Training Complements for Belief Reasoning in Developmental Language Disorder
Stephanie Durrleman1, Hélène Delage1
1University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Summary
Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) improved false belief reasoning and language skills after training on sentential complements. These gains were maintained long-term, suggesting a promising therapeutic approach for DLD.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) often struggle with Theory of Mind (ToM) skills, specifically false belief (FB) reasoning.
- Mastery of linguistic structures like sentential complements is crucial for FB reasoning and presents a challenge for children with DLD.
- Previous research demonstrated that training typically developing children on complements enhances both complement use and FB skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of a novel training program targeting sentential complements in children with DLD.
- To assess whether complement training can improve FB reasoning in children with DLD.
- To evaluate the long-term effects of this training on both complementation and FB skills.
Main Methods:
- A training program using iPad applications focused on complementation with verbs of communication was administered to 30 children with DLD and 20 typically developing (TD) children.
- Participants engaged in 8-12 sessions of 30-minute training.
- Pretests, immediate posttests, and follow-up posttests (4-6 weeks later) were conducted to assess complementation and FB scores.
Main Results:
- Both DLD and TD groups showed significant improvements in complementation and FB scores post-training.
- The performance gains were sustained at follow-up, indicating lasting benefits of the training.
- This suggests that complement training is effective for enhancing both linguistic and cognitive skills in children with DLD.
Conclusions:
- Training on sentential complements offers a dual benefit for children with DLD, improving both linguistic structures and Theory of Mind abilities.
- This research provides evidence for incorporating complement-focused interventions into therapeutic strategies for children with DLD.
- The findings highlight a potential pathway for enhancing cognitive and linguistic development in this population.
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