Sex differences in language impairment and services for children and adults
Official title: Sex Differences in Language Impairment, Disability, and Service Receipt
Funded at Father Flanagan's Boys' Home · NIH-11591488 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study examines why girls with language impairment may receive fewer speech services than boys and what that means for treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Father Flanagan's Boys' Home NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boys Town, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $25,642 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DC021428-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11591488 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with developmental language disorder and their families, especially girls and their caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
If a patient has no language impairment or is not in the school-age range, they are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at who gets language services and why differences between girls and boys occur. Researchers will analyze academic records from over 1.6 million children to see if disability levels explain service use and whether girls experience later or different services. They will also explore how temperament relates to language impairment and whether this varies by sex, using data from children with developmental language disorder. The goal is to understand gaps in service delivery and what kinds of support might better meet girls’ and boys’ needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide educators and clinicians to reduce gender-based gaps in language services and tailor supports for children with language impairments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has highlighted gender differences in service receipt, but this project aims to clarify mechanisms and potential biases, making findings potentially novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Boys Town, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgregor, Karla — Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
- Study coordinator: Mcgregor, Karla
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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.