Linking phonological and morpho-syntactic patterns in children with language disorders
A Developmental Framework For Linking Phonological And Morpho-syntactic Sequential Pattern Rules In Developmental Language Disorder: Production
This study is testing how well children with language disorders, aged 4 to 8, can learn sounds and word patterns to help create better ways to support their language development.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Ages | 4 Years to 8 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Father Flanagan's Boys' Home Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Tucson, Arizona and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT04558541 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This clinical study aims to explore the connection between phonological and morphological deficits in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) by assessing their ability to learn sequential patterns. The research combines insights from linguistics and language acquisition to develop a framework for understanding how these deficits may be linked. Children aged 4 to 8 years, including those with DLD and speech sound disorders, will undergo a series of assessments to evaluate their sensitivity to phonological rules and semantic category cues. The goal is to create earlier assessments and more effective interventions for children with language impairments.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are children aged 4 to 8 years with developmental language disorder, speech sound disorder, or typically developing children who meet specific cognitive and hearing criteria.
Not a fit: Patients who may not benefit from this study include those with intellectual disabilities or autism, as they do not meet the eligibility criteria.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved assessment tools and interventions for children with developmental language disorders.
How similar studies have performed: While the approach of linking phonological and morphological learning is innovative, similar studies have shown promise in understanding language acquisition in children.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Because clinical precision is required, 4- to 8-year-olds will complete a large test battery. * All children (TD, DLD, DLD + SSD, SSD) will score above 75 on the Nonverbal Scale of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II), which is above the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual cut-off for intellectual disability, even considering the standard error of measurement. * Hearing will be within normal limits * Oral structures will be within normal limits (Robbins \& Klee, 1987). * The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (Schopler et al., 2010) and parent report, will be used to rule out autism. Children with DLD will meet standard criteria. * Children with DLD will score below the cutoff of 87 on the Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test-P2 (SPELT-P2; Dawson et al., 2005) that has demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for DLD. * Children with DLD will perform below 80% in their spontaneous production of finite verb morphemes. * Performance on a nonword repetition task will also support DLD status. Scores below 70% for total phonemes correct across all nonword lengths are greater than 1 SD below the mean for typical children. * Speech production skills will be measured via the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-3 (GFTA-3; Goldman \& Fristoe, 2015) and the inconsistency subtest of the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP, Dodd, et al., 2006). Many 4- to 6-year-old children with DLD are expected to perform below expected levels on the GFTA-3; for this study half of the children with DLD will show performance below expected levels and half above a standard score of 85. Children with SSD will show impaired performance on the GFTA-3, but typical performance on grammatically weighted language measures (SPELT-P2 and finite verb morphemes). The DEAP serves as a standardized measure of segmental inconsistency and will provide a post hoc analysis that may be related to sequence pattern variability. Performance on the following measures will serve as covariates and will not be exclusionary for DLD or SSD: * Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th ed (Dunn \& Dunn, 1997) * Expressive Vocabulary Test, 2nd ed (Williams, 1997) * Verbal and nonverbal memory span. * Because of the emphasis on English phonological and morpho-syntactic patterns, all participants will be monolingual English learners or report dominant exposure to English from infancy. Exposure to other languages will be documented. Exclusion Criteria for all participants: * Hearing impairment * Intellectual impairment * Autism * Significant motor impairment. Typical participants will be excluded if they show: -Histories of developmental, speech, language, or hearing disorders.
Where this trial is running
Tucson, Arizona and 1 other locations
- University of Arizona — Tucson, Arizona, United States (Recruiting)
- Boys Town National Research Hospital — Omaha, Nebraska, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Lisa Goffman, PhD
- Email: lisa.goffman@boystown.org
- Phone: 531-355-5038
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.