Language functioning of residents in family homeless shelters

The number of individuals who are homeless is rising, particularly among families (typically mothers) with preschool children. This study examined the speech-language abilities of 25 mothers and their preschool children residing in urban homeless shelters. Results of standardized testing revealed that the majority of the mothers and their preschool children presented with overall language deficits or delays which were present in at least 1 of 4 language modalities: auditory comprehension, verbal expression, reading, and writing. Clinical and research implications of these results for both the mothers and their children are discussed.