A Follow-Up Study of Treated and Untreated Greek Adolescents with a History of Specific Developmental Language Disorder
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12970/2311-1917.2014.02.01.1Keywords:
social, behavioural, academic outcomes, SLI, early intervention, adolescence.Abstract
Research has shown that specific developmental language disorders (SDLD) may develop over time into other impairments or disorders. For instance, children with these diagnoses often show learning, social adjustment or behaviour disorders in adolescence. On the other hand, many professionals claim that early intervention has a significant effect on these disorders. The question which arises is whether early intervention can forestall the development of these more serious consequences in adolescence. The aim of this study is to examine adolescents who had been diagnosed with SDLD in childhood and who had attended during their preschool years an Early Intervention Programme (EIP) within a Community Mental Health Centre. These adolescents’ outcomes are compared with those of adolescents who had also been diagnosed with SDLD, but who had not complied with therapy. The experimental group (N=44), now have a mean age of 13 years, whereas the control group (N=52), who had not accepted therapy, have a mean age of 14 years. The parameters which were investigated were school achievement, social and emotional adjustment, behaviour, language skills, and their parents’ attitudes. Statistical analysis shows that although some of the treated adolescents now exhibit learning difficulties, those who began their therapy before the age of 5 are presently showing significantly better concentration and behaviour than all the other groups. In conclusion, early intervention seems to be effective for children with SDLD and may restrict the appearance of more serious social adjustment and behavioural problems in adolescence.
References
Aram DM, Ekelman , Nation J. Preschoolers with language disorders: ten years later. J Speech Hear Res 1984; 27: 232- 44.
Silva
, Williams S, MacGee R. A longitudinal study of children with developmental language delay at age three: later intelligence, reading, and behaviour problems. Dev Med Child Neurol 1987; 29: 630-40.
Tallal
, Dukette D, Curtiss S. Behavioural / emotional profiles of pre-school language-impaired children. Dev Psychopathol 1989; 1: 51-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400000249
Lindsay G, Dockrell JE. Longitudinal patterns of behavioral, emotional, and social difficulties and self-concepts in adolescents with a history of specific language impairment. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2012; 43: 445-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2012/11-0069)
Hall P, Tomblin J. A follow-up of children with articulation and language disorders. J Speech Hear Disord 1978; 43: 227-41.
Cantwell D, Baker L, Rutter M, et al. Infantile autism and developmental receptive dysphasia: a comparative follow-up into middle childhood. J Autism Dev Disord 1989; 19: 19-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02212715
Beitchman J
, Brownlie ,
nglis , et al. Seven-year follow-up of speech/language impaired and control children: psychiatric outcome. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1996; 37: 961-970. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01493.x
Davison MF, Howlin P. A follow-up study of children attending a primary-age language unit. Int J Lang Commun Disord 1997; 32: 19-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13682829709021454
Stothard SE, Snowling MJ, Bishop DVM, et al. Language impaired preschoolers: a follow-up into adolescence. J Speech Lang Hear Res 1998; 41: 407-18.
Conti-Ramsden G, Botting N. Emotional health in adolescents with and without a history of specific language impairment (SLI). J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2008; 49: 516- 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01858.x
St Clair MC, Pickles A, Durkin K, et al. A longitudinal study of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties in individuals with a history of specific language impairment (SLI). J Commun Disord 2011; 44: 186-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2010.09.004
Baker L, Cantwell DP. Psychiatric and Developmental Disorders in Children with Communication Disorder. Washington: American Psychiatric Association 1991.
Cohen NJ, Davine M, Horodezky , et al. Unsuspected language impairment in psychiatrically disturbed children: prevalence and language and behavioural characteristics. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1993; 32: 595-603. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199305000-00016
Beitchman JH, Wilson B, Johnson CJ, et al. Fourteen-year follow-up of speech / language – impaired and control children: psychiatric outcome. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2001; 40: 75-82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200101000-00019
Clegg J, Hollis C, Mawhood L, et al. Developmental language disorders- a follow-up in later adult life. Cognitive, language and psychosocial outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2005; 46: 128-49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00342.x
Elbro C, Dalby M, Maarbjerg S. Language-learning impairments: a 30-year-follow-up of language-impaired children with and without psychiatric, neurological and cognitive difficulties. Int J Commun Disord 2011; 46: 437-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00004.x
Catts HW. The relationship between speech-language impairments and reading disabilities. J Speech Hear Res 1993; 36: 948-58.
Snowling MJ, Bishop D, Stothard SE. Is preschool language impairment a risk factor for dyslexia in adolescence? J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2000; 41: 587-600. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00651
MacArthur GM, Hogben JH, Edwards VT, et al. On the ‘specifics’ of specific reading disability and specific language impairment. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2000; 41: 869-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00674
Freed J, Adams C, Lockton E. Literacy skills in primary school-aged children with pragmatic language impairment: a comparison with children with specific language impairment. Int J Commun Disord 2011; 46: 334-47.
Conti-Ramsden G, Durkin K, Simkin Z, et al. Specific language impairment and school outcomes. I: Identifying and explaining variability at the end of compulsory education.Int J Lang Commun Disord 2009; 44: 15-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13682820801921601
Botting N. Non-verbal cognitive development and language impairment. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2005; 46: 317-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00355.x
Montgomery JW. Verbal working memory and sentence comprehension in children with specific language impairment. J Speech Lang Hear Res 2000; 43: 293-308.
Conti-Ramsden G, Botting N. Characteristics of children with specific language impairment. In: Verhoeven L, Van Balkom H, Eds. Classification of Developmental Language Disorders. London: Lawrence Erlbaum 2004; pp.23-38.
Benasich AA, Curtiss S, Tallal P. Language, learning and behavioral disturbances in childhood: a longitudinal perspective. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1993; 32: 585-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199305000-00015
Conti-Ramsden G, Botting N. Classification of children with specific language impairment: longitudinal considerations. J Speech Lang Hear Res 1999; 42: 1195-204.
Kazdin AE, Whitley M, Marciano PL. Child-therapist and parent-therapist alliance and therapeutic change in the treatment of children referred for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2006; 47: 436-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01475.x
Baxendale J, Frankham J, Hesketh A. The Hanen Parent Programme: a parent’s perspective. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2001; 36: 511-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13682820109177938
Glogowska M, Campbell R, Peters TJ, et al. Developing a scale to measure parental attitudes towards preschool speech and language therapy services. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2001; 36: 503-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13682820110075006
Nevas DB, Farber BA. Parents’ attitudes towards their child’s therapist and therapy. Prof Psychol Res Pr 2001; 32: 165-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.32.2.165
Leonard LB. Children with Specific Language Impairment. Cambridge: MIT Press 1998.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders: DSM-III-R. 3rd Ed. Washington: American Psychiatric Association 1987.
Snowling MJ, Adams J, Bishop D, et al. Educational attainments of school leavers with a preschool history of speech-language impairments. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2001; 2: 174-84.
Wadman R, Durkin K, ContI-Ramsden G. Self-esteem, shyness, and sociability in adolescents with specific language impairments (SLI). J Speech Lang Hear Res 2008; 51: 938-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2008/069)
Brownlie EB, Beitchman JH, Escobar M, et al. Early language impairment and young adult delinquent and aggressive behavior. J Abnorm Child Psychol 2004; 32: 453-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:JACP.0000030297.91759.74
Snowling MJ, Bishop D, Stothard SE, et al. Psychosocial outcomes at 15 years of children with a preschool history of speech-language impairment. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2006; 47: 759-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01631.x
Markham C, Dean T. Parents’ and professionals’ perceptions of Quality of Life in children with speech and language difficulty. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2006; 41: 189-212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13682820500221485
Palikara O, Lindsay G, Dockrell JE. Voices of young people with a history of specific language impairment (SLI) in the first year of post 16 education. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2009; 44: 56-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13682820801949032
Madianos MG, Zarnari O, et al. Health and Greek Society. National Centre for Social Research Publ 1988; 30.
