Language Skills In Young Children Research Articles

Effects of Screen Time and Phonemic Segmentation in School Going Children

Background: The rapid proliferation of digital devices has significantly altered children's exposure to screen time, raising questions about its impact on their cognitive and language development. Previous research has indicated both potential benefits and drawbacks of screen time, particularly concerning phonological awareness and language skills in young children. This study seeks to explore the relationship between screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities, a critical component of phonological awareness, in school-going children. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the amount of screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities in children aged 4 to 7 years, accounting for variables such as age, gender, and parental education levels. Methods: Conducted at the Department of Speech and Language Pathology, PSRD College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Lahore, this study utilized a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 253 children from various schools. The inclusion criteria were children with normal speech and language development who had exposure to digital devices, excluding those with phonological disorders or developmental delays. The YOPP-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation was employed to assess phonemic awareness. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, with ANOVA and Pearson Correlation tests to examine the relationship between screen time and phonemic awareness. Results: Among the participants, 56.1% were in kindergarten, with a gender distribution of 40.3% male and 59.7% female. Parental education varied, with 34.8% holding bachelor's degrees and 24.5% having M.Phil. qualifications. The majority of children (51.8%) reported 1 hour of screen time daily. The ANOVA test revealed no significant difference in phonemic segmentation abilities across different screen time durations (F=.526, p=.665). However, a Pearson Correlation analysis indicated a slight, non-significant positive correlation between screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities (r=.110, p=.080). Conclusion: The study suggests that the amount of screen time, within certain limits, is not significantly associated with phonemic segmentation abilities in children aged 4 to 7 years. These findings highlight the complexity of screen time's impact on language development, suggesting that factors beyond the duration of screen exposure, such as content quality and parental involvement, may play critical roles.

The Impact of Using the Noorani Qaida on Developing Young Children’s Language Skills at Kindergartens in Al-Ahsa Governorate from the Noorani Qaida Teachers’ Perspective

The study aims to investigate the impact of using the Noorani Qaida on developing language skills in young children attending kindergartens in Al-Ahsa Governorate from the perspective of Noorani Qaida teachers. To achieve the study's objective, a mixed-method approach was used to diversify data collection methods, including surveys and interviews. The sequential explanatory design was chosen as a type of mixed-methods research. In the first stage, quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to all the Noorani Qaida teachers in Al-Ahsa Governorate, totaling 30 teachers. In the second stage, qualitative data were collected through interviews with nine teachers to help interpret the quantitative results. The study results indicated that the impact of using the Noorani Qaida on developing language skills in young children attending kindergartens in Al-Ahsa Governorate from the perspective of Noorani Qaida teachers was significant with an average score of 4.07. The impact was highest on listening skills, with an average score of 4.41, followed by reading skills, with an average score of 4.01, both in the high range. Speaking skills ranked third with an average score of 3.99 in the high range. Writing skills ranked lowest with an average score of 3.86, still in the high range. The study recommended implementing the Noorani Qaida in kindergartens.

Efektivitas Pembelajaran Kontekstual berbasis Outing Class dalam Mengembangkan Kemampuan Berbahasa pada Anak Usia Dini

Outing class-based contextual learning in developing language skills in young children needs to be done to avoid boredom in the learning process. Outing class learning provides an opportunity to express children's language skills. This research aims to determine the effectiveness of outing class-based contextual learning in improving early childhood language development. This type of research is qualitative research. The results of this research indicate that the outing class learning method is effectively applied in contextual learning to improve aspects of language development in early childhood. In the new normal period, this method is suitable to be applied in learning because it can eliminate the boredom of studying during the pandemic and can add direct experience so that it can improve children's language skills.

2 Effects of Early Exposure to More Than One Language in the Home on Language Skills and Brain Functional Network Organization in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objective:Concerns that exposure to more than one language in the home might negatively impact language development in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common among caregivers. Although research directly examining the impact of a multilingual home environment in ASD is scarce, emerging evidence shows that language outcomes might be equivalent or better in children with ASD exposed to more than one language (Romero & Uddin, 2021). However, no evidence to date exists on whether exposure to more than one language affects early brain functional development in children with ASD. The current study aims to examine the (1) cross-sectional and (2) longitudinal associations between home language environment (exposure to one v. multiple languages at home, H1l vs. H>1l) and receptive and expressive language skills in young children with and without ASD, and (3) to investigate links between home language environment and brain functional network organization.Participants and Methods:Participants included young children with ASD (n=67, mean age: 35±13 months, H>1l n=43) and typically developing (TD) children (n=39, mean age: 32±16 months, H>1l n=17) enrolled in a longitudinal study of early brain markers of autism. A subset of children with ASD for whom longitudinal behavioral data from two study visits were available (n=21, H>1l n=11) were used for exploratory analysis. Receptive language (RL) and expressive language (EL) skills were assessed by the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at each study visit. Data from 42 children with ASD (H>1l n=27) and 38 TD children (H>1l n= 15) for whom functional MRI data were acquired during natural sleep were included in functional connectivity (FC) analysis. ANCOVAs were employed to examine the effect of diagnosis, home language environment (H1l vs. H>1l) and its interaction on RL and EL skills while controlling for socioeconomic variables (i.e., maternal education level, income-to-needs ratio) and gestational age at birth. Linear mixed models were applied to explore the longitudinal effect of home language environment on RL and EL skills across two study visits in the ASD group. Lastly, FC analysis was conducted to compare functional connectivity across 7 canonical brain networks in children with and without ASD who were raised in H1l and H>1l.Results:We found significant diagnosis by home language environment interaction effect on EL skills, with children with ASD and H1l exhibiting the lowest EL skills. Longitudinal analysis identified a significant home language environment by study visit interaction effect on EL skills in children with ASD. Specifically, children with ASD and H1l showed lower EL skills at study visit 1 but equivalent EL skills at study visit 2 compared to children with ASD and H>1l. FC analysis revealed that children with ASD and H>1l displayed more typical brain network organization (similar to TD children) compared to those with H1l, specifically for FC between language, frontoparietal, and default mode networks.Conclusions:These results suggest that early exposure to more than one language in the home may be linked with better expressive language skills in young children with ASD. Results of functional connectivity analysis also suggest that exposure to more than one language may be associated with more neurotypical functional network organization, particularly involving language and high-order networks.

Early cochlear implantation supports narrative skills of children with prelingual single-sided deafness

Prelingual single-sided deafness (SSD) not only affects children’s hearing skills, but can also lead to speech-language delays and academic underachievement. Early cochlear implantation leads to improved spatial hearing, but the impact on language development is less studied. In our longitudinal study, we assessed the language skills of young children with SSD and a cochlear implant (CI). In particular, we investigated their narrative skills in comparison to two control groups: children with SSD without a CI, and children with bilateral normal hearing. We found that children with SSD and a CI performed in line with their normal-hearing peers with regard to narrative and verbal short-term memory skills. Children with SSD without a CI had worse narrative (group difference = − 0.67, p = 0.02) and verbal short-term memory (group difference = − 0.68, p = 0.03) scores than the implanted group. Verbal short-term memory scores and grammar scores each correlated positively with narrative scores across all groups. Early grammar scores (at 2–3 years of age) could partially predict later narrative scores (at 4–6 years of age). These results show that young children with prelingual SSD can benefit from early cochlear implantation to achieve age-appropriate language skills. They support the provision of a CI to children with prelingual SSD.

Strategi Guru Terhadap Bahasa Reseptif Anak Usia Dini

The research background is that receptive language skills are essential for young children's ability to retell, follow rules, and carry out instructions. This is crucial because it facilitates a child's communication and interaction with their surroundings, supporting the learning process when conducted with teachers. The research objective is to determine the strategies used by teachers to enhance the receptive language skills of young children at SPS Dahlia 64 in Kalisat, Jember Regency. The research is of a qualitative descriptive nature, utilizing data collection techniques such as observation, interviews, and documentation. The research findings regarding the strategies employed by teachers include familiarization activities, storytelling, listening to stories and watching videos, using engaging teaching aids, incorporating movement and songs, promoting collaborative activities, allowing children to choose their own activities so they can discuss what they have done, providing picture books, and engaging in question-and-answer sessions. Teachers also establish closeness with children and reach mutual agreements. They frequently encourage children to talk and involve them in activities, such as asking them to pick up or place objects. In conclusion, teachers employ strategies to stimulate the receptive language skills of young children through a communicative approach, engaging activities with appealing and enjoyable media, making it easier for children to express themselves and communicate their thoughts when interacting with others.

Developmental Play Skills as Outcomes of Early Intervention.

Play is critical in the development of cognitive and language skills in young children with autism; however, few studies have examined the impact of the intervention on the development of play skills. The current study aims to address the change in developmental skills, including play after participation in the JASPER intervention, and to examine the initiation of joint attention as a moderator of the effect of treatment on changes in play skills. The study included 109 preschool-age children who participated in the JASPER intervention and examined changes in developmental skills, including play skills. Children who received JASPER improved significantly in both play diversity (F(1,99) = 4.89, p = 0.029, ES = 0.22) and complexity (F(1,98) = 5.21, p = 0.025; ES = 0.23) compared to children in control conditions. These gains in play skills were associated with concurrent improvements in cognition and communication skills. Additionally, children with more initiations of joint attention skills at entry made greater progress in play diversity (F(1,97) = 15.85, p < 0.001 ES = 0.40) and complexity (p = 0.096). Play and joint attention skills are critical intervention targets and outcomes for children with autism.

Arcuate fasciculus and pre-reading language development in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) contributes to widespread neurodevelopmental challenges, including reading, and has been associated with altered white matter. Here, we aimed to investigate whether arcuate fasciculus (AF) development is associated with pre-reading language skills in young children with PAE. A total of 51 children with confirmed PAE (25 males; 5.6 ± 1.1 years) and 116 unexposed controls (57 males; 4.6 ± 1.2 years) underwent longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), for a total of 111 scans from participants with PAE and 381 scans in the unexposed control group. We delineated the left and right AF and extracted mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Pre-reading language ability was assessed using age-standardized phonological processing (PP) and speeded naming (SN) scores of the NEPSY-II. Linear mixed effects models were run to determine the relationship between diffusion metrics and age, group, sex, and age-by-group interactions, with subject modeled as a random factor. A secondary mixed effect model analysis assessed the influence of white matter microstructure and PAE on pre-reading language ability using diffusion metric-by-age-by-group interactions, with 51 age- and sex-matched unexposed controls. Phonological processing (PP) and SN scores were significantly lower in the PAE group (p < 0.001). In the right AF, there were significant age-by-group interactions for FA (p < 0.001) and MD (p = 0.0173). In the left AF, there was a nominally significant age-by-group interaction for MD that failed to survive correction (p = 0.0418). For the pre-reading analysis, a significant diffusion-by-age-by-group interaction was found for left FA (p = 0.0029) in predicting SN scores, and for the right FA (p = 0.00691) in predicting PP scores. Children with PAE showed altered developmental trajectories for the AF, compared with unexposed controls. Children with PAE, regardless of age, showed altered brain-language relationships that resembled those seen in younger typically developing children. Our findings support the contention that altered developmental trajectories in the AF may be associated with functional outcomes in young children with PAE.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Low SES Kindergarteners' Language Abilities.

Young children's language skills have a significant positive impact on their academic success throughout school, especially on reading and writing performance. The spread of COVID-19, which has resulted in lockdowns, fewer learning hours in kindergarten, and distance learning, might have affected children's exposure to learning opportunities. The aim of the current study was to compare language abilities (vocabulary and morphological awareness) of two groups of low SES kindergarteners, 110 children who attended seven kindergartens before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 54 children who attended eight kindergartens during the COVID-19 pandemic. While both groups followed the same educational program with the same teachers, the pre-COVID-19 group studied in kindergarten before the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions, in 2018-2019, and the mid-COVID-19 group, during the pandemic, in 2020. The results showed that the mid-COVID-19 group of children achieved lower scores on morphological awareness (d = 0.46 to d = 1.19, p = .006 to p < .001), pointing to a negative developmental effect of COVID-19 on young children's language abilities. Educational implications of the results are discussed.

Executive functioning and spoken language skills in young children with hearing aids and cochlear implants: Longitudinal findings.

Deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) children who use auditory-oral communication display considerable variability in spoken language and executive functioning outcomes. Furthermore, language and executive functioning skills are strongly associated with each other in DHH children, which may be relevant for explaining this variability in outcomes. However, longitudinal investigations of language and executive functioning during the important preschool period of development in DHH children are rare. This study examined the predictive, reciprocal associations between executive functioning and spoken language over a 1-year period in samples of 53 DHH and 59 typically hearing (TH) children between ages 3–8 years at baseline. Participants were assessed on measures of receptive spoken language (vocabulary, sentence comprehension, and following spoken directions) and caregiver-completed executive functioning child behavior checklists during two in-person home visits separated by 1 year. In the sample of DHH children, better executive functioning at baseline (Time 1) was associated with better performance on the higher-order language measures (sentence comprehension and following spoken directions) 1 year later (Time 2). In contrast, none of the Time 1 language measures were associated with better executive functioning in Time 2 in the DHH sample. TH children showed no significant language-executive functioning correlations over the 1-year study period. In regression analyses controlling for Time 1 language scores, Time 1 executive functioning predicted Time 2 language outcomes in the combined DHH and TH samples, and for vocabulary, that association was stronger in the DHH than in the TH sample. In contrast, after controlling for Time 1 executive functioning, none of the regression analyses predicting Time 2 executive functioning from Time 1 language were statistically significant. These results are the first findings to demonstrate that everyday parent-rated executive functioning behaviors predict basic (vocabulary) and higher-order (comprehension, following directions) spoken language development 1 year later in young (3–8 year old) DHH children, even after accounting for initial baseline language skills.

Examining the relationship between oral language skills and executive functions: Evidence from Greek-speaking 4–5-year-old children with and without Developmental Language Disorder

BackgroundChildren with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) have been found to demonstrate low performance in Executive Functions (EFs). However, the evidence-based data is so far scarce, especially for 4–5-year-old children. Most of the existing research involves English-speaking populations, while very few studies have been carried out with non-English-speaking populations. Nevertheless, it is documented that possible differences in the language-cognition relations may exist due to the specific characteristics of each language, and studies across different languages could contribute to the above. AimsThe present study aimed to systematically investigate the profile of oral language and EF skills (verbal and nonverbal) and the way these skills are related with each other in 4–5-year-old Greek-speaking children with and without DLD. Methods and proceduresFifty-three 4–5-year-old children (age range: 51– 57 months) with DLD, and 62 Typically Developing (TD) peers (age range: 51– 57 months) were assessed on a standardized psychometric battery for oral language skills (phonological and morphological awareness, oral language comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, narrative speech and pragmatics) and on a series of verbal (v) and nonverbal (nv) tasks tapping EFs skills (updating-accuracy, inhibition –accuracy and reaction time-, and cognitive flexibility). Outcomes and resultsChildren with DLD demonstrated statistically significant lower performance across all oral language measures in comparison to their TD peers. Additionally, they performed significantly lower in the updating (nv) task, as well as in cognitive flexibility (v & nv) in comparison to the TD group. Further regression analyses demonstrated that updating (nv), inhibition (nv) and cognitive flexibility (v) predicted oral language comprehension in children with DLD while updating (v & nv), inhibition-reaction time (nv) and cognitive flexibility (v & nv) predicted phonological and morphological awareness, oral language comprehension, narrative speech as well as total language score in TD children. Conclusions and implicationsThese results provide important information about the profile of oral language and EF skills in children with DLD compared to their TD peers as well as on the relationship of these skills in both groups. The findings also suggest that improving EFs skills may be a possible way for improving oral language skills in young children with DLD. Our findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical as well as practical implications regarding the diagnostic and intervention procedures for children with DLD.

The ASCEND study: protocol for a feasibility study to evaluate an early social communication intervention for young children with Down syndrome

BackgroundDown syndrome is the most common cause of learning disability, affecting approximately 1 in every 700 babies. Children with Down syndrome have particular difficulties with speech and language. This makes it challenging for them to participate fully in life, access healthcare services and educational opportunities. Improving the language skills of young children with Down syndrome is vital for their future social and emotional well-being and behaviour, and consequently contribution to society. As Down syndrome is detected before or at birth, we can provide support from early on. There are currently no standard interventions for improving the language skills of children with Down syndrome under the age of 36 months. Evidence suggests that early parent-based interventions may be effective in improving language outcomes. In partnership with parents and speech and language therapists, we have co-developed an intervention focusing on early social communication skills and our preliminary work shows that it can lead to better language in children with Down syndrome. Our aim is to carry out a feasibility study which will inform a future pilot/full trial to test whether the intervention is effective in improving language skills before children with Down syndrome start school.MethodsThis is a two-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 randomisation stratified by trial site comparing the intervention (plus standard NHS speech and language therapy) with no intervention (standard NHS speech and language therapy only). We aim to recruit between 25 and 30 children with Down syndrome aged between 11 and 36 months. Sites are defined by the geographical boundaries of three National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. Recruitment is from NHS Speech and Language Therapist caseloads within the 3 Trusts, and self-referral. In the intervention arm, parents/guardians will receive brief training on the parent-based intervention and a manual to follow with their child for 10 weeks. The children’s language and early communication skills and family health outcomes will be assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline, post-intervention and 6 month follow-up. Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews will explore the acceptability of the intervention to parents and SLTs.DiscussionThe feasibility study’s outcomes will determine whether it would be viable to progress to a full-trial and whether adjustments need to made to the procedures, data collection methods, intervention delivery and the intensity of support needed. We want to assess whether our early intervention can be delivered and rolled out through NHS Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Services. We anticipate that NHS SLT Services will need to make ongoing changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is likely that we will need to make adjustments for the definitive trial. We will also calculate descriptive statistics of the language outcome measure which we will use for any future sample size calculation.Trial registrationISRCTN13902755. Registered on 25 August 2020. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13902755

Shared Interactive Book Reading Interventions for Young Children With Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Purpose Shared interactive book reading (SIBR) is an evidence-based practice for young children who are typically developing and those with developmental disabilities or considered at risk for developmental delays. The purpose of this review was to provide a comprehensive examination of the evidence of using SIBR to facilitate growth in language skills for young children with developmental disabilities and/or delays. Specifically, authors examined the descriptive characteristics, study rigor, and effect sizes for language and literacy outcomes. Method We extracted data from studies meeting specified criteria (n = 23) published in peer-reviewed journals on a wide range of variables, including participant characteristics, setting, training/coaching, defined independent and dependent variables, study rigor, and overall outcomes. Descriptive and study rigor data were aggregated using descriptive statistics. Effect-size estimates were calculated for all child outcomes related to language. Results Descriptive data were variable across studies. Three single-case experimental design and three group design studies met design standards without reservations. Single-case experimental design studies overall showed positive effects on child language and communication. Within group design studies, expressive language outcomes showed the largest effect sizes. Conclusion A review of SIBR studies indicates this as a viable intervention to positively impact the language skills of young children with developmental disabilities and/or delays. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16674355.

Influence of Teachers’ Subject Competence and Teaching Experience on Use of Instructional Strategies to Enhance Pupils Literacy Skills in Busia County, Kenya

Language skills in young children provides a foundation to a better acquisition of cognitive, social, physical and emotional skills useful in the later years of life for children. It also enhances smooth transition, performance, and retention and completion rate in school for children. The paper presents findings from a study conducted to establish the influence of teacher’s subject competence and teaching experience on use of instructional strategies to enhance development of literacy skills in children in lower grade in Nambale Sub-county, Busia County Kenya. It is paramount to generate evidence based understanding of the primary role of teachers for language in enhancing children’s literacy skills to improve their chances of acquiring quality and inclusive education later in life. Researchers aimed to establish the influence of teacher’s subject competence and teaching experience during foundation level at which children should primarily acquire basic literacy skills to facilitate a smooth transition to later grades.

Teaching the Teachers About Language Support Strategies: Effects on Young Children's Language Development.

The feeling thinking talking (FTT) intervention was designed because early childhood seems to be a prime time for fostering young children's language skills. This intervention involved teaching teachers from N = 28 kindergarten groups in N = 13 German kindergartens language support strategies (LSS) to be used in everyday conversations with the children in their care. The FTT intervention was evaluated in a business-as-usual control group design with N = 281 children (mean age = 49.82 months, range = 33-66 months at T1, mixed SES) who were individually tested using objective tests on grammar, vocabulary and working memory before (T1) and after the FTT intervention (T2), and in a follow-up about one year after T1 (T3). After propensity matching was applied, multilevel models demonstrated that the children taught by the intervention group teachers made faster progress in their understanding of sentences, their application of morphological rules, and their memory for sentences when numerous covariates (child age, gender, behavioral self-regulation, multilingual upbringing, and family SES) were controlled. Results suggest that complex language processing abilities in young children can be promoted by a teacher-led intervention in early childhood education. Improved language skills will further all children's academic and social success in school.

Predicting Expressive Language From Early Vocalizations in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Which Vocal Measure Is Best?

Purpose This study was designed to test the incremental validity of more expensive vocal development variables relative to less expensive variables for predicting later expressive language in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We devote particular attention to the added value of coding the quality of vocalizations over the quantity of vocalizations because coding quality adds expense to the coding process. We are also interested in the added value of more costly human-coded vocal variables relative to those generated through automated analyses. Method Eighty-seven children with ASD aged 13-30 months at study initiation participated. For quantity of vocalizations, we derived one variable from human coding of brief communication samples and one from an automated process for daylong naturalistic audio samples. For quality of vocalizations, we derived four human-coded variables and one automated variable. A composite expressive language measure was derived at study entry, and 6 and 12 months later. The 12 months-centered intercept of a simple linear growth trajectory was used to quantify later expressive language. Results When statistically controlling for human-coded or automated quantity of vocalization variables, human-coded quality of vocalization variables exhibited incremental validity for predicting later expressive language skills. Human-coded vocal variables also predicted later expressive language skills when controlling for the analogous automated vocal variables. Conclusion In sum, these findings support devoting resources to human coding of the quality of vocalizations from communication samples to predict later expressive language skills in young children with ASD despite the greater costs of deriving these variables. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12276458.

Building strong foundations for educational achievement: Language assessments in early childhood education for deaf and hard of hearing children

AbstractIt is widely accepted that assessment plays a role in monitoring the development of young children with special needs in early intervention/early childhood settings. The process of assessing young children's language skills often looks for delays within a solid language foundation. However, many children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) may not have a solid language foundation to assess, leading to inaccurate assessment. When we reframe how we assess language skills in children who are DHH, we ensure the assessment provides a comprehensive picture of the child's language development. It is important to modify language assessment tools where necessary while ensuring the assessment stays reliable and valid. It is critical to use multiple assessment tools to monitor the child's progress, including standardized assessments and assessment tools normed for DHH populations. Finally, it is crucial to monitor the child's skills in each language that they are using, regardless of which language is used most often. We explain why each of these factors needs to be considered in the assessment of young children who are DHH, will discuss the challenges of assessing this population, and will provide solutions to some of the challenges of assessing language skills in of young children who are DHH.

The effect of linguistic comprehension instruction on generalized language and reading comprehension skills: A systematic review.

The effect of linguistic comprehension instruction on generalized language and reading comprehension skills: A systematic review.

Heart rate mean and variability as a biomarker for phenotypic variation in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder.

Interest in autonomic arousal in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing; however, reliability of these measures in ASD is unknown, and previously reported associations with social and cognitive abilities are inconsistent. This study assesses heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) in preschoolers with ASD or typical development (TD) while they passively watched naturalistic videos. Measurement reliability, group differences, and the relationship with social and cognitive abilities were evaluated. Seventy one ASD and 66 TD children (2-4 years) provided cardiac data from two sessions. Test-retest intraclass correlations of HR and HRV over a 3-week period were moderate to good in both groups. Groups did not differ in mean level of HR or HRV. Intra-individual variability of HR between video segments within a session was higher in the ASD group, but intraclass correlations of this metric were low. Higher HR related to better language skills in TD children, but not after accounting for age and nonverbal ability. Higher HRV related to better expressive and receptive language in ASD children after controlling for age and nonverbal ability. HR/HRV were not related to social or executive functioning skills and did not explain any additional variance in abilities at a 12-month follow-up visit. In summary, variation in language abilities is associated with HR in the TD group and HRV in the ASD group. While preliminary, these results are promising for consideration of autonomic control as a biomarker for individual differences in ASD and may help us understand the mechanisms that contribute to communication skills. Autism Research 2019, 12: 39-52. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Cardiac activity, such as heart rate and heart rate variability, is linked to a wide range of psychological functions. This study shows that there is an association between heart rate and heart rate variability and language skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These results may help us understand what underlies individual differences in developmental abilities in young children with ASD.

Facilitated playgroups to promote speech and language skills of young children with communication delays: A pilot study

Family-centered practices that build caregiver capacity are a central focus of early intervention services for young children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of adapting the ‘Parents Interacting with Infants’ (PIWI) facilitated playgroup model to target effective communication strategies for parents of young children with communication delays. A concurrent multiple baseline across behaviors design with three parent–child dyads was used to determine the effects of the weekly facilitated playgroup model on parents’ successful implementation of communicative strategies and the effects on the children’s communication behaviors. Visual analysis revealed a functional relationship between the seven-week intervention and an increase in parent and child outcomes. Results support the feasibility of using a facilitated playgroup model to enhance parents’ ability to implement effective communication strategies with their children. Clinical implications and future directions for research are discussed.