Pragmatic Language Use and Parent-Child Interaction Among Children at Risk for Developmental Language Disorder and...

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Linguistics
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Pragmatic language skills are crucial for social communication and develop rapidly in early childhood, closely linked to parent-child interactions.
• Children at risk for developmental language disorder (DLD) often display early challenges in pragmatic language, social interaction, and social-emotional development.
• While parent-child interaction is vital for language outcomes, research simultaneously examining pragmatic language and interaction in young children at risk for DLD, especially in Turkey, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare pragmatic language use and parent-child interaction behaviors in Turkish children at risk for DLD versus typically developing children.
• To investigate the relationships between pragmatic language, child interaction behaviors, and parent interaction styles in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 54 children (24-48 months) and their parents (27 at risk for DLD, 27 typically developing).
• Pragmatic language assessed via the Language Use Inventory-Turkish (LUI-Turkish).
• Parent-child interaction observed during free play using the Maternal Behaviour Rating Scale (MBRS) and Child Behaviour Rating Scale (CBRS).

Main Results:

• Children at risk for DLD showed significantly lower pragmatic language use (verbal communication, word use, sentence production) compared to typically developing peers.
• Parents of children at risk for DLD exhibited more directive behaviors, while typically developing children had more responsive and emotionally expressive parents.
• Typically developing children demonstrated better attention and initiation skills in interaction, with significant positive associations found between pragmatic language, child interaction, and parental responsiveness.

Conclusions:

• Pragmatic language deficits in children at risk for DLD are strongly associated with specific parental interaction styles and child interaction behaviors.
• Early identification and intervention for DLD should adopt a holistic approach, integrating assessment of pragmatic language, parental behaviors, and child interaction skills.
• Family-centered, interaction-based interventions targeting both child communication and parental strategies are recommended for early intervention programs.