeting social adjustment.Implications: Clinical implications are discussed with reference to the highlighted pragmatic language and social needs of children with DLD, which are typically not addressed unless disproportionately affected in comparison to structural language impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Janik Blaskova
- Play & Communication Lab, Centre for Research on Play in
Education, Development and Learning, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jenny L Gibson
- Play & Communication Lab, Centre for Research on Play in
Education, Development and Learning, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Nilsen ES, Silva J, McAuley T, Floto S. Executive functioning moderates associations between shyness and pragmatic abilities. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janel Silva
- Psychology Department University of Waterloo Waterloo ON Canada
| | - Tara McAuley
- Psychology Department University of Waterloo Waterloo ON Canada
| | - Shanan Floto
- Psychology Department University of Waterloo Waterloo ON Canada
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Socher M, Lyxell B, Ellis R, Gärskog M, Hedström I, Wass M. Pragmatic Language Skills: A Comparison of Children With Cochlear Implants and Children Without Hearing Loss. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2243. [PMID: 31649586 PMCID: PMC6794448 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pragmatic language ability refers to the ability to use language in a social context. It has been found to be correlated with success in general education for deaf and hard of hearing children. It is therefore of great importance to study why deaf and hard of hearing children often perform more poorly than their hearing peers on tests measuring pragmatic language ability. In the current study the Pragmatics Profile questionnaire from the CELF-IV battery was used to measure pragmatic language ability in children using cochlear implants (N = 14) and children without a hearing loss (N = 34). No significant difference was found between the children with cochlear implants (CI) and the children without hearing loss (HL) for the sum score of the pragmatics language measure. However, 35.71% of the children with CI performed below age norm, while only 5.89% of the children without HL performed below age norm. In addition, when dividing the sum score into three sub-measures: Rituals and Conversational skills (RCS), Asking for, Giving, and Responding to Information (AGRI), and Nonverbal Communication skills (NCS), significant differences between the groups were found for the NCS measure and a tendency for a difference was found for the RCS measure. In addition, all three sub-measures (NCS, AGRI, RCS) were correlated to verbal fluency in the children with CI, but not the children without HL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Socher
- Swedish Institute of Disability Research, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Björn Lyxell
- Swedish Institute of Disability Research, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rachel Ellis
- Swedish Institute of Disability Research, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Malin Gärskog
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Hedström
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Malin Wass
- Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden
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Kelly C, Morgan G, Freeth M, Siegal M, Matthews D. The Understanding of Communicative Intentions in Children with Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2019; 24:245-254. [PMID: 30882865 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enz001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The ability to distinguish lies from sincere false statements requires understanding a speaker's communicative intentions and is argued to develop through linguistic interaction. We tested whether this ability was delayed in 26 children with severe-to-profound hearing loss who, based on vocabulary size, were thought to have relatively limited access to linguistic exchanges compared to typically hearing peers (n = 93). Children were presented with toy bears who either lied or made a false statement sincerely. Despite identifying speakers' knowledge/ignorance, deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) children were delayed in identifying lies and sincere false statements when matched for chronological age. When matched for receptive vocabulary, observed discrepancies diminished. Deaf children who experienced early access to conversations with their deaf parents demonstrated no delay. Findings suggest limited access to linguistic exchanges delays the development of a key pragmatic skill.
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Murphy S, Joffe V, Messer D, Crafter S, Radley J, Sunthararajah S, Bell K, Corbacho B, Fairhurst C, Rodgers S, Torgerson D, Welch C. Evaluating 'enhancing pragmatic language skills for young children with social communication impairments' (E-PLAYS): protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial study. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2019; 5:75. [PMID: 31198579 PMCID: PMC6556014 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-019-0456-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A number of children experience difficulties with social communication and this has long-term deleterious effects on their mental health, social development and education. The proposal presented in this article describes a feasibility study for a trial to test an intervention (‘E-PLAYS’) aimed at supporting children with social communication impairments. E-PLAYS harnesses technology in the form of a novel computer game in order to develop collaborative and communication skills. Preliminary studies by the authors show that when E-PLAYS was administered by the research team, children with social communication impairments showed improvements on communication test scores and on observed collaborative behaviours. The study described here is a pragmatic trial to test the application of E-PLAYS delivered by NHS speech and language therapists together with schools. Methods This protocol outlines a two-arm feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial of the E-PLAYS intervention with treatment as usual control arm, with randomisation at the level of the speech and language therapist. The aim of this study is to ascertain whether it will be feasible to progress to running a full-scale definitive trial to test the effectiveness of E-PLAYS in an NHS setting. Data relating to recruitment and retention, the appropriateness of outcomes and the acceptability of E-PLAYS to participants will be collected. Speech and language therapists will select suitable children (ages 4–7 years old) from their caseloads and deliver either the E-PLAYS intervention (experimental group) or treatment as usual (control group). Assessments will include blinded language measures and observations, non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and parent-reported use of resources and quality of life. There will also be a qualitative process evaluation. Discussion The findings of this study will inform the decision as to whether to progress to a full-scale definitive randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of E-PLAYS when delivered by speech and language therapists and teaching assistants within schools. The use of technology in game form is a novel approach in an area where there are currently few available interventions. Trial registration ISRCTN 14818949 (retrospectively registered).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Murphy
- 1Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU UK
| | - Victoria Joffe
- 2Division of Language and Communication Science, School of Health Sciences, University of London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB UK
| | - David Messer
- 3Education & Language Studies, Faculty of Wellbeing, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Sarah Crafter
- 4School of Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Jessica Radley
- 5Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX UK
| | - Sailaa Sunthararajah
- 6Research and Development Office, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Barley Lane, Ilford, IG3 8XJ UK
| | - Kerry Bell
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Belen Corbacho
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Caroline Fairhurst
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Sara Rodgers
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - David Torgerson
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
| | - Charlie Welch
- 7Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD UK
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Fluharty ME, Heron J, Munafò MR. Longitudinal associations of social cognition and substance use in childhood and early adolescence: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 27:739-752. [PMID: 29058116 PMCID: PMC5973965 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-017-1068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Substance use is associated with impaired social cognition. Experimental studies have shown that acute intoxication of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis decreases the performance in non-verbal, social communication and theory of mind tasks. However, in epidemiological studies the temporal direction of this association has gone relatively unstudied. We investigated both directions of association within an adolescent birth cohort: the association of social cognition with subsequent substance use, and the association of early substance use with subsequent social cognition. We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK birth cohort. Logistic regression indicated that poor childhood non-verbal communication was associated with decreased odds of adolescent alcohol (OR 0.70, 95% 0.54-0.91), tobacco (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47-0.83), and cannabis use (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.83). Early adolescent substance use was associated with increased odds of poor social communication (alcohol: OR 1.46, 95% CI 0.99-2.14; tobacco: OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.33-2.86) and poor social reciprocity (alcohol: OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.18-2.09; tobacco: OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.43-2.58; cannabis: OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.16-2.05). Overall, the relationship between social cognition and substance use was different in each temporal direction. Poor non-verbal communication in childhood appeared protective against later substance use, while adolescent substance use was associated with decreased social cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg E Fluharty
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Experimental Psychology, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK.
| | - Jon Heron
- School of Community and Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Law J, Dennis JA, Charlton JJV. Speech and language therapy interventions for children with primary speech and/or language disorders. THE COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James Law
- Newcastle University; School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences; Queen Victoria Road Newcastle upon Tyne UK NE1 7RU
| | - Jane A Dennis
- University of Bristol; Musculoskeletal Research Unit, School of Clinical Sciences; Learning and Research Building [Level 1] Southmead Hospital Bristol UK BS10 5NB
| | - Jenna JV Charlton
- Newcastle University; School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences; Queen Victoria Road Newcastle upon Tyne UK NE1 7RU
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Murphy SM, Faulkner DM, Reynolds LR. A randomised controlled trial of a computerised intervention for children with social communication difficulties to support peer collaboration. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2014; 35:2821-2839. [PMID: 25104223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
An intervention aiming to support children with social communication difficulties was tested using a randomised controlled design. Children aged 5-6 years old (n=32) were tested and selected for participation on the basis of their scores on the Test of Pragmatic Skills (TPS) and were then randomly assigned to the intervention arm or to the delayed intervention control group. Following previous research which suggested that computer technology may be particularly useful for this group of children, the intervention included a collaborative computer game which the children played with an adult. Subsequently, children's performance as they played the game with a classmate was observed. Micro-analytic observational methods were used to analyse the audio-recorded interaction of the children as they played. Pre- and post-intervention measures comprised the Test of Pragmatic Skills, children's performance on the computer game and verbal communication measures that the children used during the game. This evaluation of the intervention shows promise. At post-test, the children who had received the intervention, by comparison to the control group who had not, showed significant gains in their scores on the Test of Pragmatic Skills (p=.009, effect size r=-.42), a significant improvement in their performance on the computer game (p=.03, r=-.32) and significantly greater use of high-quality questioning during collaboration (p<.001, r=-.60). Furthermore, the children who received the intervention made significantly more positive statements about the game and about their partners (p=.02, r=-.34) suggesting that the intervention increased their confidence and enjoyment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M Murphy
- Institute for Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, Putteridge Bury, Hitchin Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 8LE, United Kingdom.
| | - Dorothy M Faulkner
- Faculty of Education and Language Studies, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
| | - Laura R Reynolds
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Beech Close Resource Centre, Beech Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SD, United Kingdom
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