Training Spanish-speaking caregivers to teach science vocabulary to young children with developmental language disorder
Official title: Caregiver Spanish Intervention Training for Children With Developmental Language Disorder
Run by Northern Arizona University · NCT07519629 · Data updated 2026-11-12
It sees if Spanish-speaking caregivers can use a short training plus either an app or books to teach science vocabulary to 4- to 6-year-old children with developmental language disorder.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 4 Years to 6 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 64 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Northern Arizona University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Flagstaff, Arizona) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 23, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 9, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07519629 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Spanish-speaking caregivers who spend daily time with a 4–6-year-old child who speaks at least 50% Spanish, has a DLD diagnosis confirmed by the BESA, passes a hearing screen, uses at least three-word utterances, and whose caregiver has a smartphone and fluency in Spanish.
✕Probably not a fit
Children who do not speak Spanish regularly, are outside the 4–6 age range, have intellectual disability or social communication disorder, lack sufficient spoken language, or whose caregivers are not fluent in Spanish or lack smartphone access are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Families with a Spanish-speaking caregiver and a child aged 4–6 with confirmed developmental language disorder are enrolled and randomized to use either an educational app or books after a brief caregiver training. Children complete language, speech, hearing, and science/vocabulary testing at baseline, midpoint, and endpoint across an 11-week protocol (3 weeks of testing and 8 weeks of intervention). Caregivers report language use and complete training, and interventions are delivered at home while testing can occur at home, school, or the university clinic. The study focuses on whether caregiver-mediated instruction can increase target vocabulary knowledge in a bilingual Spanish-speaking context.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help children with DLD learn more science vocabulary and give families practical tools to support language development at home.
How similar studies have gone: Caregiver-implemented vocabulary programs have shown benefits in monolingual contexts, but app-based and bilingual implementations for Spanish-speaking families are less well-established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Children: * age (4-6) and not have completed kindergarten prior to pretesting * pass a hearing screening to rule out hearing loss as a cause for language impairment * speak Spanish at least 50% of their day reported in BIOS * have a confirmed diagnosis of DLD via the BESA * not have a diagnosis of intellectual disability via Matrices subtest or social communication disorder via Social Communication Questionnaire * be able to speak with at least 3-word utterances Caregivers: * have access to a smart phone * spend time with the child participant daily * speak fluent Spanish Exclusion Criteria: \-
Where it's running
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NAU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Lindsey A Hiebert, Ph.D.
- Email: Lindsey.Hiebert@nau.edu
- Phone: 928-523-2109
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.