Zhou Zhaowen, Deng Cheng, Yin Dongling, Yang Qiaoxue, Chen Zhuoming
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou, 510630, China, 86 13392692183.
Department of Children's Health Care, Zhongshan Torch Development Zone People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2025 May 23;13:e59992. doi: 10.2196/59992.
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders. Effective intervention is primarily important for improving the language and communication skills of children with DLD, and strengthening these skills ensures quality of life and prevents negative effects in adulthood. Digital interventions have the potential to complement conventional language intervention, reducing the workload for therapists and increasing accessibility to language training in homes or schools.
This systematic review aimed to explore the language domain that is most frequently targeted by digital intervention in children with DLD.
The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) and was ascribed the CRD42023477946 registration code. The initial search was conducted on May 2023 from 4 databases: "PubMed," "Scopus," "PsycInfo," and "IEEE Xplore," following a method adapted from PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Inclusion criteria include studies recruiting patients diagnosed with DLD; studies that reported digital interventions based on apps, video games, augmented reality, or any other type of software based on language outcomes; and English language studies. Reviews, letters, conference proceedings, abstracts, editorials, and studies not published in English were removed. The titles and abstracts of the identified records were initially screened and selected by 2 independent and blinded reviewers. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed by 3 independent reviewers.
Overall, 13 studies were included; 961 children with DLD underwent a digital intervention. The mean age ranged from 3.47 (SD 0.17) to 11.19 (SD 1.12) years. A total of 8 were randomized controlled trials, and 5 were quasi-experimental studies. Targeting domains of digital intervention were phonological skills (n=5), general language function (n=3), grammar (n=3), and vocabulary (n=2).
This systematic review indicates that phonological skills are the most frequently targeted language domain by digital interventions in children with DLD. Given the limited number and the heterogeneity of the studies included, it is still unclear whether digital intervention was effective in improving different language skills in children with DLD. There was less evidence supporting its effectiveness in expressive language skills, which indicates a need to update expressive language digital training programs in the future. Further higher-level evidence, such as randomized controlled trial studies in this area, is needed to direct the development of digital programs.
发育性语言障碍（DLD）是最常见的神经发育障碍之一。有效的干预对于提高DLD儿童的语言和沟通能力至关重要，强化这些技能可确保生活质量并预防成年期的负面影响。数字干预有可能补充传统语言干预，减轻治疗师的工作量，并增加在家中或学校接受语言训练的机会。
本系统评价旨在探讨数字干预在DLD儿童中最常针对的语言领域。
该研究方案已在国际前瞻性系统评价注册库（PROSPERO）中注册，并被赋予CRD42023477946注册代码。最初的检索于2023年5月在4个数据库中进行：“PubMed”、“Scopus”、“PsycInfo”和“IEEE Xplore”，遵循改编自PRISMA（系统评价和Meta分析的首选报告项目）的方法。纳入标准包括招募被诊断为DLD的患者的研究；报告基于应用程序、视频游戏、增强现实或任何其他基于语言结果的软件的数字干预的研究；以及英语语言研究。综述、信件、会议论文集、摘要、社论以及非英文发表的研究均被排除。最初由2名独立且盲法的评审员对识别出的记录的标题和摘要进行筛选和选择。数据提取和质量评估由3名独立评审员进行。
总体而言，纳入了13项研究；961名DLD儿童接受了数字干预。平均年龄范围为3.47（标准差0.17）至11.19（标准差1.12）岁。共有8项随机对照试验和5项准实验研究。数字干预的目标领域为语音技能（n = 5）、一般语言功能（n = 3）、语法（n = 3）和词汇（n = 2）。
本系统评价表明，语音技能是数字干预在DLD儿童中最常针对的语言领域。鉴于纳入研究的数量有限且存在异质性，目前尚不清楚数字干预是否能有效提高DLD儿童的不同语言技能。支持其在表达性语言技能方面有效性的证据较少，这表明未来需要更新表达性语言数字训练项目。需要进一步的高级别证据，如该领域的随机对照试验研究，来指导数字项目的开发。
