Beyond the Here and Now: Decontextualized Language Use in Conversations Between Preservice Speech-Language
Laura Xiaoqian Guo1, Amy E Pace2
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu.
Summary
Preschoolers with developmental language disorder (DLD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) both use decontextualized talk in play-based conversations. Speech-language pathologists can use these findings to support language development in children with DLD and ASD.
Area of Science:
- Speech-language pathology
- Developmental psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Children transition from "here and now" to "there and then" language around preschool age.
- Understanding decontextualized talk in children with developmental disorders is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate decontextualized talk in preschoolers with DLD and ASD.
- To analyze play-based conversations between preservice speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and children with DLD and ASD.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed video-recorded play-based conversations between preservice SLPs and children with DLD (n=9) and ASD (n=7).
- Measured dyadic interaction patterns (conversation turns, turn-taking, decontextualized turns) and language complexity (MLU, NDW).
- Assessed preservice SLPs' language facilitation techniques.
Main Results:
- Both DLD and ASD groups engaged in decontextualized talk (narratives, explanations).
- Children's language measures correlated with decontextualized talk and conversation turns, with no significant group differences observed.
- Preservice SLPs provided equivalent linguistic input and used comparable facilitation techniques across groups. Repetition by SLPs positively correlated with child language outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Play-based interactions reveal similar decontextualized talk abilities in children with DLD and ASD.
- Clinicians can leverage decontextualized talk strategies in interventions for children with DLD and ASD.
- Future research should explore structured activities to enhance decontextualized talk and language outcomes.
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