Lount Sarah A, Purdy Suzanne C, Hand Linda
The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2017 Jan 1;60(1):121-135. doi: 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-L-15-0131.
International evidence suggests youth offenders have greater difficulties with oral language than their nonoffending peers. This study examined the hearing, auditory processing, and language skills of male youth offenders and remandees (YORs) in New Zealand.
Thirty-three male YORs, aged 14-17 years, were recruited from 2 youth justice residences, plus 39 similarly aged male students from local schools for comparison. Testing comprised tympanometry, self-reported hearing, pure-tone audiometry, 4 auditory processing tests, 2 standardized language tests, and a nonverbal intelligence test.
Twenty-one (64%) of the YORs were identified as language impaired (LI), compared with 4 (10%) of the controls. Performance on all language measures was significantly worse in the YOR group, as were their hearing thresholds. Nine (27%) of the YOR group versus 7 (18%) of the control group fulfilled criteria for auditory processing disorder. Only 1 YOR versus 5 controls had an auditory processing disorder without LI.
Language was an area of significant difficulty for YORs. Difficulties with auditory processing were more likely to be accompanied by LI in this group, compared with the controls. Provision of speech-language therapy services and awareness of auditory and language difficulties should be addressed in youth justice systems.
国际证据表明，青少年罪犯在口语方面比非犯罪同龄人面临更大困难。本研究调查了新西兰男性青少年罪犯和被拘留者（YORs）的听力、听觉处理和语言技能。
从2个青少年司法住所招募了33名年龄在14 - 17岁的男性YORs，并从当地学校招募了39名年龄相仿的男性学生作为对照。测试包括鼓室图、自我报告听力、纯音听力测定、4项听觉处理测试、2项标准化语言测试和一项非语言智力测试。
YORs中有21人（64%）被认定为语言障碍（LI），而对照组为4人（10%）。YOR组在所有语言测试中的表现明显更差，他们的听力阈值也是如此。YOR组中有9人（27%）符合听觉处理障碍标准，而对照组为7人（18%）。只有1名YOR与5名对照组有听觉处理障碍但无LI。
语言是YORs面临显著困难的领域。与对照组相比，该组中听觉处理困难更有可能伴有LI。青少年司法系统应提供言语治疗服务，并提高对听觉和语言困难的认识。
