Hao Bo, Liang Wei-lan, Wang Shuang, Ji Cheng-ye, Zhang Zhi-xiang, Zuo Qi-hua, Tardif T, Fletcher P
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Fist Hospital, Beijing University, Beijing 100034, China.
Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi. 2004 Dec;42(12):908-12.
Many researchers have conducted studies on child language development and relevant risk factors, but most of these studies were about English-speaking children and few of them were on Chinese-speaking children, and less reports of studies on language development of infants or toddlers are available as compared to those on children above 3 years of age. The objective of this study was to assess the level of vocabulary development of healthy toddlers in urban Beijing and to investigate toddlers' physical and psychological development and socioeconomic status of toddlers' family so as to identify factors related to toddlers' language development and provide basis for instructing parents child-rearing.
This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. Using Chinese Communicative Development Inventory mandarin version, (CCDI) and related background questionnaire, a survey was conducted among the parents or care givers of 1056 healthy toddlers (16 approximately 30 months), randomly stratified and selected from two areas of four urban districts in Beijing. The children who were born prematurely, who had low birth weight, or who were deaf, dumb or with disability, were excluded from this study. The mothers who were deaf, dumb or having disability were not included in this study, either. Rank sum test was used to compare the vocabulary scores between boys and girls at the same age. Single and multiple factors analysis were used to find related factors.
By 16 months of age, boys could speak about 22 words and girls 84 words on the CCDI. By 29 - 30 months of age, boys could speak about 725 words and girls 752 words on the CCDI. The level of vocabulary development of healthy toddlers in urban Beijing was higher than that reported in previous studies of English-speaking children. Girls had higher vocabulary scores than boys in a few different age groups. Single factor analysis showed that the ages of father and mother, income of father, the language used by care-givers and GDP of the families were factors related to families of toddlers and the age, gender, height, weight and the age at which the toddlers began to speak were factors related to individuals. Multiple factors analysis showed that higher education level of mothers, younger father, earlier beginning of children to speak, toddlers' amiable disposition and emotion, girls, toddlers' age and height positively correlated with toddlers' vocabulary score.
The level of vocabulary development of healthy toddlers in urban Beijing is on the high side. Certain individual and familial factors may influence toddlers' language development. It is suggested that health workers should pay attention to the toddlers' language development. The toddlers' parents and caregivers should be taught how to interact with and talk to their children and how to promote children to develop healthy disposition and emotion.
许多研究者对儿童语言发展及相关危险因素进行了研究，但这些研究大多针对说英语的儿童，针对说中文儿童的研究较少，且与3岁以上儿童的语言发展研究相比，婴幼儿语言发展的研究报道更少。本研究旨在评估北京城区健康幼儿的词汇发展水平，调查幼儿的身心发育情况及幼儿家庭的社会经济状况，以确定与幼儿语言发展相关的因素，为指导家长育儿提供依据。
这是一项定量横断面研究。采用中文版汉语沟通发展量表（CCDI）及相关背景问卷，对从北京四个城区的两个区域随机分层抽取的1056名健康幼儿（年龄约16至30个月）的家长或照料者进行调查。本研究排除了早产、低出生体重或失聪、聋哑、残疾儿童。聋哑或有残疾的母亲也不纳入本研究。采用秩和检验比较同年龄男孩和女孩的词汇得分。采用单因素和多因素分析寻找相关因素。
在CCDI上，16个月大时，男孩能说出约22个单词，女孩能说出84个单词。在29至30个月大时，男孩能说出约725个单词，女孩能说出752个单词。北京城区健康幼儿的词汇发展水平高于以往对说英语儿童的研究报道。在几个不同年龄组中，女孩的词汇得分高于男孩。单因素分析表明，父母年龄、父亲收入、照料者使用的语言和家庭国内生产总值是与幼儿家庭相关的因素，年龄、性别、身高、体重和幼儿开始说话的年龄是与个体相关的因素。多因素分析表明，母亲的高学历、父亲年龄较小、儿童较早开始说话、幼儿性格和蔼且情绪良好、女孩性别、幼儿年龄和身高与幼儿词汇得分呈正相关。
北京城区健康幼儿的词汇发展水平偏高。某些个体和家庭因素可能影响幼儿的语言发展。建议卫生工作者关注幼儿的语言发展。应教导幼儿的父母和照料者如何与孩子互动和交谈，以及如何促进孩子养成健康的性格和情绪。
