Examining how parent skills affect children's language development

Parent-Level Predictors of Early Language Interaction Quality and Intervention Outcomes

This study is testing how parents' language skills and awareness can help improve language development in children with language disorders and autism during early interventions.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 300 (estimated)
• Ages: 30 Months and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Madison, Wisconsin)
• Trial ID: NCT03525951 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial investigates the impact of parent-level predictors on early language interaction quality and intervention outcomes for children with language development disorders and autism spectrum disorder. The study involves parent-child dyads, focusing on how parental language skills and behavioral awareness influence the effectiveness of early language interventions. Participants will be grouped based on their children's developmental status, and the study will utilize remote data collection methods to assess language stimulation strategies and conversational turns between parents and children. The goal is to enhance intervention effectiveness by understanding these predictors.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are parents of children aged 2 to 4 years who are typically developing, at risk for developmental language disorder, or diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Not a fit: Patients who may not benefit from this study include those with significant developmental or acquired disorders beyond autism spectrum disorder or speech-language disorders.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to more effective early language interventions for children at risk of language development disorders.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success in using parent training to improve language outcomes in children, making this approach promising yet still requiring further exploration.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion - Parents

* Live in a Pennsylvania or New Jersey zip code that is within a 30-mile radius of Weiss Hall at Temple University (STUDY 1) or live in Wisconsin (STUDY 2).
* Have access to the internet and willingness to videoconference (STUDY 1 AND 2)

  a. If a family does not have an adequate digital device (e.g., smartphone only) to videoconference and complete testing, we might lend them a device.
* 18 or older (STUDY 1 AND 2)
* Be an adult parent able to consent for the child to participate in the study (parents in this study can include any caregiver who meets these criteria) (STUDY 1 AND 2)
* English dominant (at least 80%) (STUDY 1 AND 2)
* Have no self-reported diagnosed hearing loss (or no concerns if they have not been tested) (STUDY 1 AND 2).
* Have no reported disabling developmental or acquired disorders or impairments that might significantly affect their performance beyond autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or speech-language disorders (e.g., legal blindness, Down Syndrome, traumatic head injury, stroke) (STUDY 1 AND 2).

Inclusion - Children, Typically Developing Group (TD) (Study 1 and 2)

* age 1 year 4 months - 1 year 8 months 30 days at the start of testing
* English dominant (at least 80%)
* No parent-reported diagnosed hearing loss (or no concerns if the child has not been tested).
* Have typical language abilities as evidenced by meeting two criteria:

  1. Score above the 10th percentile on the Mac Arthur Communicative Development Inventories-Words and Sentences (CDI-WS; long form) Complexity section using sex-specific norms.
  2. Score above the 10th percentile on the CDI-WS (long form) Words Produced using sex-specific norms
* Meet cognitive inclusion criteria: Score greater than or equal to 81.25 standard score (-1.25 SD) on the Cognition subtest of the DAYC-2
* Have no parent reported disabling developmental or acquired disorders/impairments that might significantly affect their performance including speech- language disorders (e.g., ASD, DLD, cancer, stroke, legal blindness, intellectual disability, Down Syndrome, traumatic head injury, cerebral palsy, seizures, or a genetic condition associated with neurodevelopmental disability).
* Pass the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised with Follow-Up screener

Inclusion - Children, DLD Group (study 1 and 2)

* age 2 years 6 months - 4 years 0 months 0 days at the start of testing
* English dominant (at least 80%)
* No parent-reported diagnosed hearing loss (or no concerns if the child has not been tested).
* Qualify as at risk for persistent language disorder by meeting two criteria:

  1. Score at or below the 10th percentile on the Mac Arthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory-III (CDI-III) Sentences section using sex-specific norms. For children over 37 mos., score must be less than or equal to the 10th percentile equivalent for 37 mos.
  2. Score at or below the 10th percentile on the CDI-III Vocabulary section using sex-specific norms. For children over 37 mos., score must be less than or equal to the 10th percentile equivalent for 37 mos. The child must also produce at least 10 different words on either the CDI-III or CDI-Words and Sentences (CDI-WS long form).
* Meet cognitive inclusion criteria: Score greater than or equal to 70 standard score (-2 SD) on the Cognition subtest of the DAYC-2 (Voress et al., 2012).
* Have no parent reported disabling developmental or acquired disorders/impairments that might significantly affect their performance beyond speech- language disorders (e.g., ASD, cancer, stroke, legal blindness, intellectual disability, Down Syndrome, traumatic head injury, cerebral palsy, seizures, or a genetic condition associated with neurodevelopmental disability other than DLD).
* Pass the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised with Follow-Up screener

Inclusion - Children, DLD+ASD Group (STUDY 2)

* 2 years 6 months - 4 years 0 months 0 days at the start of testing
* English dominant (at least 80%)
* No parent-reported diagnosed hearing loss (or no concerns if the child has not been tested).
* Have received ASD diagnosis from a healthcare professional prior to beginning the study.
* Qualify as at risk for persistent language disorder by meeting two criteria:

  1. Score at or below the 10th percentile on the Mac Arthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory-III (CDI-III) Sentences section using sex-specific norms.

     For children over 37 mos., score must be less than or equal to the 10th percentile equivalent for 37 mos.
  2. Score at or below the 10th percentile on the CDI-III Vocabulary section using sex-specific norms. For children over 37 mos., score must be less than or equal to the 10th percentile equivalent for 37 mos. The child must also produce at least 10 different words on either the CDI-III or CDI-Words and Sentences (CDI-WS long form).
* Meet cognitive inclusion criteria: Score greater than or equal to 70 standard score (-2 SD) on the Cognition subtest of the DAYC-2 (Voress et al., 2012).
* Have no parent reported disabling developmental or acquired disorders/impairments that might significantly affect their performance beyond speech-language disorders or ASD (e.g., cancer, stroke, legal blindness, intellectual disability, Down Syndrome, traumatic head injury, cerebral palsy, seizures, or a genetic condition associated with neurodevelopmental disability other than ASD/DLD).

Where this trial is running

Madison, Wisconsin

• University of Wisconsin — Madison, Wisconsin, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Rebecca M Alper, Ph.D., CCC-SLP — University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Study coordinator: Rebecca M Alper, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Conditions Language Development Disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorder