Language ENvironment Analysis Research Articles

Coaching Caregivers of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

This study explored the impact of a caregiver training intervention on caregivers' use of individually selected facilitative language techniques (FLTs) with their children (ranging from 14 to 27months of age) who were deaf or hard of hearing. In addition, the study sought to identify real-time relationships between caregiver input and child output. Finally, the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system was used to assess generalization of intervention gains to the natural environment. Intervention was delivered via a telehealth approach to train four caregivers to utilize a targeted FLT with their child. Pre-baseline LENA recordings guided selection of treatment targets, and post-intervention LENA recordings were used to assess generalization to the natural environment. All caregivers demonstrated increases in use of their targeted FLT in structured intervention sessions and maintained them 2-6weeks after the conclusion of intervention. All children demonstrated an increase in their developmentally appropriate vocalizations in tandem with caregiver FLT increases. Results indicate that coaching can be used to increase caregiver responsiveness, changes which were found to carry over into the home environment.

Effects of multilingualism on Australian infants’ language environments in early childhood education centers

This study investigates differences in the language environments experienced by multilingual and monolingual infants in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) technology was used to collect day-long audio-recordings from 181 one-year-old infants (age range from 12 to 21 months). We examined whether infants’ multilingual status predicts the amount of educators’ language input (adult word count, AWC), child vocalizations (CVC) and conversational turns (CTC), as well as interaction effects on AWC, CVC and CTC of infants’ multilingual status and other infant, home and ECEC characteristics. Multilevel mixed effects models revealed no main effect of infants’ multilingual status on the language environment outcome variables. Instead, infant gender significantly predicted adult word count, with female infants hearing more words from educators than male infants. There was a significant interaction effect between the infants’ multilingual status and both their age and length of time in an ECEC setting on child vocalizations. While monolingual infants produced more vocalizations as their age increased, multilingual infants did not show this increase in vocalizations with age. Further, the difference between monolingual and multilingual children’s vocalizations decreased as the length of time in ECEC increased. There were no significant predictors of conversational turns. Findings from this study suggest that early childhood educators do not adjust their talk according to the multilingual status of the infants. However, multilingual infants do not increase their vocalizations as their age increases to the same extent as do their monolingual peers. The interaction effect between multilingualism and the length of ECEC attendance also implies that ECEC environments may be particularly beneficial for supporting multilingual infants’ vocalizations. This study highlights the need to provide pedagogical support to educators to help them to encourage multilingual infants’ vocalizations in ECEC settings.

Associations Between Caregiver Stress and Language Outcomes in Infants With Autistic and Non-Autistic Siblings: An Exploratory Study.

Caregivers of autistic children present with high stress levels, which have been associated with poorer child outcomes in several domains, including language development. However, prior to this study, it was unknown whether elevated caregiver stress was associated with language development in infant siblings of autistic children (Sibs-autism), who are at increased likelihood of receiving a future diagnosis of autism and/or language impairment compared to infant siblings of non-autistic children. This study explored the degree to which, as well as the mechanisms by which, caregiver stress was linked with later language outcomes of Sibs-autism and infant siblings of non-autistic children (Sibs-NA). Participants were 50 infants (28 Sibs-autism; 22 Sibs-NA) aged 12-18 months at the first time point in this study (Time 1). Infants were seen again 9 months later, at 21-27 months of age (Time 2). Caregiver stress was measured via a validated self-report measure at Time 1. Caregiver language input, the putative mechanism by which caregiver stress may influence later language outcomes, was collected via two daylong recordings from digital recording (Language ENvironment Analysis) devices worn by the child at this same time point. Child language outcomes were measured via standardized and caregiver report measures at Time 2. Several models testing hypothesized indirect effects of caregiver stress on later child language outcomes through caregiver language input were statistically significant. Specifically, significant indirect effects suggest that (a) caregivers with increased stress tend to speak less to their infants, and (b) this reduced language input tends to covary with reduced child language outcomes later in life for Sibs-autism and Sibs-NA. This study provides new insights into links between caregiver stress, caregiver language input, and language outcomes in Sibs-autism and Sibs-NA. Further work is necessary to understand how to best support caregivers and optimize the language learning environments for infants. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21714368.

Language input in late infancy scaffolds emergent literacy skills and predicts reading related white matter development.

Longitudinal studies provide the unique opportunity to test whether early language provides a scaffolding for the acquisition of the ability to read. This study tests the hypothesis that parental language input during the first 2 years of life predicts emergent literacy skills at 5 years of age, and that white matter development observed early in the 3rd year (at 26 months) may help to account for these effects. We collected naturalistic recordings of parent and child language at 6, 10, 14, 18, and 24 months using the Language ENvironment Analysis system (LENA) in a group of typically developing infants. We then examined the relationship between language measures during infancy and follow-up measures of reading related skills at age 5 years, in the same group of participants (N = 53). A subset of these children also completed diffusion and quantitative MRI scans at age 2 years (N = 20). Within this subgroup, diffusion tractography was used to identify white matter pathways that are considered critical to language and reading development, namely, the arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and inferior occipital-frontal fasciculus. Quantitative macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping was used to characterize myelin density within these separately defined regions of interest. The longitudinal data were then used to test correlations between early language input and output, white matter measures at age 2 years, and pre-literacy skills at age 5 years. Parental language input, child speech output, and parent-child conversational turns correlated with pre-literacy skills, as well as myelin density estimates within the left arcuate and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Mediation analyses indicated that the left AF accounted for longitudinal relationships between infant home language measures and 5-year letter identification and letter-sound knowledge, suggesting that the left AF myelination at 2 years may serve as a mechanism by which early language experience supports emergent literacy.

The Myth of Women's Advantage in Using Child-Directed Speech: Evidence of Women Versus Men in Single-Sex-Parent Families.

Differences between child-directed speech (CDS) by women and men are generally explained by either biological-evolutionary or gender-social theories. It is difficult to tease these two explanations apart for different-sex-parent families because women are usually also the main caregivers. Thus, this study aims to examine the influence of parental sex on CDS by investigating men and women who are in same-sex-parent families. Twenty same-sex-parent families participated in the study-10 families in which the parents were two men and 10 families in which the parents were two women. The families were matched for toddler age (range: 9-24 months) and sex. CDS was recorded using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) device for 16 hr during a day. Each parent was also audio-recorded during a 30-min play session with his or her child. No difference was found between men and women across all the LENA measures, namely, adult word count, conversational turns count, and child vocalization count. The analysis of speech samples during parent-child play showed no difference between men and women in mean length of utterance and number of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Pragmatic speech acts of initiations, responses to infants' actions, or vocalizations were similar in both sexes. Women used more "teaching" utterances than men, and men who were main caregivers used more "teaching" utterances than men who were secondary caregivers. Across both sexes, secondary caregivers used more "requests for actions" compared to main caregivers. The present findings support a functional-social approach and not a biological approach for explaining the use of CDS by men and women. These findings have clinical implications on the involvement of men in early intervention programs.

Analyzing field audio of parent-child book reading activities across various audio capture devices

Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) is a light weight audio capture device commonly used to monitor language including frequency of parent-child interactions for research purposes. However, various factors including price and technical limitations often limit the use of LENA for low-income families. Using a smartphone can be a feasible alternative when LENA is not available to practitioners/families. Over the past three decades, significant advancements have resulted in smartphone platforms/microphones/technology, allowing for high quality recorded audio which are available in most households. In this study we compare audio quality and measure performance of several Automatic Speech recognition (ASR) engines on audio captured from iPhone and Android relative to LENA devices. Families who consented in this study recorded reading activities with their children at home using both personal smartphones and LENA. Some challenges we found include recording synchronization, unnecessary background noises, and uneven room acoustics. Audio quality comparison is measured using Speech-Signal-to-noise ratio (SSNR) metric. Both open-source and fine-tuned ASR models are explored, with results reported using overall Word Error Rate (WER), as well as separated by speaker–Child versus Adult. Results show that smartphone platforms can be used versus LENA for child-adult language assessment. [Work sponsored by NSF through Grant Nos. 1918032 and 1918012.]

Predicting Speech and Language Development at 18-20 Months from Automated Language ENvironment Analysis Measures

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore whether automated measures from Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) at 6-8 months and 12-14 months of age predict speech and language development at 18-20 months.Methods: One-day home recordings from 18 children were collected using a LENA recorder at 6-8, 12-14, 18-20 months. Three automated measures; adult word count (AWC), conversational turn count (CTC), and child vocalization count (CVC); were obtained from recordings at 6-8 and 12-14 months. Number of different words (NDW), consonant inventory, and utterance structure inventory were identified from recordings of 18-20 months. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to investigate whether automated measures of LENA at 6-8 and 12-14 months were predictive of speech and word measures at 18-20 months.Results: The results showed that CTC and CVC were positively correlated with all speech and word measures at 18-20 months. Multiple regression analysis revealed that CTC at 6-8 months could significantly predict NDW, consonant inventory, and utterance structure inventory at 18-20 months. Also, CTC, AWC, and CVC at 12-14 months could predict NDW at 18-20 months and CTC at 12-14 months could predict consonant inventory and utterance structure inventory at 18-20 months.Conclusion: This study highlights that conversational interactions between infants and caregivers have positive effects on children’s later speech and language outcomes and confirms that early language environment plays a critical role in child speech and language development.

Electronic media and social features of language input in bilingually-raised Latinx infants

The present study examines the language environments of bilingually-raised Latinx infants (n = 37) to characterize the relation between exposure to electronic media and infants’ language input, with a specific focus on parentese, a near-universal style of infant-directed speech, distinguished by its higher pitch, slower tempo, and exaggerated intonation. Previous research shows that parentese and parent-infant turn-taking are both associated with advances in children’s language learning. Here we test the hypothesis that exposure to electronic media is associated with a reduction in these two social features of language input. Using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) technology, two daylong audio recordings were collected from each family. Exposure to electronic media was measured in three ways: 1) Through LENA’s automatic estimate; 2) Through manual annotation of LENA audio recordings; and 3) Through a parental questionnaire. Language of electronic media, parental language input, and child language output were quantified through automatic and manual analyses of LENA recordings. Infants’ estimated daily exposure to electronic media varied between the three methods used. There was a significant positive correlation between daily media exposure assessed via the two observational methods, but neither significantly correlated with parental report. Infants experienced electronic media in Spanish and English, and the language of electronic media correlated with the language of paternal and maternal child-directed speech. Linear regression analyses controlling for demographics (infant age, sex, socioeconomic status) demonstrated a negative association between exposure to electronic media and parentese, as well as between exposure to electronic media and turn-taking. Exposure to electronic media was also negatively associated with infants’ linguistic vocalizations. The present findings suggest that exposure to electronic media negatively impacts infant vocal activity by reducing parental parentese and parent-infant turn-taking, which are known to positively impact infants’ linguistic, socioemotional, and cognitive development. This analysis is an important step forward in understanding Latinx infants’ electronic media ecologies and their relation to language input and language development.

Qualitative and quantitative aspects of child-directed parental talk and the relation to 2-year-old's developing vocabulary.

Although prior research has independently linked vocabulary development with toddlers' media usage, parental mental state talk (MST), and parent-child conversational turn-taking (CTT), these variables have not been investigated within the same study. In this study, we focus on associations between these variables and 2-year-old's (N=87) vocabulary. Child vocabulary and digital media use were measured through online questionnaires. We took a multimethod approach to measure parents' child-directed talk. First, we used a home sound environment recording (Language ENvironment Analysis technology) to estimate parents' talk (CTT). Second, parents narrated a picture book, the Frog story, to assess the parent's MST. There was a negative association between how much children watched video content and their vocabulary. However, parents reported that they frequently co-viewed and engaged with the child and media. The negative association first displayed between the amount of video content viewed and the child's developing vocabulary was fully mediated by the parents' qualitative and quantitative talk as measured by MST and CCT, respectively. We propose that the parent relative level of MST and CTT also occurs when parents engage with the child during media use.

Environmental noise, brain structure, and language development in children

While excessive noise exposure in childhood has been associated with reduced language ability, few studies have examined potential underlying neurobiological mechanisms that may account for noise-related differences in language skills. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that higher everyday noise exposure would be associated with 1) poorer language skills and 2) differences in language-related cortical structure. A socioeconomically diverse sample of children aged 5–9 (N = 94) completed standardized language assessments. High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were acquired, and surface area and cortical thickness of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and left superior temporal gyrus (STG) were extracted. Language Environmental Analysis (LENA) was used to measure levels of exposure to excessive environmental noise over the course of a typical day (n = 43 with complete LENA, MRI, and behavioral data). Results indicated that children exposed to excessive levels of noise exhibited reduced cortical thickness in the left IFG. These findings add to a growing literature that explores the extent to which home environmental factors, such as environmental noise, are associated with neurobiological development related to language development in children.

Improving Language Support for Infants and Toddlers

Language skills are vital to children's learning and well-being, and the first 5 years of life are an especially critical time for language acquisition. Research suggests that when early childhood teachers create language-rich environments, children develop stronger receptive and expressive language abilities, especially children from low-income households who are more at risk for language delays. This study investigated the effects of a 10-week professional learning intervention focused on language-based interactions in early care and education settings that serve infants and toddlers on state childcare subsidy. The intervention with childcare providers was titled Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND), which utilized video-based reflective practices to promote positive interactions between providers and children. Using a treatment–control design (control: n = 44; treatment: n = 42), we compared childcare providers' language practices. Provider language use was measured using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA), a wearable digital language processer. Results indicate that, as compared with the control group, FIND participation was associated with increased adult word count and conversational turns in facilities that serve the most vulnerable children. These results suggest the utility of video-based professional learning and automated data collection for supporting providers' positive interactions and improving the quality of infant/toddler programs.

Relation between Early Vocalizations and Words

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship of phonological characteristics between early vocalizations at 6-8 months, 12-14 months, and words at 18-20 months. Additionally, we aimed to identify which phonological characteristics of early vocalization can predict speech and language development at 18-20 months.Methods: Vocalizations were collected using Language ENvironmental Analysis (LENA) from 14 children at 6-8, 12-14, and 18-20 months. Vocalizations were classified as precanonical or canonical vocalization. Words were separated from the entire vocalizations at 18-20 months. Consonant inventories and phonological structures were analyzed in early vocalizations and words. Multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate whether the rate of canonical vocalizations, the number of consonant inventories, and the number of phonological structures in early vocalization are predictive of the number of consonant inventories and the number of different words at 18-20 months.Results: Consonant inventories and phonological structures in words at 18-20 months consisted of inventories which had been produced in early vocalization at 6-8 months and 12-14 months. The results showed that the ratio of canonical vocalizations at 6-8 months predicted the number of consonant inventories and the number of different words. The number of consonant inventories at 12-14 months also predicted the number of consonant inventories in words at 18-20 months.Conclusion: This study confirmed that the phonological development of early vocalization is closely related to later speech-language development, and the speech-language evaluation based on the phonological characteristics of early vocalization can provide a basis for early diagnosis and intervention in infants and toddlers.

Toddler negative emotion expression and parent-toddler verbal conversation: Evidence from daylong recordings

Although early emotional and verbal development are thought to be related, emotional and verbal parent-toddler communication are often studied separately, and are frequently measured during brief, semi-structured tasks. Moreover, there is mixed, indirect evidence as to whether toddler negative emotions may elicit or disrupt parent-toddler verbal communication. To address these gaps, the present study used a wearable audio-recording and processing technology, Language Environment Analysis (LENA; Xu, Yapanel, & Gray, 2009), to sample full-day communication between twenty-five parents and their toddlers (12–23 months). We examined the extent to which toddler vocal negative emotion expressions (“cries”), relative to toddler (pre)-verbal vocalizations or adult speech, initiated, occurred within, or terminated parent-toddler conversation. We found that most (60%) toddler cries were involved in parent-toddler conversation. Toddler cries were unlikely to initiate conversations and, unexpectedly, were unlikely to terminate conversation. Conversations were most often initiated by toddler vocalizations and terminated by adult speech. Findings highlight the importance of measuring both emotional and verbal aspects of parent-toddler communication and the benefit of using sampling techniques that capture communication processes as they unfold in daily life.

Gender differences in caregiver's use of spoken language with young children who are hard-of-hearing

PurposeShared parenting among caregivers of different gender is common in the Swedish society. It is unclear if this includes shared contribution for children’s language development. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to explore the natural language environment of children who were hard-of-hearing compared to typically hearing controls. MethodsSeventy-two families with children aged 7-35 months participated; 22 children who were hard-of-hearing (Cochlear implants, n=11; Hearing aids, n=11) and 50 controls with typical hearing. The majority of caregivers had higher education background level, especially in the control group. Families conducted a daylong recording with the Language Environment Analysis technology, when both parents were present at home. An Interpreted Time Segmental analysis was performed to extract information about female versus male caregivers quantitative word use. ResultsThe results showed significant gender differences related to number of adult words, with less male words than female words (p <0.001). Male caregivers of children who were hard-of-hearing contributed with around 27 % of adult words during the recordings while males in the control group contributed with 37 %. There was a larger variation in number of female words in the study group than for controls, especially in mothers of children with cochlear implants. Conclusions: Female caregivers talk significantly more close to young children than male caregivers, and especially in the subgroup of children with cochlear implants. Children who are hard-of-hearing are dependent on a rich language environment, and might be especially vulnerable if male caregivers are less involved as language facilitators. More studies are needed to explore caregiver gender differences, both related to quantitative and qualitative language stimulation.

The home environment and its relation to vocalizations in the first year of life.

Background:Prior data has shown that the home environment impacts child development; however, there remains a paucity of research on how the home environment relates to child and adult words. Therefore, the aim of this prospective and quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the home environment and the quantity of vocalizations or words, and conversational turns produced by infants and parents at 3 and 12 months of age.Methods:Seventy-two (56% male) full-term infants were assessed at 3 and 12 months of age. The home environment was assessed in person via interview and observation of the child’s home using the Infant-Toddler Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (IT-HOME) Inventory subscales. Vocalizations were measured using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) device, which measures the adult word count, child vocalization count and conversational turn count. These measures were then averaged for the most voluble, or vocal hour, in the recording period.Results:At 3 months, IT-HOME Learning Materials scores were significantly associated with a decrease in adult words. We found a statistically significant difference in LENA outcomes between 3 and 12 months when stratified by sex. Specifically, male infants had significantly fewer vocalizations at 12 months when compared to 3 months, whereas females had more vocalizations. There was also a statistically significant difference in IT-HOME Learning Materials, Organization, Responsivity, and Total scores when comparing 3- and 12-month time points.Conclusions:These findings reveal that the home environment changes significantly over the first year of life. At 3 months, Learning Materials in the home were related to adult words, while between 3 and 12 months, several aspects of the home significantly changed. Male children had reduced vocalizations between 3 and 12 months; whereas, female children had increased vocalizations during the same time points. Future research should focus on examining these outcomes with multiple measures, time points, and patient populations.

Longitudinal Study of Vocal Development and Language Environments in Infants With Cleft Palate.

This study investigated vocalization and language environment longitudinally in infants with cleft palate (CP) based on day-long audio recordings collected in their natural environments. Language Environment Analysis (LENA) data from all-day recordings at home were collected at 3-month intervals for infants from 4-6 to 16-18 months of age. The recordings were analyzed using experimentally blinded human coding as well as LENA automated analysis. Ten infants with CP (± cleft lip) and 10 age-matched infants without CP. Several measurements were obtained from the LENA automated analysis software. In addition, human coded measurements of vocalization and language environment, including the true canonical babbling ratio and the infant-directed speech ratio, were analyzed for each time point of data collection for each infant. Statistical analyses were performed to conduct group and age comparisons for each measure of vocalization and language environment. No group differences emerged in number of syllables produced. Infants with CP exhibited late onset and fewer productions of canonical syllables compared to infants without CP. Infants with CP did not show significant differences from infants without CP in measures related to language environment across ages. This study provides detailed information through naturalistic all-day home recordings about vocal development and early language environments in infants with CP before and after palatal repair. Clinical implications for early intervention are discussed.

Parenting Stress and Language Development in Children: Associations in Angelman Syndrome and Down Syndrome

One of the defining characteristics of neurogenetic syndromes such as Angelman syndrome (AS) and Down syndrome (DS) is delayed language development. Although it is commonly reported that parenting stress is associated with language development, these associations have not been widely studied in AS and DS despite other research showing elevated stress levels in the parents of these children. To fi ll this gap in research, the present study examined how parenting stress relates to language production in children with AS and DS. Daylong recordings were obtained from 72 participants using a Language Environment Analysis recording device, which was then processed through an online program to produce vocal productivity scores. Parents of these participants filled out the Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition Short Form to report their stress levels. Using linear regression, data was analyzed to determine if there is an association between language levels and parenting stress in a low- risk (LR) group and if the magnitude of that association was stronger in either the AS group or the DS group than in the LR group. Results suggested trends toward negative associations between parenting stress and language levels, though the association was not statistically significant. Th e magnitude of these associations did not differ significantly between groups. Th is negative association should be examined more with larger sample sizes, as it is important to the future development of early intervention techniques for children with AS and DS and their families.

The utility of LENA as an indicator of developmental outcomes for young children with autism.

There is growing understanding of the potential benefits of a multi-method approach to accurately capture language skills of children on the autism spectrum. Tools such as Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) provide an efficient means of capturing and analysing early child vocalizations (CVs) and the language learning environment. While developed to capture whole-day recordings of child language in naturalistic settings, there is potential utility in capturing, but little knowledge about, primary LENA metrics-including CVs and conversational turns (CTs)-and novel metrics, such as vocalization ratios (VRs), sampled in clinical practice settings where children are often seen. Moreover, recent research indicates that the novel VR may offer a broad indicator of children's developmental level, beyond just their language abilities, a hypothesis yet to be investigated in a large sample of children for whom the LENA was designed (i.e., pre-schoolers). To explore the extent to which primary and novel LENA metrics collected during brief one-to-one clinical interaction was a useful indicator of developmental outcomes for children on the autism spectrum. Participants were recruited as part of an on-going research programme evaluating early intervention outcomes (n = 99; age 14-47 months). Language samples were collected at intake (T1) using the wearable LENA Digital Language Processors during a one-to-one, play-based assessment with a clinician. Direct (Mullen Scales of Early Learning-MSEL) and parent-report (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-VABS) measures of verbal and non-verbal skills were also collected at intake (T1) and again at exit (T2), approximately 12 months later. Few correlations were observed between child measures and CVs, a primary LENA metric. The novel VR metric was associated with concurrent direct assessment (MSEL) (and to a lesser extent parent report; VABS) measures of verbal and non-verbal skills, with moderate positive correlations found between VRs and all directly assessed subscale scores. However, VRs did not uniquely contribute to the prediction of child outcomes when baseline skills were also considered. The novel VR may provide an insight into autistic children's overall development in addition to their language ability, suggesting that even when collected in a short recording format, LENA might be a useful component of a multi-method assessment approach. What is already known on the subject To accurately capture language skills of children on the autism spectrum, multi-method approaches, including natural language sampling, are recommended. Tools such as LENA provide an efficient means of capturing and analysing naturalistic child language and the language learning environment. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study demonstrates the potential benefits, and limitations, of using LENA to augment assessment of young children on the autism spectrum. Specifically, LENA provides a complementary, and low burden, method for capturing child language samples. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Novel metrics, such as the VR, collected during brief clinical interactions might be a useful component of a multi-method assessment approach for children on the autism spectrum.

Vocal Turn-Taking in Families With Children With and Without Hearing Loss.

Vocal turn-taking is an important predictor of language development in children with and without hearing loss. Most studies have examined vocal turn-taking in mother-child dyads without considering the multitalker context in a child's life. The present study investigates the quantity of vocal turns between deaf and hard-of-hearing children and multiple members of their social environment. Participants were 52 families with children who used hearing aids (HA, mean age 26.3 mo) or cochlear implants (CI, mean age 63.2 mo) and 27 families with normal-hearing (NH, mean age 26.6 mo) children. The Language ENvironment Analysis system estimated the number of conversational turns per hour (CTC/hr) between all family members (i.e., adult female, adult male, target child, and other child) during full-day recordings over a period of about 1 year. The CTC/hr was lower between the target child and the adult female or adult male in the CI compared with the HA and NH groups. Initially, CTC/hr was higher between the target child and the adult female than between the adult male or the other child. As the child's age increased, turn-taking between the target child and the adult female increased in comparison to that between the target child and the adult male. Over time, turn-taking between the target child and the other child increased and exceeded turn-taking between the target child and the adult caregivers. The increase was observed earlier in families with siblings compared with those without. The quantity of vocal turn-taking depends on the degree of child hearing loss and the relationship between the children and the members of their social environment. Longitudinally, the positive effect of an assistive device on the quantity of turns between the children and their family members was found. The effect was stronger in families with siblings.

Accuracy of the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) speech processing system in identifying communicative vocalizations of young children and adults

The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system is an automated audio processing system widely used for characterizing language behaviors of children and adults for clinical and basic research. While a number of studies have assessed LENA’s reliability, its accuracy at identifying and counting speech communicative events is still not well-characterized under a range of naturalistic conditions. In two studies, we examined accuracy of LENA's speech vocalization classifications, relative to human gold standard coding for audio events, as well as word and speech vocalization counts for adults and child utterances, respectively. We found that the weighted average of accurate classification of 100-msec frames by LENA for child speech, adult female speech, and adult male speech was 57%, 61%, and 57%, respectively. Further, an analysis of LENA’s ability to accurately discriminate frames of speech vocalizations from a “key child”—a child wearing the LENA device—from speech vocalizations of other child and adult talkers and sound sources showed that LENA correctly detected key child speech vocalization frames only 41% of the time. We are currently extending this research to examine the accuracy of LENA’s child vocalization count (CVC) and conversational turn count (CTC) measures.