Understanding communication in Black children who are late talkers

Characterizing Late Talker Communication with Black Caregivers

NIH-funded research University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11031093

This study is looking at how Black caregivers view their children's communication and language development when those kids are late talkers, aiming to better understand their experiences and avoid misdiagnosing them due to cultural differences.

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Texas at Austin NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Austin, United States)
Project IDNIH-11031093 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how Black caregivers perceive communication and language development in their children who are identified as late talkers. It aims to address the risk of misdiagnosis in Black children due to cultural differences in communication practices. By using video-cued ethnography, the study will gather qualitative insights from caregivers alongside quantitative assessments of the children's language skills. This mixed-methods approach will help create more culturally relevant criteria for identifying late talkers.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are Black children aged 0-11 years who are identified as late talkers, along with their caregivers.

Not a fit: Patients who do not identify as Black or who do not have concerns about late language emergence may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved assessment tools that accurately reflect the communication practices of Black families, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis for their children.

How similar studies have performed: While there is ongoing research into culturally responsive assessment practices, this specific approach focusing on Black caregivers' perspectives is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Austin, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.