1
|
Luo J, Xu L, Wang M, Li J, He S, Spencer L, Liu HM, Guo LY. The Contribution of Noun and Verb Lexicon Sizes to Later Grammatical Outcomes in Mandarin-Speaking Children With Cochlear Implants. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:2761-2773. [PMID: 39018252 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-24-00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study evaluated the applicability of the sentence-focused framework to Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants (CIs) by examining the relative contribution of receptive/expressive noun and verb lexicon sizes to later grammatical complexity. METHOD Participants were 51 Mandarin-speaking children who received cochlear implantation before 30 months of age. At 12 months after CI activation, parents were asked to endorse words that their child could understand only or understand and say using the infant version of the Early Vocabulary Inventory. At 24 months after CI activation, parents were asked to endorse the grammatical structures that their children were able to say using the Grammatical Complexity subtest in the Mandarin Communicative Development Inventory-Taiwan. Children's receptive/expressive noun and verb lexicon sizes and grammatical complexity scores were computed from these parent checklists. RESULTS Correlational analyses showed that children's receptive/expressive noun and verb lexicon sizes at 12 months after CI activation were all highly correlated with their grammatical complexity scores at 24 months after CI activation (ρs = .52-.63, ps < .001). Regression analyses further revealed that verb lexicon sizes at 12 months after CI activation outweighed noun lexicon sizes in accounting for grammatical complexity at 24 months after CI activation. CONCLUSIONS Our findings supported the prediction of the sentence-focused framework. Emphasizing the role of verbs in early intervention has the potential to enhance grammatical outcomes in Mandarin-speaking children with CIs. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26129044.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianfen Luo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Auditory Implantation, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Auditory Implantation, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Auditory Implantation, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jinming Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Auditory Implantation, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Shuman He
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
| | - Linda Spencer
- MSSLP Program, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT
| | - Huei-Mei Liu
- Department of Special Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yu Guo
- Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY
- Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ford ALB, Kuchler K, Cakir-Dilek B, Elmquist M, Finestack LH. A Tutorial for Enhancing Clarity and Transparency in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Intervention Research With the TIDieR. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 33:1608-1618. [PMID: 38889209 PMCID: PMC11253631 DOI: 10.1044/2024_ajslp-23-00389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The speech-language-hearing sciences (SLHS) field relies on rigorous research to inform clinical practice and improve outcomes for individuals with communication, swallowing, and hearing needs. However, a significant challenge in our field is the lack of accessibility, transparency, and reproducibility of this research. Such insufficiencies limit the generalizability and impact of study findings, particularly intervention research, as it becomes difficult to replicate and use the interventions in both clinical practice and research. In this tutorial, we highlight one particularly useful tool, the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR; Hoffmann et al., 2014) checklist, which researchers can follow to improve reproducibility practices in SLHS. CONCLUSIONS We provide an overview and guide on using the TIDieR checklist with a practical example of its implementation. Additionally, we discuss the potential benefits of increased transparency and reproducibility for SLHS, including improved clinical outcomes and increased confidence in the effectiveness of interventions. We also provide specific recommendations for scientists, journal reviewers, editors, and editorial boards as they seek to adopt, implement, and encourage using the TIDieR checklist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L. B. Ford
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of Cincinnati, OH
| | - Kirstin Kuchler
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Betul Cakir-Dilek
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | | | - Lizbeth H. Finestack
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Meldrum SJ, Fisk J, Stopher J, Hunt EF. Parent implementation of a treatment for late talkers based on cross-situational statistical learning principles: Treatment fidelity and acceptability. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38477891 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2311931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Early intervention based on principles of cross-situational statistical learning (CSSL) for late-talking children has shown promise. This study explored whether parents could be trained to deliver this intervention protocol with fidelity and if they found the intervention to be acceptable. METHOD Mothers of four English-speaking children aged 18-30 months who scored <10th centile for expressive vocabulary were recruited to an 8-week group training program. Parents were taught principles of CSSL and asked to perform 16 home treatment sessions (30 minutes each) in total, providing auditory bombardment of target words in full sentences at high dose number and syntactic variability, using a range of physical exemplars. Home diaries and two videotaped sessions measured treatment fidelity. Pre- and post-treatment questionnaires measured acceptability. RESULT One parent discontinued the study after the second group training session. Three parents completed 15/16 group training sessions and reported completing 87% of home sessions. Two parents demonstrated implementing the intervention as per the target dose number by the first fidelity session (Weeks 2/3), and the third parent was very close to meeting target dose number by the second fidelity session (Weeks 7/8). CONCLUSION Parents can be trained to deliver an intervention based on cross-situational statistical learning principles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer Fisk
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Jennifer Stopher
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Emily Frances Hunt
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nicholas K, Grierson T, Helen P, Miller C, Van Horne AO. Varying Syntax to Enhance Verb-Focused Intervention for 30-Month-Olds With Language Delay: A Concurrent Multiple Baseline Design. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:562-572. [PMID: 38227485 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to determine if 2.5-year-olds with language delay would learn verbs (spill) when presented with varying syntactic structure ("The woman is spilling the milk"/"The milk is spilling"; milk = patient or theme) in a therapeutic context. Children with language delay have proportionally small inventories of verbs, which limits expressive language development. Children who have typical language development learn verbs more robustly when presented with alternating arguments than with a single argument structure. METHOD Three toddlers with expressive language delay (29-30 months of age) participated in a verb-focused treatment study using a concurrent multiple baseline design. Participants were shown action videos accompanied by sentences with varied argument structure for each target verb. To assess learning pre- and posttreatment, participants were asked to demonstrate actions corresponding to each verb. RESULTS Visual inspection and tau analyses reveal significant posttreatment gains of target verbs taught with varying argument structures. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that learning verbs with high variability of argument roles may facilitate a strong link between lexical representations of verbs and their syntactic structures. Using argument structure variability to teach verbs as an intervention strategy has great potential and should be tested further in larger group studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katrina Nicholas
- Speech-Language Pathology Program, School of Education, Nevada State University, Henderson
| | - Tobie Grierson
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward
| | - Priscilla Helen
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward
| | - Chelsea Miller
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, California State University, East Bay, Hayward
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Meldrum SJ, Snyman LM, Hunt EF. Replication of a single-case design cross-situational statistically based word learning treatment for late talking children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 26:83-95. [PMID: 37155572 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2022.2160493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Late talking children are at risk of ongoing language impairment. This intervention study replicated and extended research based on cross-situational statistical learning principles. METHOD Three late talking children (age 24-32 months) were enrolled into the concurrent multiple baseline single-case experimental intervention study. The intervention consisted of 16 sessions over eight/nine weeks, including 10-11 pairs of target and control words (three per session). Children heard the target words a minimum of 64 times per session, in sentences with high linguistic variability in varied play activities. RESULT All children increased production of target words and expressive vocabulary, with statistically significant differences between word acquisition in baseline and intervention phases. One of the three children learnt statistically significantly more target words than control words. CONCLUSION The results replicated the findings of previous research for some but not all of the participants, providing individual evidence that this approach has promise as a therapy technique for late talking children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucinda Monique Snyman
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia
| | - Emily Frances Hunt
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sweeney L, Plante E, Mettler HM, Hall J, Vance R. Less Versus More: The Effect of Recast Length in Treatment of Grammatical Errors. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2024; 55:152-165. [PMID: 38039976 PMCID: PMC11001190 DOI: 10.1044/2023_lshss-23-00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Although conversational recast treatment is generally efficacious, there are many ways in which the individual components of the treatment can be delivered. Some of these are known to enhance treatment, others appear to interfere with learning, and still others appear to have no impact at all. This study tests the potential effect of clinicians' recast length on child learning during a recast treatment. METHOD Twenty-six preschool children were treated for grammatical errors using Enhanced Conversational Recast Treatment. Half heard recasts of four or fewer words (Short Recast condition), and half heard recasts of five or more words (Extended Recast condition). Outcome measures included generalization of the treated grammatical form, spontaneous use of these forms, change in mean length of utterances in words, and the number of children in each condition who showed a clinically meaningful response. RESULTS There was strong evidence of improvements in the use of grammatical forms targeted by the treatment compared with forms that were tracked but not treated. Twenty children (11 in the Short Recast condition and nine in the Extended Recast condition) showed a clinically meaningful response. There was minimal support for the hypothesis that the length of clinician utterance influenced either progress on a grammatical form targeted by the treatment or on the child's mean length of utterance in words. CONCLUSIONS The study adds to the evidence for the efficacy of Enhanced Conversational Recast Treatment. However, there is little evidence that clinicians need to regulate the length of the recast they provide to children. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24653613.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Sweeney
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Elena Plante
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Heidi M. Mettler
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Jessica Hall
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Rebecca Vance
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
LaTourrette A, Waxman S, Wakschlag LS, Norton ES, Weisleder A. From Recognizing Known Words to Learning New Ones: Comparing Online Speech Processing in Typically Developing and Late-Talking 2-Year-Olds. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:1658-1677. [PMID: 36989138 PMCID: PMC10457094 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-22-00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examines online speech processing in typically developing and late-talking 2-year-old children, comparing both groups' word recognition, word prediction, and word learning. METHOD English-acquiring U.S. children, from the "When to Worry" study of language and social-emotional development, were identified as typical talkers (n = 67, M age = 27.0 months, SD = 1.4; Study 1) or late talkers (n = 30, M age = 27.0 months, SD = 2.0; Study 2). Children completed an eye-tracking task assessing their ability to recognize both nouns and verbs, to use verbs to predict an upcoming noun's referent, and to use verbs to infer the meaning of novel nouns. RESULTS Both typical and late talkers recognized nouns and verbs and used familiar verbs to predict the referents of upcoming nouns, whether the noun was familiar ("You can eat the apple") or novel ("You can eat the dax"). Late talkers were slower in using familiar nouns to orient to the target and were both slower and less accurate in using familiar verbs to identify the upcoming noun's referent. Notably, however, both groups learned and retained novel word meanings with similar success. CONCLUSIONS Late talkers demonstrated slower lexical processing, especially for verbs. Yet, their success in using familiar verbs to learn novel nouns suggests that, as a group, their slower processing did not impair word learning in this task. This sets the foundation for future work investigating whether these measures predict later language outcomes and can differentiate late talkers with transient delays from those with language disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Waxman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Lauren S. Wakschlag
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Elizabeth S. Norton
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Adriana Weisleder
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vermeij BAM, Wiefferink CH, Knoors H, Scholte RHJ. Effects in language development of young children with language delay during early intervention. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2023; 103:106326. [PMID: 37086608 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2023.106326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette A M Vermeij
- Dutch Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child (NSDSK), Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Carin H Wiefferink
- Dutch Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child (NSDSK), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harry Knoors
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ron H J Scholte
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mettler HM, Neiling SL, Figueroa CR, Evans-Reitz N, Alt M. Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers: The Feasibility of a Caregiver-Implemented Telehealth Model. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:257-275. [PMID: 36580564 PMCID: PMC10023173 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This feasibility study examined a caregiver-implemented telehealth model of the Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) protocol. We asked whether caregivers could reach fidelity on VAULT, if the protocol was socially and ecologically valid, and if late-talking toddlers could learn new words with this model. METHOD Five late-talking monolingual and bilingual toddlers and four caregivers participated. The caregiver-related research questions involved measurements taken at multiple time points and replication across subjects but did not follow a specific research design. The toddler-related research questions included elements of a single-case design. Caregivers completed self-paced online training modules and then provided 8 weeks of VAULT to their children with remote coaching. Fidelity data were collected during coached sessions and through rating scales. Social and ecological validity data were collected via surveys and interviews. Children's word learning was measured before, during, and after treatment via production of targets and controls and via standardized vocabulary inventories. RESULTS Caregivers demonstrated high fidelity to VAULT throughout treatment. They reported being comfortable with many aspects of VAULT. Feedback was mixed regarding the time required. Many reported their child was talking more as a result of the program. Visual analysis revealed that toddlers learned more target than control words, which was corroborated by Tau-U and d effect size analyses. CONCLUSION A caregiver-implemented telehealth model of VAULT was feasible, was socially and ecologically valid, and benefited toddlers, making this a worthwhile model for future studies to examine. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21753872.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi M. Mettler
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Sarah Lynn Neiling
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Cecilia R. Figueroa
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Nora Evans-Reitz
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Mary Alt
- Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kwok E, Cermak CA, Hatherly K, Cunningham BJ. Intervention Goals for Preschoolers With Language Difficulties and Disorders: A Scoping Review Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2022; 31:1-70. [PMID: 35302873 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-21-00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The primary aim of this scoping review was to categorize language therapy goals reported in intervention studies for preschoolers (i.e., children from birth to 5;0 [years;months]) with language difficulties and disorders within the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. A secondary aim was to determine whether different therapy goals were reported for two language difficulty/disorder subtypes (i.e., comparing language difficulty/disorder associated with a biomedical condition to those without an associated biomedical condition). METHOD The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley (2005) guidelines. Articles were retrieved from speechBITE, with age (under 5 years), intervention area (language), and study design (all but systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines) specified as inclusion criteria. Language goals were extracted and categorized into the ICF components, and the distribution of goals across ICF components was compared for studies involving children with the two language difficulty/disorder subtypes. RESULTS A total of 287 articles were identified; 140 met inclusion criteria. Of the 293 goals extracted, 48% aligned with the activities component of the ICF framework, followed by participation (26%), environmental factors (20%), body functions and structures (3%), and personal factors (3%). Most participation-focused goals were reported from intervention studies involving preschoolers with a language difficulty/disorder associated with a biomedical condition. CONCLUSIONS Few participation-focused goals were reported in intervention studies for preschoolers with language difficulty/disorder without an associated condition. Future work is needed to support integrating the ICF framework in goal setting for both research and practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Kwok
- CanChild, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Richard and Roxelyn Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Carly A Cermak
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kathryn Hatherly
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Barbara Jane Cunningham
- CanChild, McMaster University, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, London, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Horvath S, Arunachalam S. Repetition Versus Variability in Verb Learning: Sometimes Less Is More. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:4235-4249. [PMID: 34586918 PMCID: PMC9132153 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examined whether 2-year-olds are better able to acquire novel verb meanings when they appear in varying linguistic contexts, including both content nouns and pronouns, as compared to when the contexts are consistent, including only content nouns. Additionally, differences between typically developing toddlers and late talkers were explored. Method Forty-seven English-acquiring 2-year-olds (n = 14 late talkers, n = 33 typically developing) saw scenes of actors manipulating objects. These actions were labeled with novel verbs. In the varied condition, children heard sentences containing both content nouns and pronouns (e.g., "The girl is ziffing the truck. She is ziffing it!"). In the consistent condition, children heard the verb an equal number of times, but only with content nouns (e.g., "The girl is ziffing the truck. The girl is ziffing the truck!"). At test, children were shown two new scenes and were asked to find the novel verb's referent. Children's eye gaze was analyzed as a measure of learning. Results Mixed-effects regression analyses revealed that children looked more toward the correct scene in the consistent condition than the varied condition. This difference was more pronounced for late talkers than for typically developing children. Conclusion To acquire an initial representation of a new verb's meaning, children, particularly late talkers, benefit more from hearing the verb in consistent linguistic contexts than in varying contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Horvath
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Sudha Arunachalam
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, New York
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Denman D, Kim JH, Munro N, Speyer R, Cordier R. Consensus on Terminology for Describing Child Language Interventions: A Delphi Study. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:3504-3519. [PMID: 34464546 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Language intervention for children with language disorder may be effective; however, lack of detailed and consistent terminology for describing language interventions poses barriers for advancement within the field. This study aimed to develop consensus from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Australia on a taxonomy with terminology for describing language interventions for school-aged children and investigate SLPs' application of taxonomy terminology when describing child language interventions. Method A taxonomy with terms for describing interventions was developed with reference to contemporary literature and presented to clinicians and researchers with expertise in child language disorders in a three-round Delphi study. We asked Delphi participants to indicate agreement with the taxonomy or propose changes. Application of the taxonomy was investigated by asking participants to use taxonomy terminology to describe interventions presented in two case studies. Results The taxonomy consists of five aspects across which interventions may be described: modality/domain, purpose, delivery, form, and teaching techniques. Consensus on the taxonomy was established in both Round 1 (55 participants) and Round 2 (43 participants), with 100% of SLPs strongly agreeing or agreeing with the overall structure of the taxonomy and at least 87.3% of SLPs strongly agreeing or agreeing with each aspect. In Round 3 (32 participants), consensus was reached on 45/54 taxonomy categories (4/12 of the components) for Case Study 1 and 45/54 taxonomy categories (7/12 of the components) for Case Study 2. Conclusions Consensus on a taxonomy with terminology for describing language interventions represents a significant advancement in the field of child language intervention. Future actions may be needed to facilitate consistent application of taxonomy terms. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16435290.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Denman
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jae-Hyun Kim
- Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Munro
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Renée Speyer
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Norway
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Reinie Cordier
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Quinn ED, Kaiser AP, Ledford J. Hybrid Telepractice Delivery of Enhanced Milieu Teaching: Effects on Caregiver Implementation and Child Communication. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:3074-3099. [PMID: 34289320 PMCID: PMC9128738 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study investigated the effects of enhanced milieu teaching (EMT) on caregiver implementation of language support strategies and child communication skills using a hybrid telepractice service delivery model. Method Four caregivers and children with language delays aged 18-27 months participated in a multiple baseline across behaviors single-case research design. The therapist provided EMT to each caregiver-child dyad using a hybrid telepractice service delivery model with approximately 40% in-person and 60% telepractice sessions. Caregivers were taught to use five EMT language support strategies: matched turns, target talk, expansions, time delays, and milieu teaching episodes. Caregiver instruction followed the Teach-Model-Coach-Review approach. Caregiver outcomes were two measures of EMT implementation fidelity, accuracy, and frequency of EMT strategy use. Accuracy was measured by the percentage of spoken turns in which caregivers used each strategy correctly. Frequency was measured by the number of spoken turns in which caregivers used each strategy correctly. Child outcomes were number of communication acts, weighted count of communication acts, and number of different words. Results There was a functional relation between the intervention and the accuracy of EMT strategy use for all four dyads, and the frequency of strategy use for three dyads. Caregiver use of EMT strategies maintained for 6 weeks post-intervention. After caregivers learned EMT strategies, gradual increases in the number of communication acts, weighted count of communication acts, and number of different words occurred for three children. Conclusion Results demonstrate the preliminary efficacy of using a hybrid telepractice service delivery model to teach caregivers EMT language support strategies. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14977605.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. Quinn
- Institute on Development and Disability, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Ann P. Kaiser
- Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Jennifer Ledford
- Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Munro N, Baker E, Masso S, Carson L, Lee T, Wong AMY, Stokes SF. Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers Treatment: Effect on Expressive Vocabulary and Phonology. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:2682-2697. [PMID: 34098725 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examined the effect of Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) treatment on toddlers' expressive vocabulary and phonology. Parent acceptability of VAULT treatment was also considered. Method We used a nonconcurrent multiple baseline single case experimental design with three late talking toddlers aged 21-25 months. The treatment was delivered twice weekly in 30-min sessions for 8 weeks by a rotating team of four speech-language pathologists. Toddlers heard three of their 10 strategically selected target words a minimum of 64 times in play activities each session. Expressive vocabulary and phonology was assessed pre-post, with parent interviews conducted posttreatment. Results All toddlers increased production of target words and expressive vocabulary. Ambient expressive vocabulary size increased by an average of 16 words per week (range of 73-169 words learned over the treatment period). On a 20-item, single-word speech assessment, the toddlers' phonetic inventories increased on average from three to seven consonants, and five to eight vowels. Two toddlers used protowords pretreatment, which were replaced by recognizable attempts at words posttreatment. Parents reported the treatment was acceptable for the child and their family with future consideration of parent-based delivery of the treatment in the home. Conclusions The results of this treatment provide further evidence of a model of intervention informed by the principles of implicit learning, and the interconnectedness of phonological and lexical learning. Investigation is required to establish the efficacy and feasibility of VAULT in clinical contexts. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14714733.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Munro
- The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Elise Baker
- The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- South Western Sydney Local Health District Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
- Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Masso
- The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lynn Carson
- The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Urm A, Tulviste T. Toddlers' Early Communicative Skills as Assessed by the Short Form Version of the Estonian MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory II. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:1303-1315. [PMID: 33755517 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of the current study is to develop a valid and reliable screening tool to identify children with risk of developing language difficulties for Estonian-speaking 2- to 3-year-old children. Method Nine hundred ninety parents of children ages 1;8-3;1 (years;months) filled in the Estonian MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory II (ECDI-II SF)-containing a 100-word vocabulary checklist, questions about decontextualized language use, and sentence production. A subset of parents filled in the long form of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Sentences (n = 131). We examined the results of 31 children with language problems on the ECDI-II SF to assess the accuracy of the instrument. Results The concordance of scores on the ECDI-II long form and ECDI-II SF is high. Toddlers' results on the ECDI-II SF are related to their gender, with girls outscoring boys on the expressive vocabulary and sentence complexity subscales. We also found that children of highly educated mothers outperform others in the acquisition of grammatical skills. The sensitivity and specificity of the ECDI-II SF vocabulary section supported the implementation of this screening tool in order to identify toddlers with difficulties in their language development. Conclusions ECDI-II SF vocabulary scores are the most informative for determining whether a 2- or 3-year-old is following typical developmental patterns or should be referred to a speech and language specialist for a direct assessment. We provide a discussion on early language screening process and its implications for public health policies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ada Urm
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tiia Tulviste
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Alt M, Figueroa CR, Mettler HM, Evans-Reitz N, Erikson JA. A Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers Treatment Efficacy Study: The Effect of Input Utterance Length and Identification of Responder Profiles. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:1235-1255. [PMID: 33784467 PMCID: PMC8608147 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study examined the efficacy of the Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) treatment in a version that manipulated the length of clinician utterance in which a target word was presented (dose length). The study also explored ways to characterize treatment responders versus nonresponders. Method Nineteen primarily English-speaking late-talking toddlers (aged 24-34 months at treatment onset) received VAULT and were quasirandomly assigned to have target words presented in grammatical utterances matching one of two lengths: brief (four words or fewer) or extended (five words or more). Children were measured on their pre- and posttreatment production of (a) target and control words specific to treatment and (b) words not specific to treatment. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was used to classify responders versus nonresponders. Results VAULT was successful as a whole (i.e., treatment effect sizes of greater than 0), with no difference between the brief and extended conditions. Despite the overall significant treatment effect, the treatment was not successful for all participants. CART results (using participants from the current study and a previous iteration of VAULT) provided a dual-node decision tree for classifying treatment responders versus nonresponders. Conclusions The input-based VAULT treatment protocol is efficacious and offers some flexibility in terms of utterance length. When VAULT works, it works well. The CART decision tree uses pretreatment vocabulary levels and performance in the first two treatment sessions to provide clinicians with promising guidelines for who is likely to be a nonresponder and thus might need a modified treatment plan. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14226641.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mary Alt
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Cecilia R. Figueroa
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Heidi M. Mettler
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Nora Evans-Reitz
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| | - Jessie A. Erikson
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
S-Y Ng C, Stokes SF, Alt M. Successful Implicit Vocabulary Intervention for Three Cantonese-Speaking Toddlers: A Replicated Single-Case Design. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:4148-4161. [PMID: 33197356 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose We report on a replicated single-case design study that measured the feasibility of an expressive vocabulary intervention for three Cantonese-speaking toddlers with small expressive lexicons relative to their age. The aim was to assess the cross-cultural and cross-linguistic feasibility of an intervention method developed for English-speaking children. Method A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design was used with four baseline data points and 16 intervention sessions per participant. The intervention design incorporated implicit learning principles, high treatment dosage, and control of the phonological neighborhood density of the stimuli. The children (24-39 months) attended 7-9 weeks of twice weekly input-based treatment in which no explicit verbal production was required from the child. Each target word was provided as input a minimum of 64 times in at least two intervention sessions. Treatment feasibility was measured by comparison of how many of the target and control words the child produced across the intervention period, and parent-reported expressive vocabulary checklists were completed for comparison of pre- and postintervention child spoken vocabulary size. An omnibus effect size for the treatment effect of the number of target and control words produced across time was calculated using Kendall's Tau. Results There was a significant treatment effect for target words learned in intervention relative to baselines, and all children produced significantly more target than control words across the intervention period. The effect of phonological neighborhood density on expressive word production could not be evaluated because two of the three children learned all target words. Conclusion The results provide cross-cultural evidence of the feasibility of a model of intervention that incorporated a high-dosage, cross-situational statistical learning paradigm to teach spoken word production to children with small expressive lexicons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine S-Y Ng
- Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong
| | - Stephanie F Stokes
- Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Navarro II, Cretcher SR, McCarron AR, Figueroa C, Alt M. Using AAC to unlock communicative potential in late-talking toddlers. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2020; 87:106025. [PMID: 32673863 PMCID: PMC7494562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.106025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to report on modifications we made to a standardized input-based word learning treatment for two late-talking toddlers. The modifications were the addition of an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) device and the requirement that the children use this device, or speech, to communicate. METHOD We used a single-subject design to track late-talking toddlers' progress through an input-based word learning treatment, which was part of a larger study. Because the input-based treatment protocol was not effective for each toddler based on absent or clinically insignificant treatment effect sizes, we modified the protocol. The modifications were meant to address each child's potential over-reliance on nonverbal communication and the potential impact of speech sound delay. We then measured their linguistic output. RESULTS Both toddlers showed no evidence of learning during the input-based treatment. Each child's linguistic output increased by over 600 % once we made the protocol modification and introduced the AAC device. They used both AAC and vocal speech to communicate. Both toddlers produced novel words, and one began to produce multiple word combinations. DISCUSSION While input-based therapy has an evidence base and has been successful for some toddlers, it may require modifications for children who have not learned the pragmatic convention of using spoken language, and for children with difficulty with speech sound production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel I Navarro
- University of Arizona, 1131 E. 2nd St., PO Box 210071, Tucson, AZ, 85721 USA
| | - Sarah R Cretcher
- University of Arizona, 1131 E. 2nd St., PO Box 210071, Tucson, AZ, 85721 USA
| | - Angelica R McCarron
- University of Arizona, 1131 E. 2nd St., PO Box 210071, Tucson, AZ, 85721 USA
| | - Cecilia Figueroa
- University of Arizona, 1131 E. 2nd St., PO Box 210071, Tucson, AZ, 85721 USA
| | - Mary Alt
- University of Arizona, 1131 E. 2nd St., PO Box 210071, Tucson, AZ, 85721 USA.
| |
Collapse
|