Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø.
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2023 Aug 3;66(8):2821-2830. doi: 10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00066. Epub 2023 Jul 7.
This study compares the home language environments of children with (a suspicion of) developmental language disorder (DLD) with that of children with typical development (TD). It does so by adopting new technology that automatically provides metrics about children's language environment (Language ENvironment Analysis [LENA]). In addition, relationships between LENA metrics and standardized language tests are explored in the DLD group.
Ninety-nine 2- to 4-year-old toddlers participated: 59 with (a suspicion of) DLD and 40 with TD. LENA metrics on adult word count, conversational turn count, and child vocalization count were obtained. For all children, data on parental education and multilingualism were available. In the DLD group, data were collected on receptive and expressive vocabulary and grammar, and on nonverbal intelligence, using standardized tests.
We found lower adult word count, conversational turn count, and child vocalization count in the DLD group, independent of multilingualism but not of parental education. In the DLD group, receptive vocabulary was related to conversational turn count and child vocalization count, but not to adult word count. Expressive vocabulary, receptive grammar, and expressive grammar were not related to LENA metrics.
Toddlers with (a suspicion of) DLD vocalize less at home than children with TD. They also hear fewer adult words and experience fewer conversational turns. Children with DLD's language outcomes are to a limited extent related to language environment at home. Conversational turns and child vocalizations are in this respect more important than adult words, in line with findings for TD populations.
本研究通过采用新技术（自动提供儿童语言环境指标的语言环境分析 [LENA]），比较了有（疑似）发育性语言障碍（DLD）儿童和有典型发育（TD）儿童的家庭语言环境。此外，还探讨了 DLD 组中 LENA 指标与标准化语言测试之间的关系。
共有 99 名 2 至 4 岁的幼儿参与了本研究：59 名有（疑似）DLD，40 名有 TD。获取了成人单词计数、对话轮次计数和儿童发声计数的 LENA 指标。所有儿童的数据均有父母教育和多语言使用情况。在 DLD 组中，使用标准化测试收集了接受性词汇和语法、表达性词汇和语法以及非言语智力的数据。
我们发现 DLD 组的成人单词计数、对话轮次计数和儿童发声计数较低，与多语言使用情况无关，但与父母教育无关。在 DLD 组中，接受性词汇与对话轮次计数和儿童发声计数相关，但与成人单词计数无关。表达性词汇、接受性语法和表达性语法与 LENA 指标均无关。
有（疑似）DLD 的幼儿在家中发声较少，比有 TD 的儿童少。他们听到的成人单词也较少，对话轮次也较少。DLD 儿童的语言结果在一定程度上与家庭语言环境有关。在这方面，对话轮次和儿童发声比成人单词更重要，这与 TD 人群的发现一致。
