Participation and Experiences in Extracurricular Activities for Children With Developmental Language Disorder and...

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Developmental Psychology
• Speech and Language Therapy

Background:

• Children with developmental disabilities often have limited participation in organised extracurricular social activities (OESAs).
• Research on developmental language disorder (DLD) has primarily focused on academic challenges, not social participation.
• Existing research often assumes participation barriers dominate for children with disabilities, overlooking facilitators and positive contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare participation and experiences in OESAs for children with DLD versus typically language developing (TLD) peers.
• To investigate factors influencing participation and disengagement in OESAs for children with DLD.

Main Methods:

• Parents of children with DLD (n=18) and TLD peers (n=21) were surveyed.
• The survey focused on children's participation levels, duration, and experiences in OESAs.
• Parents reported on facilitators and barriers to participation, including child abilities and environmental factors.

Main Results:

• Children with DLD engaged in a similar number and duration of OESAs compared to TLD peers.
• Parents of children with DLD reported comparable positive experiences and facilitators in OESAs.
• Ability-related factors (communication, motor, social skills) were more influential when children with DLD disengaged from OESAs.

Conclusions:

• Children with DLD participate in OESAs at rates comparable to TLD peers, with generally positive experiences.
• Fostering accessible and supportive OESA environments is vital for children with DLD's meaningful participation.
• Clinicians and educators should promote OESA participation while addressing subtle ability-related challenges for sustained engagement.