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Wei R, Sullivan EF, Begum F, Rahman N, Tofail F, Haque R, Nelson CA. Parental communicative input as a protective factor in Bangladeshi families living in poverty: A multi-dimensional perspective. Dev Sci 2024:e13494. [PMID: 38504647 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Studies from high-income populations have shown that stimulating, supportive communicative input from parents promote children's cognitive and language development. However, fewer studies have identified specific features of input supporting the healthy development of children growing up in low- or middle-income countries. The current study proposes and tests a multi-dimensional framework for understanding whether and how caregiver communicative input mediates the associations between socio-economic conditions and early development. We also examine how caregiver conceptual scaffolding and autonomy support uniquely and synergistically explain variation in child outcomes. Participants were 71 Bangladeshi families with five-year-olds who were exposed to a range of biological and psychosocial hazards from birth. Caregiver-child interactions during snack sharing and semi-structured play were coded for caregiver conceptual scaffolding, autonomy support, and child engagement. Findings indicate that the two dimensions of input were correlated, suggesting that caregivers who provided richer conceptual scaffolds were simultaneously more supportive of children's autonomy. Notably, conceptual scaffolding and autonomy support each mediated associations between maternal education and child verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. Further, caregivers who supported greater autonomy in their children had children who participated in conversations more actively, and these children in turn had higher performance IQ scores. When considered simultaneously, conceptual scaffolding was associated with verbal IQ over and above autonomy support, whereas autonomy support related to child engagement, controlling for conceptual scaffolding. These findings shed new light on how environmental factors may support early development, contributing to the design of family-centered, culturally authentic interventions. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/9v_8sIv7ako RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Studies from high-income countries have identified factors mitigating the impacts of socio-economic risks on development. Such research is scarce in low- and middle-income countries. The present study conceptualized and evaluated caregiver communicative input in Bangladeshi families along two interrelated yet distinct dimensions: conceptual scaffolding and autonomy support. Conceptual scaffolding and autonomy support individually mediated associations between maternal education and child verbal IQ, shedding light on protective factors in families living in poverty. Parents providing richer conceptual scaffolds were simultaneously more supportive of children's autonomy. However, the two dimensions each related to cognition and language through unique pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Wei
- Graduate School of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Eileen F Sullivan
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fatema Begum
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Navin Rahman
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fahmida Tofail
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rashidul Haque
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Mathers SJ, Hodgkiss A, Kolancali P, Booton SA, Wang Z, Murphy VA. Comparing parent-child interaction during wordless book reading, print book reading and imaginative play. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2024:1-26. [PMID: 38497445 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000924000072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated differences in adult-child language interactions when parents and their three-to-four-year old children engage in wordless book reading, text-and-picture book reading and a small-world toy play activity. Twenty-two parents recorded themselves completing each activity at home with their child. Parent input was compared across contexts, focusing on interactive and conceptual domains: use of open prompts, expansions or extensions of children's utterances, and use of decontextualised (abstract) language. Use of linguistic expansions was greater during book reading than toy play. Parents used open questions and added contingent conceptual information more often when reading wordless books than in both other conditions. Findings suggest that wordless books may combine the benefits of open-endedness and linguistic content based around a narrative. Parents' use of abstract language also varied by condition. This study extends understanding of the role of activity context in shaping children's language learning environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex Hodgkiss
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Zhaoyu Wang
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Ma Y, Zhang X, Pappas L, Rule A, Gao Y, Dill SE, Feng T, Zhang Y, Wang H, Cunha F, Rozelle S. Associations between urbanization and the home language environment: Evidence from a LENA study in rural and peri-urban China. Child Dev 2024; 95:e74-e92. [PMID: 37937886 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
In low- and middle-income countries, urbanization has spurred the expansion of peri-urban communities, or urban communities of formerly rural residents with low socioeconomic status. The growth of these communities offers researchers an opportunity to measure the associations between the level of urbanization and the home language environment (HLE) among otherwise similar populations. Data were collected in 2019 using Language Environment Analysis observational assessment technology from 158 peri-urban and rural households with Han Chinese children (92 males, 66 females) aged 18-24 months in China. Peri-urban children scored lower than rural children in measures of the HLE and language development. In both samples, child age, gender, maternal employment, and sibling number were positively correlated with the HLE, which was in turn correlated with language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ma
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Xinwu Zhang
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Lucy Pappas
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Andrew Rule
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yujuan Gao
- Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sarah-Eve Dill
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Tianli Feng
- School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Zhang
- National Center for Women and Children Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Child Health Care, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Flavio Cunha
- Department of Economics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Stanford Center on China's Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Conica M, Nixon E, Quigley J. Talk outside the box: Parents' decontextualized language during preschool years relates to child numeracy and literacy skills in middle childhood. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 236:105746. [PMID: 37540920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Children's literacy and numeracy skills are fundamental for early academic performance and later academic success, mental health, and employment prospects in adulthood. Given that parents play a key role in promoting child development, identifying early parenting behaviors that predict literacy and numeracy skills is a research imperative. Emerging evidence suggests that parental use of decontextualized language (DL)-talk that requires cognitive abstraction and transcends the here and now-predicts children's literacy skills. However, its relation to numeracy remains underexplored. Accordingly, the current study examined how DL during interaction with children in infancy (T1) and preschool years (T2) relates to child literacy and numeracy in middle childhood (T3). Participants were 26 Irish mother-father-child triads (16 female children). At T1 and T2, participants engaged in 5-min interactions that were coded for DL. At T3, child literacy and numeracy were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition and teacher report of child scores on national standardized tests. Controlling for child age and contextualized utterances, child reading in middle childhood was negatively related to maternal and child DL in infancy but was positively related to DL during preschool years, suggesting that the benefits of DL may become apparent later in development. Mothers', fathers', and children's DL during preschool years was also positively linked with child numeracy in middle childhood. Thus, embedding DL in conversation with children may have positive domain-specific and cross-domain effects on children's literacy and numeracy performance. Findings provide incentive for future research to examine relations between DL and children's school performance across a wider range of developmental domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirela Conica
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Elizabeth Nixon
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Jean Quigley
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Almubark NM, Silva-Maceda G, Foster ME, Spencer TD. Indices of Narrative Language Associated with Disability. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1815. [PMID: 38002906 PMCID: PMC10670771 DOI: 10.3390/children10111815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Narratives skills are associated with long-term academic and social benefits. While students with disabilities often struggle to produce complete and complex narratives, it remains unclear which aspects of narrative language are most indicative of disability. In this study, we examined the association between a variety of narrative contents and form indices and disability. Methodology involved drawing 50 K-3 students with Individual Education Programs (IEP) and reported language concerns from a large diverse sample (n = 1074). Fifty typically developing (TD) students were matched to the former group using propensity score matching based on their age, gender, grade, mother's education, and ethnicity. Narrative retells and generated language samples were collected and scored for Narrative Discourse and Sentence Complexity using a narrative scoring rubric. In addition, the number of different words (NDW), subordination index (SI), and percentage of grammatical errors (%GE) were calculated using computer software. Results of the Mixed effect model revealed that only Narrative Discourse had a significant effect on disability, with no significant effect revealed for Sentence Complexity, %GE, SI, and NDW. Additionally, Narrative Discourse emerged as the sole significant predictor of disability. At each grade, there were performance gaps between groups in the Narrative Discourse, Language Complexity, and SI. Findings suggest that difficulty in Narrative Discourse is the most consistent predictor of disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norah M. Almubark
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Gabriela Silva-Maceda
- School of Psychology, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí 78399, Mexico;
| | - Matthew E. Foster
- Rightpath Research & Innovation Center, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA;
| | - Trina D. Spencer
- Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA;
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Bruce M, Savla J, Bell MA. From terrible twos to sassy sixes: The development of vocabulary and executive functioning across early childhood. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13396. [PMID: 37042169 PMCID: PMC10567994 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Across the early childhood period of development, young children exhibit considerable growth in their executive functioning (EF) and vocabulary abilities. Understanding the developmental trajectory of these seemingly interrelated processes is important as both early vocabulary and EF have been shown to predict critical academic and socio-emotional outcomes later in childhood. Although previous research suggests that EF and vocabulary are correlated in early childhood, much of the existing longitudinal research has focused on unidirectional relations among preschool child samples. The current large-scale study, therefore, sought to examine whether children's vocabulary and EF abilities are bidirectionally related over time across four measurement waves in early childhood (i.e., at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6). At each timepoint, children's vocabulary skills were positively correlated with their concurrent EF abilities. After controlling for child sex and maternal education status, the best-fitting, cross-lagged panel model was a unidirectional model whereby children's early vocabulary scores predicted their later EF performance at each timepoint. Although age 2 EF significantly predicted age 3 vocabulary size, this association was no longer significant after accounting for maternal education status. Our results illustrate that vocabulary size plays an important role in predicting children's later EF performance across various timepoints in early childhood, even after controlling for children's initial EF scores. These findings have important implications for intervention research as fostering early vocabulary acquisition may serve as a possible avenue for improving EF outcomes in young children. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Children's vocabulary size is positively correlated with their concurrent executive functioning skill at ages 2, 3, 4, and 6 Young children's early vocabulary scores predict their later EF performance across measurement waves, even after controlling for initial EF skill There is stability in children's relative vocabulary size and executive functioning performance over time in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Bruce
- Virginia Tech, Department of Psychology, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jyoti Savla
- Virginia Tech, Department of Human Development & Family Science, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Martha Ann Bell
- Virginia Tech, Department of Psychology, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Brinchmann EI, Røe-Indregård H, Karlsen J, Schauber SK, Hagtvet BE. The linguistic complexity of adult and child contextualized and decontextualized talk. Child Dev 2023; 94:1368-1380. [PMID: 37068139 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The association between decontextualized talk (DT; i.e., talk extending beyond immediate context) and child language outcomes is well-attested but not well-understood. This study tested the hypothesis that DT is more linguistically complex than contextualized talk (CT). Thirty-eight Norwegian children (Mage = 5.5 years; 25 girls; 30 Norwegian-speaking monolinguals and eight multilinguals) and their teachers were videotaped during picture book reading, story card conversations and toy play (collected 2010-2011 and 2017). Results show that DT was more complex than CT among children and teachers. Both types of talk were more complex during book reading and story conversations than during play. The conversational context should be accounted for when theorizing about the role of DT in language development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jannicke Karlsen
- Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Statped, Department of Speech and Language Disorders, Oslo, Norway
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Oppenheimer KE, Lee J, Huang YT, Bernstein Ratner N. Decontextualized Utterances Contain More Typical and Stuttering-Like Disfluencies in Preschoolers Who Do and Do Not Stutter. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:2656-2669. [PMID: 37486762 PMCID: PMC10555454 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) and typical disfluencies (TDs) are both more likely to occur as utterance length increases. However, longer and shorter utterances differ by more than the number of morphemes: They may also serve different communicative functions or describe different ideas. Decontextualized language, or language that describes events and concepts outside of the "here and now," is associated with longer utterances. Prior work has shown that language samples taken in decontextualized contexts contain more disfluencies, but averaging across an entire language sample creates a confound between utterance length and decontextualization as contributors to stuttering. We coded individual utterances from naturalistic play samples to test the hypothesis that decontextualized language leads to increased disfluencies above and beyond the effects of utterance length. METHOD We used archival transcripts of language samples from 15 preschool children who stutter (CWS) and 15 age- and sex-matched children who do not stutter (CWNS). Utterances were coded as either contextualized or decontextualized, and we used mixed-effects logistic regression to investigate the impact of utterance length and decontextualization on SLDs and TDs. RESULTS CWS were more likely to stutter when producing decontextualized utterances, even when controlling for utterance length. An interaction between decontextualization and utterance length indicated that the effect of decontextualization was greatest for shorter utterances. TDs increased in decontextualized utterances when controlling for utterance length for both CWS and CWNS. The effect of decontextualization on TDs did not differ statistically between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS The increased working memory demands associated with decontextualized language contribute to increased language planning effort. This leads to increased TD in CWS and CWNS. Under a multifactorial dynamic model of stuttering, the increased language demands may also contribute to increased stuttering in CWS due to instabilities in their speech motor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica Lee
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park
| | - Yi Ting Huang
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park
| | - Nan Bernstein Ratner
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland at College Park
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Cho M, Kim YSG. Do Second Graders Adjust Their Language by Discourse Context? Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2023; 54:569-583. [PMID: 36763850 PMCID: PMC10187962 DOI: 10.1044/2022_lshss-22-00100] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Children's ability to adjust one's language according to discourse context is important for success in academic settings. This study examined whether second graders vary in linguistic and discourse features depending on discourse contexts, that is, when describing pictures in contextualized (describing the picture to an examiner while looking at it together) and decontextualized (pretending to describe the picture to a friend while sitting in front of the examiner) conditions. METHOD A total of 330 English-speaking second graders in the United States (M age = 7.33 years; 53% boys; 55% Caucasian children, 35% African American children) described three pictures in contextualized and decontextualized conditions. Children's picture descriptions were transcribed verbatim and coded for linguistic (e.g., elaborated noun phrase) and discourse (e.g., proper character introduction, degree of decontextualization) features. RESULTS Type-token ratio was higher in the contextualized condition than in the decontextualized condition, whereas certain types of elaborated noun phrases (e.g., simple descriptive noun phrase, noun phrase with postmodification), coordinating conjunctions, and nonclauses occurred more frequently in the decontextualized condition, controlling for total productivity and student demographics. The proportion of proper character introduction was higher in the decontextualized condition, whereas higher degrees of decontextualization and complex perspective-taking were found in the contextualized condition. CONCLUSION Various linguistic and discourse cues illustrated the extent to which primary grade students employ their discourse knowledge when producing oral language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkyung Cho
- School of Education, University of California, Irvine
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10
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Quarles LF, Feddema K, Campera M, Nekaris KAI. Normal redefined: Exploring decontextualization of lorises (Nycticebus & Xanthonycticebus spp.) on social media platforms. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2023.1067355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionDecontextualization is a concept from psychology whereby new words are learned outside of the context of the here-and-now. Decontextualized language is used for discussing abstract concepts and is crucial to the development of academic language. When it comes to images, a dearth of context can lead to a lack of clarity, such as the use of ambiguous decontextualized images in environmental communication, leading to the promotion of greenwashing. Here we refer to decontextualization as the removal of wildlife from their wild ecological context. Images and videos of globally threatened species are increasingly popular on social media. Showing such taxa alongside humans may impact public perceptions of their abundance and need for conservation and can increase illegal trade. One group of animals that are particularly popular on social media platforms are the slow and pygmy lorises (Nycticebus spp., Xanthonycticebus spp.).MethodsHere, we examined 100 videos from three popular social media platforms (YouTube, TikTok, and Giphy) to calculate how often and in which ways these videos remove slow lorises from their natural ecological and behavioural context. We also examined views and likes to determine viewer engagement trends. We used relevant content from each site to assess the presence of decontextualization using five conditions.ResultsIn all but two videos, conditions of decontextualization were present and 77% of all videos had four to five conditions of decontextualization. Using Spearman correlation, we found a significant effect of decontextualization scores on the number of views and likes for YouTube and TikTok videos. Views were significantly higher when videos presented animals in anthropogenic settings (i.e., in human-made structures or in proximity of human artefacts). Additionally, views on TikTok and YouTube were significantly higher when animals displayed signs of stress or ill health and when they were in unnatural conditions.DiscussionOur case study of lorises provides an example of the danger of decontextualizing wild animals on social media. Public preference for imagery where animals are neglected is indicative that better guidelines need to be put in place and policed by social media platforms. Additionally, conservationists need to develop strategies to promote wild imagery and further explore decontextualization if we are to understand and address the drivers of the rampant illegal wildlife trade online.
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Zhang X, Ma Y, Feng T, Zhang V, Wu X, Li M, Li Q, Thani Z, Pappas L, Dill SE, Rozelle S. The home language environment and early language ability in rural Southwestern China. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1010442. [PMID: 37006716 PMCID: PMC10064000 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Using premier Language Environment Analysis technology to measure and analyze the home language environment, this observational study aims to describe the home language environment and child language ability, drawing on empirical data from 77 households with children aged 18–24 months from rural China. The results show large variation in measures of the home language environment and early language ability, similar to other rural Chinese samples. Results also demonstrate significant correlations between child age and the home language environment, maternal employment and the home language environment, father’s educational attainment and the home language environment, adult–child conversations and early language ability, and child vocalizations and early language ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwu Zhang
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Yue Ma
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Tianli Feng
- School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Tianli Feng,
| | - Vincent Zhang
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Xiaoyang Wu
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Matthew Li
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Queenie Li
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Zahra Thani
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Lucy Pappas
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Sarah-Eve Dill
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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Ma Y, Pappas L, Zhang X, Feng T, Eve-Dill S, Rozelle S, Weber A. How does the family environment affect toddlerhood language and cognitive development? Evidence from peri-urban China. APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10888691.2023.2165077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ma
- Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Lucy Pappas
- Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Xinwu Zhang
- School of Public Administration, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Tianli Feng
- School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Sarah Eve-Dill
- Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Scott Rozelle
- Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Ann Weber
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, United States
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Rudling M, Portugal AM, Bölte S, Falck‐Ytter T. Pre‐pragmatic language use in toddlerhood: Developmental antecedents, aetiological factors, and associations to autism. JCPP ADVANCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maja Rudling
- Department of Psychology Development and Neurodiversity Lab Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Ana Maria Portugal
- Department of Psychology Development and Neurodiversity Lab Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND) Centre for Psychiatry Research Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Department of Women's and Children's Health Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND) Centre for Psychiatry Research Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
- Curtin Autism Research Group School of Allied Health Curtin University Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Terje Falck‐Ytter
- Department of Psychology Development and Neurodiversity Lab Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- Department of Women's and Children's Health Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND) Centre for Psychiatry Research Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
- Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study Uppsala Sweden
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14
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Weiss Y, Huber E, Ferjan Ramírez N, Corrigan NM, Yarnykh VL, Kuhl PK. Language input in late infancy scaffolds emergent literacy skills and predicts reading related white matter development. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:922552. [PMID: 36457757 PMCID: PMC9705348 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.922552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal studies provide the unique opportunity to test whether early language provides a scaffolding for the acquisition of the ability to read. This study tests the hypothesis that parental language input during the first 2 years of life predicts emergent literacy skills at 5 years of age, and that white matter development observed early in the 3rd year (at 26 months) may help to account for these effects. We collected naturalistic recordings of parent and child language at 6, 10, 14, 18, and 24 months using the Language ENvironment Analysis system (LENA) in a group of typically developing infants. We then examined the relationship between language measures during infancy and follow-up measures of reading related skills at age 5 years, in the same group of participants (N = 53). A subset of these children also completed diffusion and quantitative MRI scans at age 2 years (N = 20). Within this subgroup, diffusion tractography was used to identify white matter pathways that are considered critical to language and reading development, namely, the arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and inferior occipital-frontal fasciculus. Quantitative macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping was used to characterize myelin density within these separately defined regions of interest. The longitudinal data were then used to test correlations between early language input and output, white matter measures at age 2 years, and pre-literacy skills at age 5 years. Parental language input, child speech output, and parent-child conversational turns correlated with pre-literacy skills, as well as myelin density estimates within the left arcuate and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Mediation analyses indicated that the left AF accounted for longitudinal relationships between infant home language measures and 5-year letter identification and letter-sound knowledge, suggesting that the left AF myelination at 2 years may serve as a mechanism by which early language experience supports emergent literacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Weiss
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Huber
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Naja Ferjan Ramírez
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Linguistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Neva M. Corrigan
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Vasily L. Yarnykh
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Patricia K. Kuhl
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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15
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Heppt B, Olczyk M, Volodina A. Number of books at home as an indicator of socioeconomic status: Examining its extensions and their incremental validity for academic achievement. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11218-022-09704-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe present study investigates the incremental validity of the traditional books-at-home measure and selected extensions (i.e., number of children’s books and number of ebooks) for explaining students’ academic achievement as measured by their academic language comprehension. Using multiple linear regressions, we additionally explore the role of the source of information (i.e., whether information is given by parents or children). Based on cross-sectional data of a German sample of 2353 elementary school children from Grades 2 through 4, we found that parents’ information on the number of books and children’s books contributed to students’ academic language comprehension over and above parental occupation and education. Children’s information on the number of books did not further increase the amount of explained variance, and the effects were smaller than those for parents’ information. Yet, when investigated separately, both parents’ and children’s information on the number of books and children’s books at home predicted students’ academic language comprehension and mediated the relationship between more distal structural features of socioeconomic status (i.e., parents’ occupational status and education) and the outcome variable. No effect emerged for the number of ebooks. Our findings point to the robustness of the traditional books-at-home measure when used in parent questionnaires.
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16
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Chan J, Adlof SM, Duff D, Mitchell A, Ragunathan M, Ehrhorn AM. Examining the Associations Between Parent Concerns and School-Age Children's Language and Reading Abilities: A Comparison of Samples Recruited for In-School Versus Online Participation. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2022; 53:431-444. [PMID: 35167322 DOI: 10.1044/2021_lshss-21-00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parent concerns about children's oral language, reading, and related skills and their children's performance on standardized assessments of language and reading, with a particular focus on whether those relationships differed between children recruited for in-school versus online participation. METHOD This study used data from a larger, longitudinal project focused on children with and without developmental language disorder (DLD) and/or dyslexia. The "in-school" sample (n = 133) completed assessments in-person before school closures, and the "online" sample (n = 84) recruited via advertisements completed assessments online. Parents completed a checklist of concerns. All children completed norm-referenced assessments of language and reading. RESULTS The two recruitment strategies yielded samples that differed in racial diversity (higher in the in-school sample), caregiver education levels (higher in the online sample), and word reading test scores (higher in the online sample). Parents in both samples reported higher levels of concerns about literacy skills than oral language skills, and the correlation between parent concerns about literacy and children's word reading test scores was stronger than the correlation between parent concerns about oral language and children's language test scores. CONCLUSIONS Researchers and clinicians should be aware of how recruitment strategies and assessment modalities (e.g., in-person vs. tele-assessment) may impact participation in studies and clinical service. A reliance on parent concerns about oral language to prompt a language evaluation may contribute to low rates of identification of children who meet criteria for DLD. Future research can consider parent concerns about literacy, attention, and executive functions as indicators of a need for language evaluation, especially considering the high comorbidity between language and other developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Chan
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia.,Faculty of Education, Okanagan School of Education, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada
| | - Suzanne M Adlof
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Dawna Duff
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Alexis Mitchell
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia
| | - Maalavika Ragunathan
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Anna M Ehrhorn
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia
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17
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Scheiber FA, Ryckman MK, Demir-Lira E. Maternal depressive symptoms and maternal child-directed speech: A systematic review. J Affect Disord 2022; 297:194-207. [PMID: 34656673 PMCID: PMC8827171 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to 1 in 5 children are exposed to maternal depressive symptoms. Children exposed to maternal depressive symptoms have poorer language skills than children not exposed to maternal depressive symptoms. Due to the crucial role of children's language skills in school readiness and academic achievement, it is imperative to understand the factors that underlie the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and children's language skills. Previous reviews have examined the mechanistic role of social-pragmatic features of mother-child interactions. However, the literature on the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and data-providing aspects of mother-child interactions, including child-directed speech, has yet to be consolidated. In this systematic review, we present maternal child-directed speech as a potential pathway through which maternal depressive symptoms influence children's language skills. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, three database searches produced 546 articles related to maternal depressive symptoms, child-directed speech, and children's language skills, ten of which examined the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and child-directed speech. RESULTS Findings revealed that increases in maternal depressive symptoms may be associated with decreases in amount of child-directed speech but not necessarily with decreases in the complexity of child-directed speech. LIMITATIONS The studies in this review varied in sample size, the inclusion of important sociodemographic factors, and the operationalization of depression and child-directed speech, thereby limiting conclusions, especially about whether maternal depressive symptoms are associated with the complexity of child-directed speech. CONCLUSIONS This review has implications for prevention and intervention efforts aimed at optimizing children's language skills; child-directed speech is modifiable, and mothers experiencing depressive symptoms may benefit from resources encouraging rich child-directed speech.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M.A., Kelli Ryckman
- University of Iowa,,Department of Epidemiology,,Iowa Perinatal Health Research Collaborative
| | - Ece Demir-Lira
- University of Iowa,,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences,,DeLTA Center,,Iowa Neuroscience Institute
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18
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Examining the role of learner and classroom characteristics in the later language learning of Latinx youth and their classmates. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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19
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Leyva D, Weiland C, Shapiro A, Yeomans-Maldonado G, Febles A. A strengths-based, culturally responsive family intervention improves Latino kindergarteners' vocabulary and approaches to learning. Child Dev 2021; 93:451-467. [PMID: 34669192 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Food routines are an ecocultural asset of Latino families. This cluster-randomized trial with 248 children (Mage = 67 months; 50% girls; 13 schools) investigated the impact of a 4-week family program designed to capitalize on food routines in improving Latino kindergarteners' outcomes in the United States. There were moderate-to-large impacts on child vocabulary (especially food-related) at end-of-treatment and the 5-month follow-up, and suggestive evidence of moderate impacts on approaches to learning (ATL; including ATL math) and executive function at the 5-month follow-up (d = .38-.95). There were no statistically significant impacts on children's math or literacy skills. A strengths-based, culturally responsive family intervention that is integrated into Latino family life can improve the skills needed to succeed in school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Leyva
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Anna Shapiro
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Gloria Yeomans-Maldonado
- Children's Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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20
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Frausel RR, Richland LE, Levine SC, Goldin-Meadow S. Personal narrative as a 'breeding ground' for higher-order thinking talk in early parent-child interactions. Dev Psychol 2021; 57:519-534. [PMID: 34483346 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Personal narrative is decontextualized talk where individuals recount stories of personal experiences about past or future events. As an everyday discursive speech type, narrative potentially invites parents and children to explicitly link together, generalize from, and make inferences about representations-i.e., to engage in higher-order thinking talk (HOTT). Here we ask whether narratives in early parent-child interactions include proportionally more HOTT than other forms of everyday home language. Sixty-four children (31 girls; 36 White, 14 Black, 8 Hispanic, 6 mixed/other race) and their primary caregiver(s) (M income = $61,000) were recorded in 90-minute spontaneous home interactions every 4 months from 14-58 months. Speech was transcribed and coded for narrative and HOTT. We found that parents at all visits and children after 38 months used more HOTT in narrative than non-narrative, and more HOTT than expected by chance. At 38- and 50-months, we examined HOTT in a related but distinct form of decontextualized talk-pretend, or talk during imaginary episodes of interaction-as a control to test whether other forms of decontextualized talk also relate to HOTT. While pretend contained more HOTT than other (non-narrative/non-pretend) talk, it generally contained less HOTT than narrative. Additionally, unlike HOTT during narrative, the amount of HOTT during pretend did not exceed the amount expected by chance, suggesting narrative serves as a particularly rich 'breeding ground' for HOTT in parent-child interactions. These findings provide insight into the nature of narrative discourse, and suggest narrative potentially may be used as a lever to increase children's higher-order thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R Frausel
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago.,Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago
| | | | - Susan C Levine
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago.,Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago
| | - Susan Goldin-Meadow
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago.,Department of Comparative Human Development, The University of Chicago
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21
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Hilvert E, Lorang E, Sterling A. Maternal Use of Decontextualized and Contextualized Talk: An In-Depth Investigation of Early Parent-Child Interactions in Down Syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2021; 30:1767-1780. [PMID: 34153191 PMCID: PMC8702844 DOI: 10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The goal of this study was to characterize and quantify maternal use of decontextualized and contextualized input during mother-child interactions including young children with Down syndrome (DS). Method Participants included 22 mother-child dyads with DS (M age = 42.8 months) and 22 mother-child dyads with typical development (M age = 44.0 months). Parent-child language samples were collected during free-play, book reading, and snack time, and coded for maternal decontextualized (i.e., pretend, explanatory, and narrative talk) and contextualized input (i.e., descriptions, conversation, praise, questions, and directives). Results Mothers of children with DS used a larger proportion of pretend talk compared to other types of decontextualized input and also used a larger proportion of questions, conversation, and descriptions compared to other types of contextualized language. Mothers of children with DS generally used a smaller proportion of decontextualized input compared to mothers of children with typical development, with the exception of pretend talk. Maternal decontextualized input was not related to children's age or language ability in DS. Conclusions Findings shed new light on the early language environments of children with DS, providing important insight into the ways that mothers of children with DS are incorporating decontextualized and contextualized talk into early mother-child conversations. Additional implications and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Lorang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison
| | - Audra Sterling
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison
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22
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Rowe ML, Turco RG, Blatt JH. Can interactive apps promote parent-child conversations? JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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23
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Pragmatics in the elementary school years: the contribute of mental state language used in narrative and persuasive texts. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-01462-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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24
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Sánchez Pérez P, Nordahl-Hansen A, Kaale A. The Role of Context in Language Development for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2021; 11:563925. [PMID: 33424677 PMCID: PMC7785518 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.563925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parent and preschool teacher ratings of the 10 noun categories of MacArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventory (CDI) were used to study expressive language in 2–4-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (N = 58) across the home and preschool context. There was no significant difference in the total number of words the children said in the two contexts, but the children said significantly more words in the noun categories “Furniture and rooms” and “People” at home. Only one third of the words the children said were said both at home and in the preschool, while the other two thirds were said only at home or only in preschool. This suggests that what words the children use across contexts differ substantially and that their vocabulary is larger than it seems when measured only in one context. This novel study highlights the importance of assessing the language in children with ASD in multiple contexts in order to better measure their vocabulary and to design appropriate language interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Sánchez Pérez
- Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Anett Kaale
- Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Norwegian Centre of Expertise for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Hypersomnias, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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25
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McGregor KK, Pomper R, Eden N, Arbisi-Kelm T, Ohlmann N, Gajre S, Smolak E. Children's language abilities predict success in remote communication contexts. LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH 2021; 1:245-282. [PMID: 36514790 PMCID: PMC9744448 DOI: 10.34842/8jgf-r802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Remote communicative contexts are part of everyday social, familial, and academic interactions for the modern child. We investigated the ability of second-graders to engage in remote discourse, and we determined whether language ability, theory of mind, and shy temperament predicted their success. Fifty 7-to-9-year-old monolingual English speakers with a wide range of language abilities participated in standardized testing and an expository discourse task in which they taught two adults to solve the Tower of London, one in an audiovisual condition to simulate video chat and a second in an audio-only condition to simulate phone communication. The discourse was scored with a rubric of 15 items deemed relevant to the explanation. Children included 27% to 87% of the items, with more items communicated via gesture than spoken word in both conditions. Gesture scores and spoken scores were highly correlated. Children specified more rubric items overall in the audio condition and more rubric items in the spoken modality when in the audio condition than the audiovisual condition. Performance in both conditions was positively associated with scores on independent measures of language ability. There was no relationship between performance and theory of mind, shy temperament, ability to solve the Tower of London, age, or sex. We conclude that 7-to-9-year-olds adjust the modality and content of their message to suit their remote partner's needs, but their success in remote discourse contexts varies significantly from individual to individual. Children with below-average language skills are at risk for functional impairments in remote communication.
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26
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Seven Y, Ferron J, Goldstein H. Effects of Embedding Decontextualized Language Through Book-Sharing Delivered by Mothers and Fathers in Coparenting Environments. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:4062-4081. [PMID: 33201755 DOI: 10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This experiment investigated the effects of a book-sharing intervention implemented in coparenting homes on the conversations of preschoolers with their parents. Method A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used to evaluate the effects of embedding decontextualized language utterances during book-sharing delivered by four families. A visual analysis, a two-level mixed-effects model, and a social validity evaluation were used to examine the varying effects of the program on mothers and fathers' storybook conversations. Results Embedding decontextualized language prompts in books not only increased parental decontextualized language utterances, but most parents were able to maintain use of strategies without prompts in the books. The intervention effects were consistently higher for parents than for their children. Social validity results demonstrated parental satisfaction with program delivery and content. Conclusion This study adds to the limited literature on father-child and mother-child decontextualized conversations during book-sharing and illustrates a feasible and adaptable way of promoting language experiences in the home that yield engaging decontextualized conversations in meaningful book-reading contexts. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13210799.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagmur Seven
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - John Ferron
- Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Howard Goldstein
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa
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Wei R, Leech KA, Rowe ML. Decontextualized language use during Chinese and American caregiver-child interactions. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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28
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Mothers’ distancing language relates to young children’s math and literacy skills. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 196:104863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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29
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Shin SY, Leech KA, Rowe ML. Examining relations between parent-child narrative talk and children’s episodic foresight and theory of mind. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2020.100910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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30
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Volodina A, Weinert S. Comprehension of Connectives: Development Across Primary School Age and Influencing Factors. Front Psychol 2020; 11:814. [PMID: 32547436 PMCID: PMC7272772 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Language development is not completed when children enter primary school. As the comprehension of connectives (such as although, despite) is important for understanding and producing academic texts and, thus, relevant for school success, we investigated its development and influencing factors across primary school age on the basis of a newly developed and validated test instrument. Using a German sample of 627 students (n = 361 language minority learners) in primary school, results of growth curve models showed students' initial level of the comprehension of connectives to be negatively related to its growth rate. Additional analyses revealed this association to be mainly due to parental socioeconomic status (SES) rather than students' language background. In particular, parental SES and students' receptive grammar impacted initial level as well as growth rate of connective comprehension. Our results point to the necessity of a continuous and early sensitization for the register of academic language especially in the group of students from a low socioeconomic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Volodina
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences and Education, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
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31
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Orizaba L, Gorman BK, Fiestas CE, Bingham GE, Terry NP. Examination of Narrative Language at Microstructural and Macrostructural Levels in Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2020; 51:428-440. [PMID: 32097088 DOI: 10.1044/2019_lshss-19-00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine narrative language samples of Spanish-speaking preschoolers to analyze changes in microstructural and macrostructural skills in their first language (L1) from fall to spring, relationships between narrative and vocabulary skills in L1, and the extent to which fall skills predict spring performance. Method Participants included 40 Spanish-speaking children who were enrolled in community-based preschool programs. Narrative language retells from the fall and spring were examined, and microstructural and macrostructural components were analyzed using the Narrative Assessment Protocol-Spanish and the Narrative Scoring Scheme, respectively. Participants also completed an assessment of expressive vocabulary in Spanish. Results The results indicated different degrees of change in microstructural and macrostructural elements, change from fall to spring in some but not all elements measured, shifting patterns of association between L1 vocabulary and narrative skills, and variable prediction of spring scores. Conclusion Results from this study enhance professionals' understanding of Spanish-speaking preschoolers' narrative language skills in L1 and considerations for assessing and monitoring progress at different points in the academic year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Orizaba
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Elmhurst College, IL
| | - Brenda K Gorman
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Elmhurst College, IL
| | | | - Gary E Bingham
- Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta
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32
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Rowe ML, Snow CE. Analyzing input quality along three dimensions: interactive, linguistic, and conceptual. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2020; 47:5-21. [PMID: 31668157 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000919000655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the features of caregiver input that facilitate language learning across early childhood. We discuss three dimensions of input quality: interactive, linguistic, and conceptual. All three types of input features have been shown to predict children's language learning, though perhaps through somewhat different mechanisms. We argue that input best designed to promote language learning is interactionally supportive, linguistically adapted, and conceptually challenging for the child's age/level. Furthermore, input features interact across dimensions to promote learning. Some but not all qualities of input vary based on parent socioeconomic status, language, or culture, and contexts such as book-reading or pretend play generate uniquely facilitative input features. The review confirms that we know a great deal about the role of input quality in promoting children's development, but that there is much more to learn. Future research should examine input features across the boundaries of the dimensions distinguished here.
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Andersen SC, Christensen MV, Nielsen HS, Thomsen MK, Østerbye T, Rowe ML. How reading and writing support each other across a school year in primary school children. CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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34
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Brinchmann EI, Braeken J, Lyster SAH. Is there a direct relation between the development of vocabulary and grammar? Dev Sci 2018; 22:e12709. [PMID: 30124236 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies of individual differences have revealed strong correlations between children's vocabulary and grammatical abilities, and these data have been used to support theoretical accounts positing direct developmental relations between these two areas of language. However, between-person differences do not necessarily reflect intra-individual dynamics. Thus, in the present study, we analysed longitudinal data from three annual assessments of vocabulary and grammar in 217 children (Mage = 4 years and 3 months at first assessment) using a modelling strategy with some utility in distinguishing relations at the between- and within-person levels. The results revealed strong correlations between grammar and vocabulary at the between-person level, but the evidence of direct dependencies between the variables at the within-person level was rather limited. Specifically, we found a small direct contribution from grammar to vocabulary for children between the ages of 4 and 5, but there was no evidence of any direct contributions from vocabulary to grammar. Further analyses suggested that the home literacy environment may represent a common source of individual differences in children's vocabulary and grammatical skills. In light of these results, we argue that the evidence of direct relations between vocabulary and grammatical development in preschool-aged children may not be as strong as previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Braeken
- Centre for Educational Measurement, University of Oslo, Norway
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