The Relationship of Language and Behavior: Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

The study of the relationship between language function and behavior in children and adolescents with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) has been a growing enterprise over the past quarter of a century. In fact, for more than 25 years researchers have been fascinated with how delinquent behaviors interact with cognitive abilities. They have conducted research regarding the presence of language delays in children with behavioral or psychiatric disorders (Benner, Nelson, & Epstein, 2002) from within multiple fields including child psychiatry (Baker & Cantwell, 1987), special education (Griffith, Rogers-Adkinson, & Cusick, 1997), juvenile justice (Zabel & Nigro, 2001), and neuropsychology (Hooper & Brown, 2003). Across these various disciplines, the findings have been similar in that they document the co-occurrence of language difficulties and social-behavioral difficulties, with incidence rates varying from 40% to 80% (Brenner et al., 2002).Despite this emergent literature, however, there has been relatively little attention paid to how these findings should inform our work with different populations, what language functions might be predictive of various behavioral outcomes, and how to proceed with intervention efforts. This special issue of Behavioral Disorders was designed to address these questions. More specifically, this special issue was constructed to (a) increase our understanding of the importance of language abilities and associated issues as they relate to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical practice; (b) increase our knowledge of the growing research base in this area of interplay; and (c) increase research activities and subsequent dissemination of findings in this domain, particularly for special educators who work with children and adolescents with E/BD on a daily basis.The six articles in this issue address key issues in the study of language and behavior, including (a) definitional issues (Nelson, Brenner, & Rogers-Adkinson); (b) academic and social functioning (Nelson et al.; Rinaldi), (c) specific language processing features (Rogers-Adkinson); (d) the ability of early core language functions to predict later behavior (Hooper, Roberts, Zeisel, & Poe); (e) suggestions for specific intervention strategies (CaIIicott & Park); and (f) suggestions for prevention programs (Hyter). Most of these articles are evidence based and, taken together, span the entire school-age range. As a group, the articles should provide a wide range of professionals with contemporary findings that can be applied to their day-to-day practices in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of children and adolescents with E/BD.Definitional IssuesThe definitional issues inherent in this area of investigation are widespread and impact nearly every study, spreading across the concepts of both E/BD and language functioning. For both areas, clear operational definitions should provide the field with a better understanding of the relationship between language and behavior. Many of the articles included in this issue address this problem directly. For example, the study by Nelson and colleagues examines a variety of findings associated with a specific definition of children with language impairments. Hooper and colleagues provide a separate definitional overlay on their population, while the articles by Rinaldi and Rogers-Adkinson examine specific types of language function and dysfunction.Features and CharacteristicsIt has been suggested that learning and behavior disorders are a greater manifestation of poor teaching than they are of internal biological processes (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). As suggested by Hooper and colleagues (this issue) and Rogers-Adkinson (this issue), we need a better understanding of the relationship of language and behavior to address this suggestion directly. The articles in this special issue provide additional data to support the notion that poor teaching is not the sole culprit in the manifestation of behavioral and emotional problems in children. …