Caregiver actions that support Spanish development in preschool bilingual children at risk for language disorder
Official title: Identifying Caregiver Behaviors that Promote Spanish Development in Preschool-aged Emergent Bilinguals at Risk for Developmental Language Disorder
Funded at University of Nevada Las Vegas · NIH-11328279 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at which everyday caregiver behaviors help Spanish-speaking preschoolers who are emergent bilinguals and may have Developmental Language Disorder keep and grow their home language.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Las Vegas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Vegas, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00DC021040-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11328279 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are preschool-aged emergent bilingual children (about 3–5 years old) with Spanish-dominant caregivers who have a diagnosis of or elevated risk for Developmental Language Disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Children who are monolingual English speakers, who are older than the preschool age range, or who do not have language difficulties are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
As a parent, this work focuses on the everyday ways caregivers talk and interact with preschool-aged Spanish-speaking children (ages 3–5) who are emergent bilinguals and may be at risk for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Researchers will analyze daylong bilingual audio recordings and observational data from two large parent-coaching trials using the Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) program to identify specific caregiver behaviors linked to stronger Spanish skills. The team will code caregiver speech and routines to see which actions are most helpful for maintaining and building the home language during the preschool years when English exposure often increases. Findings will inform caregiver-delivered approaches that could be used at home to support children's language development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help caregivers adopt specific, practical ways to support their child's Spanish development and long-term school and family outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous parent-coaching programs like PALS have shown language benefits in randomized trials, but using daylong bilingual recordings to identify caregiver behaviors that support Spanish in children with or at-risk for DLD is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
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University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Surrain, Sarah — University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Study coordinator: Surrain, Sarah
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.