Language skills in low-SES rural Appalachian children: normative development and individual differences, infancy to preschool

Abstract

This longitudinal study compared low-socioeconomic status (SES) rural Appalachian children with normative populations on standardized measures of language skills. At 15 months, language skills were similar to those of normative populations, but at 4 years and prior to kindergarten entry, a majority of children had low language skills. Within-group individual differences were predicted by contextual, child, and maternal interaction variables, with more variance accounted for at the preschool assessments than in infancy. Maternal interaction, child temperament, infant language skills, and number of books discriminated children with higher language scores at 4 years. Entering kindergarten, children with higher language scores were distinguished by higher infant and 4-year language skills, more books, and greater likelihood of secure infant attachment.