Preschoolers with language disorders: 10 years later

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Child Language Disorders
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Early language disorders in preschoolers can have lasting impacts.
• Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
• Identifying predictors of long-term outcomes is essential for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term academic, intellectual, and behavioral outcomes of adolescents with a history of preschool language disorders.
• To identify early predictors of adolescent outcomes in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 20 adolescents, previously studied as preschoolers with language disorders, was reassessed.
• Measures included intelligence (WISC-R IQ), academic achievement, and parental ratings of behavioral adjustment.
• Preschool assessments, including the Leiter and NSST: Expressive subtest, were analyzed as predictors.

Main Results:

• 20% of adolescents had intellectual deficits (WISC-R IQ) and were in EMR classrooms.
• 69% of the remaining participants required special education services (tutoring, grade retention, LD placement).
• Persistent language and academic deficits, along with social and behavioral problems, were common in non-EMR subjects. The Leiter scale was the strongest predictor of adolescent outcomes, followed by the NSST: Expressive subtest.

Conclusions:

• Preschool language disorders are associated with significant and persistent challenges into adolescence.
• Early identification and intervention are critical.
• The Leiter scale shows promise as an early predictor of long-term outcomes for children with language impairments.