Expressive Vocabulary Test Research Articles

The Effect of Age of First Exposure on Vocabulary, Mean Length of Utterance, Morphosyntactic Accuracy, and Semantic and Sentence-Level Patterns in the First 2 Years of French Second-Language Learning by Preschool- to Adolescent-Age Mandarin Speakers.

Bilingual assessment is particularly difficult in the very first period of children's second language (L2) exposure. This exploratory, longitudinal study examined L2 learning after 1 and 2 years of L2 exposure by young immigrants and how it is affected by their age at first exposure to the L2 (AoE). Participants were 18 immigrants ranging in age from 2;11 to 14;2 (years;months), all within their first year in Montreal at Time 1, enrolled in a French school or day care, and from a Mandarin first language background. Participants were tested again a year later. Measures included receptive and expressive French vocabulary tests and conversational language samples analyzed using traditional measures of mean length of utterance (MLU) and morphological accuracy as well as novel measures of semantic and sentence-level patterns. Performance was relatively high already at Time 1 and increased significantly at Time 2 in both vocabulary and MLU. At Time 2, vocabulary scores were below normative values, whereas MLU was within expected values relative to monolingual and simultaneous bilinguals for the majority of the participants. However, higher MLUs were accompanied by more instances of both semantic errors and creative semantic strategies. French performance was strongly related to AoE; with amount of exposure equivalent, older participants outperformed the younger ones on MLU and vocabulary. Semantic errors and creative uses were strongly predicted by AoE; however, morphological accuracy and number of agrammatical utterances were not. This initial period of French learning involved a rapid growth spurt for most of the participants. We argue that the pattern observed, particularly among the older children, constitutes an early stage of L2 learning characterized by long utterances that are also frequently hard to understand as speakers encounter challenges and use creative strategies in their attempt to convey meaning. Comparison with normative reference bases for monolinguals and bilinguals with greater cumulative L2 exposure who have similar MLUs should be done with much caution during this early period.

Autologous umbilical cord blood infusion for the treatment of autism in young children: A within-subjects open label study on safety (assessed via caregiver report) and efficacy.

This study aimed to document the safety and efficacy of a single infusion of autologous umbilical cord blood (UCB) in 20 autistic children aged 24-72 months. A pre-post treatment within-subjects open label design was used. At T = 0, 6, 12, and 18 months, participants underwent detailed and structured safety evaluations (via caregiver report), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (Vineland-3), Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale (SB-5), Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test, Brief Observation of Social Communication Change (BOSCC), Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Behavior Inventory, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised, Sensory Experience Questionnaire (SEQ-2.1), Child Behavior Checklist, Clinical Global Impression-Severity and Improvement (CGI-I) Scales, and eye-gaze tracking. UCB infusion was conducted at T = 6 months, hence, 0-6 months was the control period, and 6-18 months the follow-up period. Of 20 children recruited, 19 completed the study and 1 was withdrawn due to UCB not meeting quality control criteria for infusion. There were 15 males and 4 females with an overall mean (SD) age of 4.15 (0.62) years. Mean (SD) cell dose administered was 38.16 (9.82) million cells/kg. None suffered serious adverse events although there were mild behavioral side effects and one unit grew coagulase negative staphylococcus from a post-thaw sample. There were no significant differences in Vineland-3, SB-5, BOSCC, and SEQ-2.1 scores at T = 12 and T = 18 months. Twelve participants had T = 18 CGI-I scores of 2-3 (minimally to much improved), seven participants had scores of 4 (no change). Autologous UCB infusion in autistic children is generally safe but not without risks, including that of infection. In this within-subjects study, some children showed global symptom improvements while others showed no change. Stem cell therapies for autism should only be conducted under strict clinical trial conditions with clear risk discussions.

Phonological Memory in 5 to 6 Year-Old Korean Children

Objectives: Phonological memory plays a crucial role in speech and language development, especially in the stages when children learn new vocabulary. This study aims to investigate phonological memory using three different tasks believed to tap into phonological memory in 5 to 6 year-old Korean children, and examine the relationships among the three tasks and between phonological memory and vocabulary skills. Methods: Forty-two typically developing Korean children aged 5-6 years completed nonword repetition (NWR), sentence repetition (SRT), and picture pointing tasks, as well as the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT). Children’s correct responses were analyzed from each memory task and compared to examine whether the two age groups show different performances. Children’s responses from SRT were examined by two scoring systems including or excluding articulation errors and their error responses in SRT were analyzed in detail. Results: Significantly higher correct response ratios were observed in 6-year-olds compared to 5-year-olds in the three phonological memory tasks, excluding correct item ratios of SRT. The results from error analysis of SRT showed that 5-year-olds had a significantly higher number of additions, particularly additions of grammatical morphemes. The three phonological memory tasks showed significant correlations with each other. Also, receptive and expressive vocabularies exhibited significant correlations with the three phonological memory tasks. Conclusion: The study indicated active development of phonological memory between ages 5 and 6. We addressed the components in the speech processing model that the three phonological memory tasks tapped into, and discussed their relationship with vocabulary.

The interplay of lexical and grammatical development in Greek-Albanian bilingual children: evidence from the majority and the heritage language

ABSTRACT The present paper aims to investigate the interplay of lexical and grammatical development in school-aged Greek-Albanian bilingual children by providing evidence both from majority, Greek, and heritage, Albanian. To this end, 47 8 to 10-year-old bilingual children were tested by means of expressive vocabulary tests in Greek and in Albanian, while their grammatical skills were evaluated by means of the LITMUS Sentence Repetition Task administered in both languages. Additionally, input-related measures in both languages, such as oral language practices, literacy, and educational practices were used to assess the bilingual experience and examine how it would correlate with lexical and grammatical skills. The analysis showed that within each language, lexical and grammatical skills were closely related both for the majority and the heritage language, while when examining across-language effects, grammatical skills in the heritage language were correlated with grammatical skills in the majority language. Concerning the role of input, we found that input in the heritage language supported skills both in the heritage and the majority language. The study's contribution is that by providing novel evidence from this specific language pair it shows that supporting the use of heritage language can boost language skills in both languages.

웹 기반 부모보고형 언어-정서 선별검사의 신뢰도 및 타당도 예비연구

This study investigated the language development assessed by the Web-based Parent Screening of Language and Emotion (PSLE), a parent-reported screening test that is available online. The PSLE is designed to evaluate the language development of children in diverse linguistic and cultural environments and identify risk groups. The research aimed to validate the reliability of the test questions across different age groups and domains, as well as to establish correlations with traditional standardized language evaluations. A total of 24 children in the age range of three to nine years and their parents participated in the study. All participants completed the PSLE language assessment along with the receptive and expressive vocabulary test (REVT), and the Korean Brief Parent Report (KBPR). The analysis revealed a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α over 0.8) across all five areas of the PSLE language assessment. Strong correlations were found between the PSLE total score and vocabulary scores, as well as between the PSLE current age stage score and the KBPR total score, behavioral patterns, and activity preferences. This study affirms both the reliability and validity of the PSLE as a web-based screening tool for language and emotion suggesting its potential utility in identifying children’s language development characteristics in clinical settings and education.

Comparison Metaphor and Reasoning Comprehension Between Children with Borderline Intelligence and Typical Developing School-Aged children

Purpose: Metalinguistic skills play a critical role in school-aged children’s language development and academic achievement. This study investigates whether metaphorical reasoning in children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) (or slow learners) differs from that of typically developing children.Methods: A total of 52 children (29 boys and 23 girls), who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study, were included. Children were categorized into three groups (15 slow learner group, 18 chronological age-matched group, and 19 language age-matched group) based on their K-WISC and receptive vocabulary scores in the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT). All children completed the Metaphorical and Reasoning Comprehension test (MARC) to estimate their metaphor and reasoning comprehension ability.Results: As a result of a one-way analysis of variance, there was a significant difference among the groups, and a significant difference was found between the slow learners and the chronological age-matched group (<i>p</i>=0.000), but no significant difference was presented between the slow learner group and the language age-matched group. Similarly, regarding the expressive vocabulary score, a one-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference only between the slow learner and the chronological age-matched group (<i>p</i>=0.000). When comparing the scores for metaphorical reasoning comprehension among the three groups, the metaphorical reasoning comprehension scores were significantly different among the groups, with the slow learners having the lowest scores: the slow learner group was substantially different from the language age-matched group (<i>p</i>=0.025), while there was also a significant difference between the slow learner group and the chronological age-matched group (<i>p</i>=0.000).Conclusions: This study suggests that the semantic component of language is not affected in BIF children, but rather, the meaning of words is affected by tasks that require higher-order metalinguistic skills, such as understanding metaphorical inferences embedded in the context of a sentence. Accordingly, the ability to understand metaphorical reasoning can identify slow learners.

Effect of Voice and Articulation Parameters of a Home-Based Serious Game for Speech Therapy in Children With Articulation Disorder: Prospective Single-Arm Clinical Trial.

Articulation disorder decreases the clarity of language and causes a decrease in children's learning and social ability. The demand for non-face-to-face treatment is increasing owing to the limited number of therapists and geographical or economic constraints. Non-face-to-face speech therapy programs using serious games have been proposed as an alternative. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of home therapy on logopedic and phoniatric abilities in children with articulation disorder using the Smart Speech game interface. This study is a prospective single-arm clinical trial. Children with articulation disorders, whose Urimal Test of Articulation and Phonology (U-TAP) was -2 SDs or less and the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test score was -1 SD or more, were enrolled. A preliminary evaluation (E0) was conducted to check whether the children had articulation disorders, and for the next 4 weeks, they lived their usual lifestyle without other treatments. Prior to the beginning of the training, a pre-evaluation (E1) was performed, and the children trained at home for ≥30 minutes per day, ≥5 times a week, over 4 weeks (a total of 20 sessions). The Smart Speech program comprised oral exercise training, breathing training, and speech training; the difficulty and type of the training were configured differently according to the participants' articulation error, exercise, and vocal ability. After the training, postevaluation (E2) was performed using the same method. Finally, 8 weeks later, postevaluation (E3) was performed as a follow-up. A voice evaluation included parameters such as maximum phonation time (MPT), fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, peak air pressure (relative average perturbation), pitch, intensity, and voice onset time. Articulation parameters included a percentage of correct consonants (PCC; U-TAP word-unit PCC, U-TAP sentence-unit PCC, and three-position articulation test) and alternate motion evaluation (diadochokinesis, DDK). Data obtained during each evaluation (E1-E2-E3) were compared. A total of 13 children with articulation disorders aged 4-10 years were enrolled in the study. In voice parameters, MPT, jitter, and pitch showed significant changes in repeated-measures ANOVA. However, only MPT showed significant changes during E1-E2 (P=.007) and E1-E3 (P=.004) in post hoc tests. Other voice parameters did not show significant changes. In articulation parameters, U-TAP, three-position articulation test (TA), and DDK showed significant changes in repeated-measures ANOVA. In post hoc tests, U-TAP (word, sentence) and TA showed significant changes during E1-E2 (P=.003, .04, and .01) and E1-E3 (P=.001, .03, and .003), and DDK showed significant changes during E1-E2 only (P=.03). Home-based serious games can be considered an alternative treatment method to improve language function. Clinical Research Information Service KCT0006448; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do/20119.

Visual Motor Reaction Times Predict Receptive and Expressive Language Development in Early School-Age Children.

Proficiency of multisensory processing and motor skill are often associated with early cognitive, social, and language development. However, little research exists regarding the relationship between multisensory motor reaction times (MRTs) to auditory, visual and audiovisual stimuli, and classical measures of receptive language and expressive vocabulary development in school-age children. Thus, this study aimed to examine the concurrent development of performance in classical tests of receptive (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; abbreviated as PPVT) and expressive vocabulary (Expressive Vocabulary Test; abbreviated as EVT), nonverbal intelligence (NVIQ) (determined with the aid of Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices; abbreviated as RCPM), speed of visual-verbal processing in the Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) test, Eye-Hand Co-ordination (EHC) in the SLURP task, and multisensory MRTs, in children (n = 75), aged between 5 and 10 years. Bayesian statistical analysis showed evidence for age group differences in EVT performance, while PPVT was only different for the youngest group of children aged 5-6, supporting different developmental trajectories in vocabulary acquisition. Bayesian correlations revealed evidence for associations between age, NVIQ, and vocabulary measures, with decisive evidence and a higher correlation (r = 0.57 to 0.68) between EVT, MRT tasks, and EHC visuomotor processing. This was further supported by regression analyses indicating that EVT performance was the strongest unique predictor of multisensory MRTs, EHC, and RAN time. Additionally, visual MRTs were found to predict both receptive and expressive vocabulary. The findings of the study have important implications as accessible school-based assessments of the concurrent development of NVIQ, language, and multisensory processing; and hence as rapid and timely measures of developmental and neurodevelopmental status.

Children with Rolandic epilepsy have micro- and macrostructural abnormalities in white matter constituting networks necessary for language function

IntroductionSelf-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes is a transient developmental epilepsy with a seizure onset zone localized to the centrotemporal cortex that commonly impacts aspects of language function. To better understand the relationship between these anatomical findings and symptoms, we characterized the language profile and white matter microstructural and macrostructural features in a cohort of children with SeLECTS. MethodsChildren with active SeLECTS (n = 13), resolved SeLECTS (n = 12), and controls (n = 17) underwent high-resolution MRIs including diffusion tensor imaging sequences and multiple standardized neuropsychological measures of language function. We identified the superficial white matter abutting the inferior rolandic cortex and superior temporal gyrus using a cortical parcellation atlas and derived the arcuate fasciculus connecting them using probabilistic tractography. We compared white matter microstructural characteristics (axial, radial and mean diffusivity, and fractional anisotropy) between groups in each region, and tested for linear relationships between diffusivity metrics in these regions and language scores on neuropsychological testing. ResultsWe found significant differences in several language modalities in children with SeLECTS compared to controls. Children with SeLECTS performed worse on assessments of phonological awareness (p = 0.045) and verbal comprehension (p = 0.050). Reduced performance was more pronounced in children with active SeLECTS compared to controls, namely, phonological awareness (p = 0.028), verbal comprehension (p = 0.028), and verbal category fluency (p = 0.031), with trends toward worse performance also observed in verbal letter fluency (p = 0.052), and the expressive one-word picture vocabulary test (p = 0.068). Children with active SeLECTS perform worse than children with SeLECTS in remission on tests of verbal category fluency (p = 0.009), verbal letter fluency (p = 0.006), and the expressive one-word picture vocabulary test (p = 0.045). We also found abnormal superficial white matter microstructure in centrotemporal ROIs in children with SeLECTS, characterized by increased diffusivity and fractional anisotropy compared to controls (AD p = 0.014, RD p = 0.028, MD p = 0.020, and FA p = 0.024). Structural connectivity of the arcuate fasciculus connecting perisylvian cortical regions was lower in children with SeLECTS (p = 0.045), and in the arcuate fasciculus children with SeLECTS had increased diffusivity (AD p = 0.007, RD p = 0.006, MD p = 0.016), with no difference in fractional anisotropy (p = 0.22). However, linear tests comparing white matter microstructure in areas constituting language networks and language performance did not withstand correction for multiple comparisons in this sample, although a trend was seen between FA in the arcuate fasciculus and verbal category fluency (p = 0.047) and the expressive one-word picture vocabulary test (p = 0.036). ConclusionWe found impaired language development in children with SeLECTS, particularly in those with active SeLECTS, as well as abnormalities in the superficial centrotemporal white matter as well as the fibers connecting these regions, the arcuate fasciculus. Although relationships between language performance and white matter abnormalities did not pass correction for multiple comparisons, taken together, these results provide evidence of atypical white matter maturation in fibers involved in language processing, which may contribute to the aspects of language function that are commonly affected by the disorder.

Theory of mind in children with cochlear implants: Comparison with age- and sex-matched children with normal hearing

Objectives/hypothesisTheory of mind (ToM) is a crucial ability for maintaining normal social interaction and is directly related to language ability. This study was performed to compare ToM between children with congenital hearing loss who have received cochlear implantation (CI) and those with normal hearing (NH). Study designCase–control study design. MethodsOne hundred children, aged 2–12 years, participated: 50 children who received CI before 36 months of age (CI group) and one-to-one age- and sex-matched children with normal hearing (NH group). All children underwent tests to examine receptive language ability and ToM. Receptive language was measured using the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test, and ToM was measured using the Theory of Mind Task Battery (ToM-TB). The scores of the two tests were compared between the CI and NH groups. ResultsThe ToM-TB score in the CI group correlated positively with age and receptive language score. ToM-TB scores did not differ significantly between children in the CI group who achieved normal receptive language and the NH group. However, these children in the CI group scored lower than those in the NH group on some advanced ToM tasks that require the ability to understand second-order emotion, message–desire discrepancy, or second-order false belief. ConclusionsThis case–control study found that children with CI who achieve normal receptive language ability have ToM that is similar to that in children with NH. However, these children exhibited weakness in advanced ToM skills. Interventions to facilitate the development of advanced ToM are needed for children with CI.

Correlation of Language Assessment Batteries of Toddlers With Developmental Language Delay

To analyze the correlation between standardized language assessment batteries of toddlers and developmental language delays. A total of 319 children with suspected language developmental delays were enrolled in this study retrospectively. They underwent the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT) for vocabulary development assessment and at least one of two language assessment batteries: The Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI) or the Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES) for language development assessment. The correlation of the results for receptive and expressive language between the scales were analyzed. The participants were divided into two groups: SELSI and REVT (n=45) and PRES and REVT (n=273). When the children's results were classified into groups (average, mild delay, and delay), receptive and expressive scores were significantly correlated with each other in both SELSI-REVT and PRES-REVT groups. In addition, the correlation of mean developmental age between tests are analyzed. In the SELSI-REVT group, there was weak correlation of mean developmental age between tests for receptive and expressive language. In the PRES-REVT group, there was a strong positive correlation of mean developmental age for receptive and expressive language in children aged >36 months. Attention deficits during the test was found to be the statistically significant factor affecting the differences between the tests. The odds ratios for receptive and expressive language were 2.60 (95% confidence interval,1.15-5.84) and 1.94 (95% confidence interval, 1.15-3.27), respectively. This study examined the correlations and influencing factors between language development evaluation tools for toddlers. An integrated interpretation of comprehensive language and vocabulary evaluation tools may be possible in children older than 3 years of language developmental age.

An intricate relationship between executive function and second-language ability in a cohort of Uyghur-Chinese bilingual children.

The relationship between executive function and second-language ability remains contentious in bilingual children; thus, the current study focused on this issue. In total, 371 Uyghur-Chinese bilingual children ranging from 3 to 6years old were assessed by a battery of tasks measuring language ability (expressive vocabulary tests, receptive vocabulary tests, and phonological awareness of both their first-language and second-language) and executive function (working memory, inhibition, and switching). Our results indicated that age is a crucial moderator of the relationship between second-language ability and executive function. Specifically, executive function unilaterally predicted second-language ability in children who were 3-4 years old, whereas second-language ability and executive function bilaterally influenced each other in children who were 4-5 and 5-6 years old. These findings suggest that executive function and second-language ability have an intertwined and causal relationship among preschool children during development. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A counterfactual model showed causality between executive function and second language ability in Uyghur-Chinese bilingual children. Executive function unilaterally predicted second language ability in the 3- to 4-year-old age group. Executive function and second language ability bilaterally influenced each other in the 4- to 5 and 5- to 6-year-old age groups.

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Infusions in the Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Objective: To provide an overview of the role of umbilical cord blood (UCB) in managing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms in children aged 4-8 years.Data Sources: A systematic literature search was conducted using the terms (autism OR autism spectrum disorder AND umbilical cord blood infusion UCB OR umbilical cord blood). The review was limited to articles published in the English language from 1945 to September 2020. The database search included PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE.Study Selection: The initial search revealed 165 hits of potential relevance.Data Extraction: The articles were analyzed to obtain clinical information relevant to meeting the review objectives.Data Synthesis: After title, abstract, and full article review, 3 UCB studies were selected for analysis.Results: The systematic review showed mixed results. In the first study, improvements were seen in the socialization and communication domains and adaptive behavior with UCB infusion. The Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory composite T score and Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT) score also improved. Symptomatic improvement was seen in half of the patients. The second study showed no improvement in the EOWPVT, Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test, Clinical Global Impressions scale, or Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS), second edition. The third study showed nonsignificant improvement in the VABS, third edition socialization scale scores; however, major improvement in the communication domain was seen for those with nonverbal IQ ≥ 70. No serious adverse events were reported in any of the studies.Conclusion: Few studies have evaluated the role of UCB infusion in addressing symptoms of ASD. Due to the limited number of studies, more research is warranted.

Online Literacy Instruction for Young Korean Dual Language Learners in General Education.

English language development is a critical component for young children’s school readiness. In this study, we examined the effect of Read it again-Pre-K! (Justice and McGinty in Read it again!-Prek: a preschool curriculum supplement to promote language and literacy foundations, Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, Columbus, 2013), a literacy curriculum designed to prepare young children’s school readiness on the English literacy skills of Korean dual language learners in general education. Using a multiple probe design, eight 4- to 5-year-old Korean dual language learners (1 female, 7 males) received 1:1 online synchronous daily instruction over 2 months during the summer before entering their kindergarten programs. Through the intervention, all eight children demonstrated increases in the use of English vocabulary, story comprehension, and oral fluency. Post-intervention data on vocabulary and reading fluency through three standardized tests, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Expressive Vocabulary Test, showed improvement over baseline for most children. Discussion and implications for future research were provided.

The Effect of Home Literacy Environment on Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Skills in Preschool Children

Objectives: This study examined which factors in the home literacy environment significantly predicted children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary skills.Methods: A total of 45 dyads of children and parents participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to investigate the home literacy environment (Greenberg & Weitzman, 2014), and standardized receptive and expressive vocabulary tests (Kim et al., 2009) were administered to assess the children’s vocabulary skills. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was calculated to examine the correlation between children’s vocabulary skills and home literacy sub-items, a stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted to verify the predicting factors for the children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary skills.Results: The results showed that receptive vocabulary scores were significantly correlated with the parents’ use of questions and child’s reading attitude during book reading; whereas expressive vocabulary scores were significantly correlated with the frequent and repetitive book reading, and children’s attentive reading attitude during book reading. Children’s positive and active participation was a significant factor explaining receptive vocabulary scores. There were no factors that significantly explained children’s expressive vocabulary scores.Conclusion: This study’s results suggest that children’s active participation in book reading was the most important factor predicting children’s receptive vocabulary skills, and confirmed that it is vital for parents to positively encourage children to participate actively while reading a book.

EP136: An exploration of the impact of Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) upon vocabulary skills in males with 49,XXXXY

49,XXXXY is a rare variant of 47,XXY, Klinefelter syndrome, that occurs in approximately 1 in 100,000 live male births. It is the most uncommon and complex X and Y chromosomal variation consisting of neurodevelopmental, physical, and medical complications. These boys are at an increased risk for musculoskeletal abnormalities and health difficulties. Intellectual disability, motor deficits, and severe speech dysfunction are common to this population. Specifically, receptive language skills are typically more advanced than expressive language skills, with some individuals being nonverbal. Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is thought to be the origin of speech and expressive language dysfunction in these boys suggesting that the core challenge is rooted in motor planning deficiency. Challenges in expressive language typically affect all aspects of daily life for males with 49,XXXXY, as it is difficult for them to convey their thoughts and feelings. This often leads to difficulties expressing themselves, social communication challenges, and peer isolation. Males with 49,XXXXY have androgen deficiency that benefits from hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). HRT has been found to have positive effects on neurodevelopmental capabilities in males with 49, XXXXY. Specifically, treated individuals have been found to have improved neurodevelopmental function than the untreated and may therefore have a potential beneficial impact on social skills. Two types of HRT are common during infancy and the childhood years: early hormonal treatment (EHT) and hormonal booster therapy (HBT). EHT is often administered during the “mini-puberty” period, ideally given at 4, 5, and 6 months old, but can be given up until 2 years of age. HBT may be recommended during the school-aged population, often beginning around 5 years old and given up until 11years old. The current study explores the effect of HRT upon expressive and receptive vocabulary skills in males with 49,XXXXY. One hundred and one participants with a diagnosis of 49,XXXXY were evaluated for this study (CA: 88.9 months). Participants completed the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test 4th Edition (EOWPVT-4) and the Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test 4th Edition (ROWPVT-4). Subjects were segregated into four different groups according to their HRT status: no-T, EHT, HBT, and EHT&HBT. EHT consisted of 3 intramuscular injections of 25 mg of testosterone enanthate, once monthly, for three months given between 4 and 24 months of age. HBT consisted of 3 intramuscular injections of 50 mg of testosterone enanthate, once monthly for three months administered between the ages of 5 and 11. Two-tailed t-tests were completed to assess the differences within HRT groups between performance on the EOWPVT-4 and ROWPVT-4. The no-T group (CA: 90.3 months, N = 20) showed a significant difference between EOWPVT-4 and ROWPVT-4 scores (p = .00888) with receptive capabilities being higher than their expressive skills. The EHT group (CA: 79.3 months, N = 44) approached significance with greater skills on the ROWPVT-4 in comparison to the EOWPVT-4 (p = .0556). Finally, the HBT (CA: 104.5 months, N = 8) and EHT&HBT groups (CA: 98.1 months, N = 29) showed no differences between their receptive and expressive capabilities (p = .532; p = .700). The current study expands on the neurocognitive profile of boys with 49,XXXXY and the impact of HRT on their expressive and receptive vocabulary skills. Individuals with 49,XXXXY typically present with severely depressed expressive capabilities in comparison to their receptive skills. The no-T group had this typical presentation with higher receptive language abilities in comparison to expressive capabilities while the EHT, HBT, and EHT&HBT groups showed no differences between receptive and expressive vocabulary skills. Participants who received EHT, HBT, or a combination performed higher on the EOWPVT-4 and presented with commensurate and higher receptive and expressive vocabulary skills than those who had not been treated. These results suggest a positive treatment effect of both EHT and HBT on expressive vocabulary capabilities in boys with 49,XXXXY.

Predictive Validity and Factors of Direct and Indirect Language Screening Measures for Children Using Panel Data

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine whether language abilities, measured by examiners and parents, at age 2 significantly predict later language skills. In addition, this study investigated whether the results of two language screening tests were consistent and which factors affected the agreement of the two measures.Methods: This study analyzed data from 1,739 Korean children who participated in the 3rd (T1, age 2), 6th (T2, age 5), and 10th (T3, age 8) Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC). The Korean-Denver II test, the Korean-Ages and Stages Questionnaires (K-ASQ), the Receptive & Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT), and the Multi-Factor Intelligence Test (M-FIT) were utilized to measure children’s language skills. To examine the predictive validity of the two language screening measures, a simple regression analysis was conducted. To investigate the factors affecting the agreement between the results of two measures, parental education level, parental style, knowledge of child development, and child temperament data were used.Results: Both the results of the Korean-Denver II test and K-ASQ at T1 significantly predicted children’s language skills at T2 and T3. It was also found that only parental style was significantly different between the groups classified by the agreement of the two language screening measures at T1.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that both two language screening measures were valid tools for significantly predicting children’s later language skills. In addition, it was confirmed that the social interaction parental style was a factor affecting parents’ accurate evaluation of their children’s language skills.

Adults Who Stutter Show Diminished Word Fluency, Regardless of Mode.

Language abilities have long been thought to be weaker in adults who stutter (AWS) compared to adults who do not stutter (AWNS). However, it is unknown whether modality affects language performance by AWS in time pressure situations. This study aimed to examine lexical access and retrieval abilities of AWS in oral and typed modes. Fifteen AWS and 15 well-matched AWNS completed computer-administered letter fluency tasks. Adults were asked to orally produce words that began with one of two letter targets and type words that began with one of two alternate letters. Conditions were counterbalanced across participants. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were evaluated to determine the effects of group (AWS/AWNS), mode (oral/typed), and expressive vocabulary on letter fluency performance. Group predicted letter fluency such that AWS generated fewer items on both the oral and typed letter fluency tasks. Mode did not impact letter fluency results. Expressive Vocabulary Test scores predicted letter fluency similarly in both AWS and AWNS. AWS were not penalized by oral task demands. AWS generated fewer items on the letter fluency tasks regardless of response mode, suggesting that they have weaker lexical access abilities. Furthermore, better expressive vocabulary skills were associated with better letter fluency performance in both groups.

Repercussion of the implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System - PECS in the overload index of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The aim of this study was to analyze the repercussion of the implementation of PECS on the burden index of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This was a longitudinal study (CEP 0403/2017). The sample consisted of 20 mother and child with ASD. The mothers were on average 41 years and 5 months and the children were 7 years and 2 months old. Fifteen children were male and five were female. The brazilian version of the Burden Interview scale was applied to verify the level of caregiver burden. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) was applied to the analysis of non-adaptive behaviors and to analyze the lexical repertoire: Auditory and Expressive Vocabulary Tests. The PECS Implementation Program was composed of 24 sessions of individual speech therapy with the active presence of mothers. At the end all children and mothers were reevaluated with part of the instruments. There was a tendency to reduce maternal overload indexes after the implementation of the PECS. There was a significant decrease in non-adaptive behaviors and an increase in the expressive and auditory vocabulary indexes of the children at the final moment of the study. We did not observe a significant correlation between the degrees of overload with age, schooling and intellectual quotient of children, nor schooling and maternal socioeconomic status. It was possible to analyze the repercussion of the implementation of the PECS on the burden of mothers of children with ASD assisted by the Program.

A Longitudinal Study of the Effects of Children’s Temperament and Parenting Behavior on Vocabulary Development in Children: Mediation Effect of Parenting Behavior

Objectives: This study aimed to help the understanding of children’s temperament and parenting behavior by examining how the temperament and parenting of 3-year-olds affect the vocabulary development of 7-year-old children entering school age.Methods: The study group consisted of a total of four groups based on the scores of the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT; Kim et al., 2009). The dataset was obtained through the Panel Study on Korean Children.Results: 1) There was no statistically significant difference between the four groups in the distribution pattern of children’s temperament type, however there was a statistically significant difference between the four groups in the distribution pattern by parenting behavior type. 2) In Group 1, there was a significant positive correlation between vocabulary at 7 years of age and parenting behavior of 3 years olds. In addition, Group 2 and 4, which showed a delay in vocabulary at the age of 7 years, showed that the emotional temperament of 3-year-old children was correlated with their 7-year-old vocabulary. 3) In Group 1, It was found that the emotional (negative) and sociality of children at the age of 3 significantly explained the vocabulary ability at the age of 7 by mediating the parent’s didactic parenting behavior.Conclusion: This study confirmed that the vocabulary prediction model of Group 1, which showed normal vocabulary development in both 3-year-olds and 7-year-olds, was statistically significant.