Effects of language sampling context on complex syntax production of deaf and hard of hearing children

This study is designed to analyse the degree to which young deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children produce complex syntax in spoken English across different language sampling contexts. Forty-six DHH children aged 3 to 8 years completed narrative, conversation, and play language samples with an examiner. We coded the transcribed language samples for two precursors to complex syntax and 12 types of complex syntax. These 14 types formed six categories. For overall complex syntax production, participants produced complex syntax more densely at the utterance level in the conversation context than the play context. The complex syntax category analyses revealed differences in the proportion of multiple complex syntax categories in the conversation context relative to the narrative and play contexts. Complex syntax production varied systematically across sampling contexts. Therefore, sampling context should be considered when eliciting and interpreting complex syntax production in DHH children.