[Parental evaluation of behavioral problems in children with developmental language disorder]

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Language Disorders
• Child Psychiatry

Background:

• Developmental language disorder (DLD) is associated with communication difficulties.
• Children with DLD may exhibit social withdrawal or oppositional behaviors.
• Limited research exists on behavioral problems in preschool-aged children with DLD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate behavioral problems in preschool children (4-5 years) with DLD.
• To compare behavioral issues in children with DLD versus typically developing peers.
• To examine parental perception of behavioral problems in children with DLD.

Main Methods:

• Study included 30 children with DLD and 40 controls, matched for nonverbal IQ and socioeconomic status.
• Language proficiency was assessed for all children.
• The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to identify behavioral problems.

Main Results:

• Children with DLD exhibited significantly more severe behavioral problems across multiple scales compared to controls.
• Children with DLD frequently reached clinical T-scores (≥64) on problem scales.
• Parental perception of their child's behavior did not significantly differ between the DLD and control groups.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral problems are present in preschool-aged children with DLD.
• Specific issues include social problems, attention deficits, and internalizing disorders.
• Early identification and intervention for behavioral issues in DLD are warranted.