Trajectories of prosociality from early to middle childhood in children at risk of Developmental Language Disorder

Umar Toseeb,Michelle C. St Clair

doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.105984

Umar Toseeb, Michelle C. St Clair

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcomdis.2020.105984

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Abstract

Longitudinal research into the development of prosociality during childhood contributes to our understanding of individual differences in social and emotional outcomes. There is a dearth of literature on the development of prosociality in children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Data from the UK based Millennium Cohort Study was used to investigate prosociality from age 5 to 11 years in 738 children at risk of Developmental Language Disorder (r-DLD) and 12,972 children in a general population (GP) comparison group. Multilevel mixed effects regression models were run to investigate the mean change in prosociality and latent class growth analysis was used to identify heterogeneous groups of children who shared similar patterns of development. Overall, children at risk of DLD were less prosocial at age 5 and, although they did become more prosocial by the age of 11, they did not reach the same levels of prosociality as those in the GP group. Subsequent sub group analysis revealed four distinct developmental trajectories: stable high (19 %), stable slightly low (36 %), decreasing to slightly low (5 %), and increasing to high (40 %). Children at risk of DLD were less likely than those in the GP group to be in the stable high class and more likely to be in the stable slightly low class. For children at risk of DLD, being prosocial was protective against concurrent social and emotional difficulties. But being prosocial in early childhood was not protective against later social and emotional difficulties nor did the absence of prosociality in early childhood make social and emotional difficulties in middle childhood inevitable. Rather, the presence of prosociality in middle childhood was the key protective factor, regardless of prosociality in early childhood. Prosociality is not a key area of concern for children at risk of DLD. Instead, it is an area of relative strength, which can be nurtured to mitigate social and emotional difficulties in children at risk of DLD, particularly in middle childhood.

Highlights

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects approximately 5–7 % of children (Norbury et al, 2016; Tomblin et al, 1997)
DLD is defined by persistent difficulties with oral language, relative to other children the same age, children with DLD often experience difficulties in other areas of Abbreviations: r-DLD, risk of Developmental Language Disorder; GP, general population; MCS, Millennium Cohort Study; SDQ, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Our study demonstrates that children at risk of DLD are less prosocial in early childhood and, they do become more prosocial, they do not reach the same levels of prosociality in middle childhood as their unaffected peers, but rather improve their prosocial skills at the same rate, effectively maintaining their deficit across time

Summary

Introduction

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects approximately 5–7 % of children (Norbury et al, 2016; Tomblin et al, 1997). In further contrast to the previous two studies, Nantel-Vivier, Pihl, Cote, and Tremblay (2014) reported increases in prosociality during childhood They followed a group of over 10,000 children over a longer period of time, from age 2 to 11 years, and measured a number of different prosocial behaviours. Three distinct developmental trajectories were identified: low, moderate, and high – each of which increased over the 9 year study period. These findings demonstrate that the evidence to date is mixed at best, with studies reporting an increase, decrease, and no change in prosociality during childhood.

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