Armstrong Rebecca, Arnott Wendy, Copland David A, McMahon Katie, Khan Asaduzzaman, Najman Jake M, Scott James G
The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
The University of Queensland, Centre for Clinical Research, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD, Australia.
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2017 Sep;52(5):561-572. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12301. Epub 2016 Dec 29.
Population-based studies have found that early language delays are associated with poorer long-term outcomes in adolescence and adulthood. Few studies have explored the influence of change in language ability over time on adult outcomes.
To examine the educational, vocational and mental health outcomes for adults accounting for different vocabulary developmental profiles over a 16-year period.
METHODS & PROCEDURES: A total of 1914 participants of the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) were categorized into four groups based on their vocabulary skills at 5 and 21 years: (1) persistently good (n = 1679), (2) persistently poor (n = 33), (3) improved (n = 160), and (4) deteriorated (n = 42). The associations between vocabulary group and educational, vocational, and mental health outcomes at 21 years were investigated.
OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Adults with deteriorated and persistently poor vocabulary skills were less likely to have completed secondary school; with the improved, deteriorated and persistently poor groups being less likely to be engaged in education, employment or training at the 21-year follow-up, compared with the persistently good group. Adults with deteriorated performance were at an increased risk of affective disorders, as well as substance and alcohol abuse/misuse.
CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide evidence that impaired vocabulary skills in adulthood, regardless of whether the deficit was acquired early or later, are associated with adverse outcomes. Clinicians and educators need to be aware of these adversities and ensure they are supporting children and adolescents in whom language difficulties exist or emerge so as to prevent poor long-term outcomes from occurring.
基于人群的研究发现，早期语言发育迟缓与青少年及成年期较差的长期结局相关。很少有研究探讨语言能力随时间的变化对成人结局的影响。
研究在16年期间，考虑到不同的词汇发展概况，成人的教育、职业和心理健康结局。
昆士兰大学母胎研究（MUSP）的1914名参与者根据其5岁和21岁时的词汇技能被分为四组：（1）一直良好组（n = 1679），（2）一直较差组（n = 33），（3）改善组（n = 160），以及（4）恶化组（n = 42）。研究了词汇组与21岁时教育、职业和心理健康结局之间的关联。
词汇技能恶化和一直较差的成年人完成中学学业的可能性较小；与一直良好组相比，在21年随访时，改善组、恶化组和一直较差组参与教育、就业或培训的可能性较小。表现恶化的成年人患情感障碍以及药物和酒精滥用/误用的风险增加。
这些发现提供了证据，表明成年期词汇技能受损，无论缺陷是早期还是后期获得的，都与不良结局相关。临床医生和教育工作者需要意识到这些不利因素，并确保他们为存在或出现语言困难的儿童和青少年提供支持，以防止出现不良的长期结局。
