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Yu W, Cheng M, Liang D. The link between the factuality of verb and the theory of mind ability of Mandarin-speaking children with high-functioning autism. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2023; 58:1927-1938. [PMID: 37260193 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12910] [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: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Weak theory of mind (ToM) ability is a core deficit in children with autism. A growing body of work has found that there is a close relation between complement syntax and ToM in autistic children. However, researchers have not yet investigated whether other linguistic components may explain the difficulties in ToM reasoning in autistic children. AIMS To determine whether verb factuality (i.e., mental and action verbs) is related to ToM ability, as measured by a false belief understanding (FBU) task after controlling the effect of complement syntax for Mandarin-speaking autistic children. METHODS & PROCEDURES Participants were verbal autistic children, aged 4-7 years. Their IQ performance (verbal, performance and total IQ) and the comprehension of complement syntax were evaluated. A total of 38 children scoring over 9 points in complement syntax test and 90 points in the verbal IQ test were selected to complete verb factuality and FBU task. The χ2 tests and correlation analyses were carried out on two relations: (1) ToM ability and understanding of verb factuality; and (2) ToM ability and comprehension of complement syntax. OUTCOMES & RESULTS A total of 11 autistic children completed the action verb factuality task, while 14 completed the mental verb factuality task and 13 completed both tasks. Participants performed well on the verb factuality task, and their ToM performance appeared to be related to their linguistic ability, regardless of the type of verb (i.e., action or mental verb). However, complement syntax scores did not significantly predict the success of the FBU task for the autistic children. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The results of this study link weaker ToM ability with the understanding of verb factuality among autistic children aged 4-7 and provide new evidence for the view that the development of language facilitates improvement of ToM skills. The findings shed new light on how language affects or determines social interactions. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject ToM ability is crucial for social interaction. It has been claimed that mental verb factuality (e.g., think, had thought) may play a role in the development of ToM reasoning in typically developing children, but whether there is a link between the mastery of verb factuality and ToM skills in autistic children is still unclear. What this study adds to existing knowledge Correlational analysis revealed links between verbal ToM measured by unexpected location task and factuality test of mental verbs as well as action verbs. More importantly, this study confirmed the extra role of verb factuality in explaining ToM ability after excluding the influence of the complement syntax. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This study suggests that the factuality of verbs could serve as a tool for autistic children to infer the mental states of others. Thus, training on this linguistic structure could be taken into consideration when improving the social skills of autistic children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Yu
- School of Chinese Language and Culture, Nanjing Normal, University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Cheng
- Publicity Department, Hefei University, Anhui, China
| | - Dandan Liang
- School of Chinese Language and Culture, Nanjing Normal, University, Jiangsu, China
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Linguistic Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
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2
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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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3
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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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Theory of Mind Development in Italian Children with Specific Language Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Delay, Deficit, or Neither? J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:5356-5366. [PMID: 35013868 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05389-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Some studies report delayed theory of mind (ToM) development in children with specific language impairment (SLI), while others do not. A ToM delay is acknowledged in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while whether these children also display a deficit is still under debate. In the current study, we drew on a developmental trajectory approach to assess whether children with SLI or ASD displayed delays or deficits in their ToM performance. Forty-three children with SLI (age 4-10 years), 44 children with ASD (age 5-12 years), and 227 typically developing children (age 3-11 years) completed the ToM Storybooks. Children with SLI were not found to display either a delay or a deficit in ToM, while children with ASD were found to display a deficit.
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Arts E, Orobio de Castro B, Luteijn E, Elsendoorn B, Vissers CTWM. Improving social emotional functioning in adolescents with Developmental Language Disorders: A mini review and recommendations. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:966008. [PMID: 36569624 PMCID: PMC9786114 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.966008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescents with Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) have more difficulties in social emotional functioning than their typically developing peers (TD), such as shyness and anxiety in social situations, fewer peer relations, greater risk of victimization, social isolation and depression. In addition, they are more likely to report higher levels of hyperactivity and conduct problems. These problems derive from a complex interplay between difficulties in language, social communication, underlying cognitive deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM), Executive Functioning (EF) and self-directed speech (SDS). The aim of this mini review is to provide an overview of studies examining the effectiveness of interventions targeting the factors underlying social emotional functioning of school-aged children and adolescents with DLD. We found that studies dedicated to social emotional functioning in school-aged children and adolescents with DLD were relatively scarce. Based on this overview, we give suggestions to improve social emotional functioning in adolescents with DLD. We propose that intervention programs should target the social, linguistic and cognitive functions underlying social emotional functioning and create opportunities to practice these skills in daily, real-life situations with peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Arts
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Royal Kentalis, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Bram Orobio de Castro
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ellen Luteijn
- Royal Kentalis, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Royal Kentalis, Secondary School for Special Education for Children and Adolescents With Language and Communication Problems, Arnhem, Netherlands
| | | | - Constance T W M Vissers
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Royal Kentalis, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Neitzel I, Penke M. Theory of Mind in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 113:103945. [PMID: 33862539 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To date, the evidence regarding False Belief (FB) abilities in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has been both sparse and contradictory. Our study is the first systematic investigation targeting the relation between FB, mental age (MA), syntactic abilities (SA) and verbal short-term memory (VSTM) in individuals with DS so far. METHOD 27 German-speaking children/adolescents with DS (aged 10;0-20;1 years) completed a location-change FB-task and four standardized measures assessing nonverbal intelligence & MA, VSTM, receptive and productive SA. RESULTS 37.5 % (n = 9) of our participants passed the FB-task, whereas 62.5 % (n = 15) did not answer the target question correctly. While no significant differences emerged for MA and language abilities in individuals who passed and those who failed FB-testing, VSTM came out as a significantly associated factor for FB-performance in a median split analysis of raw-scores. DISCUSSION The results suggest that a substantial proportion of individuals with DS is impaired in FB-understanding. In contrast to previous findings on children with developmental disorders such as autism, developmental language deficit or hearing impairment, general and specific SA related to sentence complementation turned out to be of limited relevance for FB-understanding in individuals with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Neitzel
- Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Herbert-Lewin-Str. 10, Köln, 50931, Germany.
| | - Martina Penke
- Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Herbert-Lewin-Str. 10, Köln, 50931, Germany.
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Durrleman S, Delage H. Training Complements for Belief Reasoning in Developmental Language Disorder. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:1861-1877. [PMID: 32511044 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-19-00075] [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 Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) experience difficulties with an important Theory of Mind milestone, namely, false belief (FB) reasoning. Their FB success relates to mastery of a linguistic structure that is also challenging for them, namely, sentential complements (e.g., Claire says/thinks [that Santa Claus exists]). Training typically developing (TD) children on complements has been shown to boost complements and, in turn, enhance FB, but such training has never been explored with children with DLD, which is the aim of the current study. Method Fifty French-speaking children followed a novel training program: 30 with DLD (M age = 7;3) and 20 TD (M age = 4;3). They engaged in iPad applications targeting complementation with verbs of communication (e.g., say, shout, answer) during eight to 12 sessions lasting 30 min. Training commenced within 1-2 weeks of pretests and ceased 1-2 weeks before immediate posttests. After immediate posttests, the majority of children were available to be tested with follow-up tests after 4-6 weeks of no training. Results Findings revealed that both TD and DLD groups benefited from the training to significantly improve their complementation and FB scores. The gains achieved during immediate posttests were moreover maintained 6-8 weeks after training ceased, as revealed by preserved levels of performance during follow-up posttests. Conclusion This research thus suggests new avenues for therapeutic interventions for children with DLD, namely, the incorporation of a program directly training complements, which holds the promise of a double benefit, both for these structures and for Theory of Mind.
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Ferrara M, Camia M, Cecere V, Villata V, Vivenzio N, Scorza M, Padovani R. Language and Pragmatics Across Neurodevelopmental Disorders: An Investigation Using the Italian Version of CCC-2. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:1295-1309. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04358-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Durrleman S, Burnel M, De Villiers JG, Thommen E, Yan R, Delage H. The Impact of Grammar on Mentalizing: A Training Study Including Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2478. [PMID: 31798488 PMCID: PMC6877902 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Training on complements in English, German, and Mandarin has been reported to trigger improvements on both complements and Theory of Mind (ToM), with typically developing (TD) pre-schoolers on the verge of developing these skills (Hale and Tager-Flusberg, 2003; Lohmann and Tomasello, 2003; Shuliang et al., 2014). In the current study, we build on the idea that increasing mastery of complementation holds the promise of enhancing ToM, and seek (i) to replicate the positive effects observed in previous work for this effect in French-speaking TD children, and (ii) to pilot extending this to clinical children, more specifically those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), through exploring whether improvement in the latter, clinical groups follows that of the TD group. Sixty children with ToM difficulties, 16 with ASD (aged 5;6–11;8), 20 with DLD (aged 4;8–9;0) and 24 typically developing children aged (2;9–5;3 years), participated in a 4-week training program. Half received training targeting sentential complements and half received a control training targeting lexical skills. Complementation training, but not lexical training, led to a significant direct increase in complements, and also had the indirect effect of significantly boosting belief reasoning. TD and clinical groups followed the same patterns of performance. These results confirm previous findings in other languages for TD, and further suggest promising new directions for therapeutic programs addressing ToM delays in populations of different aetiologies, namely the incorporation of a motivating training on complementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Durrleman
- Department of Psycholinguistics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Linguistics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Morgane Burnel
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neurocognition, Department of Psychology, Université Grenoble Alpes, Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
| | | | - Evelyne Thommen
- EESP, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Western Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rachel Yan
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States
| | - Hélène Delage
- Department of Psycholinguistics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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10
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Smit L, Knoors H, Hermans D, Verhoeven L, Vissers C. The Interplay Between Theory of Mind and Social Emotional Functioning in Adolescents With Communication and Language Problems. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1488. [PMID: 31333537 PMCID: PMC6616194 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescents with developmental language disorders (DLDs) and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) are at greater risk of social emotional problems. These problems may not only be attributed to communication and language problems but, at least in part, to Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits as well. In this mini review, an overview is provided of studies on social emotional functioning and ToM performance in adolescents with DLD and D/HH adolescents. A possible interplay between social emotional functioning and Theory of Mind is discussed. There is empirical evidence for social emotional problems and ToM problems in both adolescents with DLD and D/HH. We hypothesized that language deficits as seen in adolescents with DLD and impoverished exposure to language and communication, as seen in adolescents who are D/HH can explain differences in social emotional functioning and ToM performance. The present mini review provides a possible framework for the relation between ToM and social emotional functioning in adolescents with communication and language problems, which is mediated by their limited linguistic ability or restricted language exposure and gives suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidy Smit
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Learning and Plasticity, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Harry Knoors
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Learning and Plasticity, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Daan Hermans
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Learning and Plasticity, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ludo Verhoeven
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Learning and Plasticity, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Constance Vissers
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Behavioural Science Institute, Learning and Plasticity, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Arsalidou M, Im-Bolter N. Why parametric measures are critical for understanding typical and atypical cognitive development. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 11:1214-1224. [PMID: 27696278 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9592-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Children's cognitive abilities improve significantly over childhood and adolescence. We know from behavioral research that core cognitive processes such as working memory and mental attention improve significantly across development. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows for investigating the typically developing, living brain in action. In the last twenty years we have learned a great deal about brain correlates associated with how adults hold and manipulate information in mind, however, neurocognitive correlates across development remain inconsistent. We present developmental fMRI findings on cognitive processes such as working memory and mental attention and discuss methodological and theoretical issues in the assessment of cognitive limitations in the visual spatial and verbal domains. We also review data from typical and atypical development and emphasize the unique contribution parametric measures can make in understanding neurocognitive correlates of typical and atypical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Arsalidou
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. .,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Nancie Im-Bolter
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada
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Clarke A, Meredith PJ, Rose TA, Daubney M. A role for epistemic trust in speech-language pathology: A tutorial paper. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 72:54-63. [PMID: 29471178 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This paper provides an introduction to epistemic trust for speech-language pathologists (SLPs). 'Epistemic trust' describes a specific form of trust that an individual places in others when learning about the world, particularly the social world. To date, the relevance of epistemic trust to SLP clinical practice has received little theoretical or empirical attention. The aim of this paper is to define epistemic trust and explain its relationship with parent-child attachment and mentalization which have, in turn, been linked with language development and use. Suggestions are made for ways in which SLPs may encourage epistemic trust in clients, emphasizing the need to establish strong therapeutic alliances. The authors conclude that epistemic trust is an important consideration for SLPs and that further research exploring the relationship between epistemic trust and language skills is needed to better understand the interplay of these variables and inform clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Clarke
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Pamela J Meredith
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tanya A Rose
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Daubney
- Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia
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13
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Durrleman S, Burnel M, Reboul A. Theory of mind in SLI revisited: links with syntax, comparisons with ASD. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2017; 52:816-830. [PMID: 28470886 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to the linguistic determinism approach, knowledge of sentential complements such as: John says that the earth is flat plays a crucial role in theory of mind (ToM) development by providing a means to represent explicitly people's mental attitudes and beliefs. This approach predicts that mastery of complements determines successful belief reasoning across explicit ToM tasks, even low-verbal ones, and across populations. AIMS (1) To investigate the link between a low-verbal ToM-task and complements in Specific Language Impairment (SLI), (2) To determine whether this population shows similar ToM performance to that of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or those with Typical Development (TD) once these groups are matched on competency for complements, (3) To explore whether complements conveying a falsehood without jeopardizing the veracity of the entire sentence, such as complements of verbs of communication, are more crucial for belief attribution than complements which do not have this property, namely complements of verbs of perception, (?John sees that the earth is flat). METHODS & PROCEDURES Children with SLI (n = 20), with ASD (n = 34) and TD (n = 30) completed sentence-picture-matching tasks assessing complementation with communication and perception verbs, as well as a picture-sequencing task assessing ToM. Children were furthermore evaluated for general grammatical and lexical abilities and non-verbal IQ. OUTCOMES & RESULTS Results reveal that competency on complements relates to ToM performance with a low-verbal task in SLI, and that SLI, ASD and TD groups of equivalent performance on complements also perform similarly for ToM. Results further suggest that complements with an independent truth-value are the only ones to show a significant relation to ToM performance after teasing out the impact of non-verbal reasoning. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS This study suggests that clinical groups of different aetiologies as well as TD children perform comparably for ToM once they have similar complementation skills. Findings further highlight that specific types of complements, namely those with an independent truth value, relate in a special way to mentalizing. Future work should determine whether these specific structures could be effective in ToM remediation programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Durrleman
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Morgane Burnel
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LPNC UMR 5105, F-38000, Grenoble
| | - Anne Reboul
- CNRS, Institute for Cognitive Sciences-Marc Jeannerod (UMR 5304), University of Lyon, Lyon, France
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Vissers C, Koolen S. Theory of Mind Deficits and Social Emotional Functioning in Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1734. [PMID: 27867370 PMCID: PMC5095688 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) often experience emotional and social difficulties. In general, problems in social emotional functioning can be cognitively explained in terms of Theory of Mind (ToM). In this mini-review, an overview is provided of studies on social-emotional functioning and ToM in preschoolers (average age from 2.3 to 6.2 years) with SLI. It is concluded that, similar to school-aged children with SLI, preschoolers with SLI have several social-emotional problems and that both cognitive and affective aspects of ToM are impaired in those children. Based hereon, three possible causal models for the interrelation between language, ToM and social emotional functioning are put forward. It is proposed that future research on the construct and measurement of early ToM, social emotional functioning and language development in preschoolers with SLI is needed to achieve early detection, tailored treatment, and ultimately insight into the pathogenesis of SLI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance Vissers
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis AcademySt Michielsgestel, Netherlands
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sophieke Koolen
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis AcademySt Michielsgestel, Netherlands
- Pro Persona for Mental HealthArnhem, Netherlands
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15
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Peña ED. Supporting the home language of bilingual children with developmental disabilities: From knowing to doing. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2016; 63:85-92. [PMID: 27623293 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing awareness of bilingualism and the needs of children with developmental disabilities who are exposed to more than one language. This growing awareness is paralleled by a growing research base in the area of bilingualism and emerging research in bilingual children with developmental disabilities. In this set of articles we see that there is general agreement that bilingualism does not increase risk for language impairment nor does intervention in the home language interfere with second language learning. Yet there continues to be challenges in putting this knowledge into practice. By better understanding the challenges to implementation in context we can better address the needs of children, families, and practitioners.
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Spanoudis G. Theory of mind and specific language impairment in school-age children. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2016; 61:83-96. [PMID: 27089201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2016.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2013] [Revised: 04/03/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Research on the relationship between aspects of language development and Theory of Mind (ToM) in children with language impairments suggests that children with language impairment show a delay in ToM development. This study aimed to examine the relationships of the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic skills with ToM in school-age children. Twenty children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) aged 9-12 years and two control groups, one matched for chronological age (CA) and one for language ability (LA) (aged 8-10 years) were compared on a set of language tasks tapping syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic skills and on an advanced test of ToM. Results showed that children with SLI performed poorly on the ToM task compared to the CA matches. Also, analysis showed that language skills and ToM are related and that syntactic and pragmatic abilities contributed significantly to the prediction of ToM performance in the SLI group. It is concluded that the syntax/pragmatic aspects of the language impact on ToM understanding in children with SLI.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Spanoudis
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Applied Neuroscience, University of Cyprus, Kallipoleos 75, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Davies C, Andrés-Roqueta C, Norbury CF. Referring expressions and structural language abilities in children with specific language impairment: A pragmatic tolerance account. J Exp Child Psychol 2016; 144:98-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2015.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Andrés-Roqueta C, Adrian JE, Clemente RA, Villanueva L. Social cognition makes an independent contribution to peer relations in children with Specific Language Impairment. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2016; 49-50:277-90. [PMID: 26745788 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2015.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2015] [Revised: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Language is important for developing and maintaining social relationships, and also for understanding others minds. Separate studies have shown that children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) present difficulties in both abilities, although the role of social cognition (SC) on peers' perception remains unexplored. AIMS The present study aims to assess specific sociometric features of children with SLI through peer nominations of liking and disliking, and also to explore their relationship to the children's SC. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Thirty-five children with SLI attending ordinary schools (3;10 to 8;00 years old) and thirty-five age-matched children (AM) were assessed with language, SC and sociometric measures. RESULTS SLI group received more disliked nominations and had lower scores on SC tasks compared to the AM group. After controlling for age and language, SC made an independent contribution to disliked nominations within the SLI group. CONCLUSIONS Difficulties with peers of children with SLI are related to their language level but also with their SC abilities. Consequently, only resolving language impairments will not necessarily improve early peer acceptance in children with SLI. IMPLICATION This finding stresses the importance of early intervention programmes aimed at reducing deleterious effects in later development and socialization with peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Andrés-Roqueta
- Department of Developmental, Educational, Social and Methodological Psychology, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón, Av/ Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain.
| | - Juan E Adrian
- Department of Developmental, Educational, Social and Methodological Psychology, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón, Av/ Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain.
| | - Rosa A Clemente
- Department of Developmental, Educational, Social and Methodological Psychology, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón, Av/ Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain.
| | - Lidón Villanueva
- Department of Developmental, Educational, Social and Methodological Psychology, Universitat Jaume I de Castellón, Av/ Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castellón, Spain.
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Bender PK, Pons F, Harris PL, Esbjørn BH, Reinholdt-Dunne ML. Emotion Understanding in Clinically Anxious Children: A Preliminary Investigation. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1916. [PMID: 26733909 PMCID: PMC4683184 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Children’s understanding of the nature, origins and consequences of emotions has been intensively investigated over the last 30–40 years. However, few empirical studies have looked at the relation between emotion understanding and anxiety in children and their results are mixed. The aim of the present study was to perform a preliminary investigation of the relationships between emotion understanding, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and attachment security in clinically anxious children. A sample of 16 clinically anxious children (age 8–12, eight girls/boys) was assessed for emotion understanding (Test of Emotion Comprehension), anxiety (Screening for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-Revised and Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule), emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale) and attachment security (Security Scale). Children who reported more overall anxiety also reported greater difficulties in regulating their emotions, and were less securely attached to their parents. The results also showed that more specific symptoms of anxiety (i.e., OCD and PTSD) correlated not only with emotion dysregulation and attachment insecurity but also with emotion understanding. Finally, there were interrelations among emotion understanding, attachment security, and emotion dysregulation. The present results provide the first comprehensive evidence for a socio-emotional framework and its relevance to childhood anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick K Bender
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francisco Pons
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo Oslo, Norway
| | - Paul L Harris
- Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA
| | - Barbara H Esbjørn
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark
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Nilsson KK, de López KJ. Theory of Mind in Children With Specific Language Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Child Dev 2015; 87:143-53. [PMID: 26582261 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The relation between language and theory of mind (ToM) has been debated for more than two decades. In a similar vein, ToM has been examined in children with specific language impairment (SLI), albeit with inconsistent results. This meta-analysis of 17 studies with 745 children between the ages of 4 and 12 found that children with SLI had substantially lower ToM performance compared to age-matched typically developing children (d = .98). This effect size was not moderated by age and gender. By revealing that children with SLI have ToM impairments, this finding emphasizes the need for further investigation into the developmental interface between language and ToM as well as the extended consequences of atypical language development.
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Jester M, Johnson CJ. Differences in Theory of Mind and Pretend Play Associations in Children with and Without Specific Language Impairment. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.1912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Jester
- Language and Communication Disorders; University Koblenz-Landau; Landau Germany
| | - Carla J. Johnson
- University of Toronto; Speech and Language Pathology; Toronto Canada
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