Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom.
Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
PLoS One. 2019 Sep 5;14(9):e0221242. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221242. eCollection 2019.
Children and adolescents with delayed or disordered language development are at increased risk of a number of negative outcomes, including social and emotional problems and mental health difficulties. Yet, in low- and middle- income countries, where risk factors for compromised language development are known to be prevalent, there is a lack of research on the association between child and adolescent language ability and mental health outcomes. This study evaluates data from a cross-sectional study in Khayelitsha, a semi-urban impoverished community near Cape Town, South Africa. To measure language ability, behaviour and mental health, adolescents aged 13 (n = 200) were assessed using the Riddles subtest of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children Version 2, the parent report Child Behaviour Checklist, and the self-report Moods and Feelings Questionnaire and the Self-Esteem Questionnaire. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to determine associations between language skills, self-esteem and mental health in this group of adolescents. Poor language ability was related to a range of concurrent adverse difficulties, such as attention deficits, self-esteem problems, social withdrawal, and depressive symptoms. Increased levels of language ability were related to better psychosocial profiles. In some cases, only individuals with a low level of language (bottom 10% of sample) were at increased risk of maladaptive outcomes. This study replicates the well-established relationship between language ability and poorer mental health found within high income countries in an upper middle-income country setting. Locally accessible support for children with reduced language ability is required, given the longer-term consequences of poorer mental health.
儿童和青少年语言发育迟缓或障碍会增加出现一系列不良后果的风险，包括社会和情感问题以及心理健康问题。然而，在中低收入国家，已知存在许多导致语言发育受损的风险因素，但对于儿童和青少年语言能力与心理健康结果之间的关联，这些国家缺乏相关研究。本研究评估了来自南非开普敦附近半城市贫困社区——卡耶利沙的一项横断面研究的数据。为了衡量语言能力、行为和心理健康，我们使用 Kaufman 儿童评估成套测验第二版的谜语测验对 13 岁的青少年（n=200）进行了评估，采用家长报告的儿童行为检查表和青少年自评的心境和情感问卷及自尊问卷。我们进行了单变量和多变量分析，以确定这组青少年的语言技能、自尊和心理健康之间的关联。语言能力差与一系列同时存在的不良困难有关，例如注意力缺陷、自尊问题、社会退缩和抑郁症状。语言能力的提高与更好的社会心理特征有关。在某些情况下，只有语言能力较低（样本中排名后 10%）的个体才会面临适应不良结果的风险增加。本研究在中上收入国家背景下复制了高收入国家中已经确立的语言能力与较差心理健康之间的关系。鉴于较差心理健康的长期后果，需要为语言能力较弱的儿童提供当地可获得的支持。
