1,721,001 research outputs found
Early Social Communication Behaviors and Their Relationship with Later Social Orienting and Joint Attention Behaviors in Young Children with Autism
Get PDFInfants and toddlers with autism exhibit early social communication deficits, specifically in the exhibition of social orienting and joint attention. The current study examined the social communication behaviors in children at age three who had been identified previously as either at-risk for autism or who were typically developing. The parents of all the children completed the First Year Inventory (FYI), which is designed to screen infants from the general population for risk of autism. A sample of these infants were given follow-up measures at age three and were evaluated using a coding system quantifying the social communication behaviors children exhibited during the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) evaluation. The relationship between early social communication behaviors reported by parents at 12-months, and later manifestations of these behaviors at age three were examined. Although results did not suggest a relationship between the two time points, limitations of the current study, as well as future steps, are discussed
Examination of Joint Attention and Oromotor Imitation in Young Children
Get PDFPurpose: This study examined the relationship between joint attention ability and oromotor imitation skill in three groups of young children using both nonverbal oral and verbal motor imitation tasks. Research questions addressed a) differences among joint attention and oromotor imitation abilities; b) the relationship between independently measured joint attention and oromotor imitation, both nonverbal oral and verbal motor; c) the relationship between concurrent joint attention and verbal motor imitation during interpersonal interaction; and d) the relationship between the sensory input demands (auditory, visual, and tactile) and oromotor imitation, both nonverbal oral and verbal motor. Method: A descriptive, nonexperimental design (Johnson & Christensen, 2000) was used to compare joint attention and oromotor skills of 3 groups of preschool-aged children: a group of 10 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a group of 6 children who were typically developing (TD), and a group of 6 children with suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech (sCAS) or apraxic-like symptoms. Results: Concurrent joint attention, but not independently measured joint attention, and total verbal motor imitation were strong predictors of group membership. Children with ASD demonstrated a significantly lower group mean on the measure of concurrent joint attention as compared to typically developing children and children with suspected CAS. On nonverbal oral tasks, the highest group means were in the tactile (auditory + visual + tactile) modality while the lowest group means were in the auditory modality (auditory only). Children with suspected CAS demonstrated a significantly lower group mean on the measure of verbal motor imitation as compared to typically developing children. Although not significant, other predicted patterns of abilities across groups of children were observed. Conclusions: The current study results indicate that children with ASD had difficulties with both social and cognitive demands of oromotor imitation within a natural environment that demanded cross-modal processing of incoming stimuli within an interpersonal interaction. Patterns of joint attention ability and oromotor imitation skill generally supported the hypotheses of group differences. Further research is needed to determine whether these findings will generalize more broadly
A Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Vocabulary Approach for Young Latino Dual Language Learners
Get PDFThis dissertation document includes three separate articles that share a single focus: the development, implementation and assessment of a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive (CLR) English vocabulary approach for young dual language learners (DLLs). The first article reviews and integrates insights from different bodies of the existing literature into a cohesive theoretical framework to inform the development of a CLR vocabulary approach for young DLLs; the second article reports results of a randomized study of the CLR approach that adds to the existing research literature on theoretically and evidence based vocabulary approaches to support vocabulary development in Latino preschool DLLs; and the third article is a translational research article that provides practical guidance to early childhood professionals on how to incorporate CLR instructional strategies into vocabulary approaches for preschool DLLs. These articles are responsive to the need for further research in this area and therefore partially fill the research gap in the development of evidence-based vocabulary approaches for this population. Through each article, conclusions and recommendations are provided for future research directions as well as to guide the delivery of effective instructional approaches that meet the unique learning needs of preschool DLLs.Doctor of Philosoph
The relationship of mealtime communication and oral-motor feeding skills to later language skills in premature infants
Get PDFBoth clinical and theoretical assumptions exist across disciplines which suggest that early feeding skills may be precursors to later speech and language skills. An additional question that has remained unclear is whether an altered trajectory of early feeding and oral motor skills development sets an infant on a path for altered or disordered speech and language development. The literature is also unclear in determining if there is a link between early feeding communicative behaviors and later speech and language skills. In order to better understand these relationships the current study examined infant communication during feeding and nonfeeding interactions and oral-motor feeding skills at 6 months adjusted age and later language scores at 2 years of age in 42 premature African American infants. In addition, data for variables that put premature infants "at risk" for developmental delays as documented prior to discharge, as well as maternal responsiveness at 6 months adjusted age were explored for relationships between these "at risk" variables and later infant language scores. The results of the study revealed a significant predictive relationship between mealtime communication "red flags" at 6 months adjusted age and language scores on the Preschool Language Scale-4 (Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond, 2002) at 2 years of age. Analyses also identified a significant predictive relationship between mothers' global level of responsiveness during feeding and nonfeeding interactions and infant language scores at 2 years of age. Additionally, variables that put premature infants "at risk" for developmental delays as documented prior to hospital discharge were also found to be predictive of later language scores. These findings emphasize the potential importance of observing mealtime communication during interactions between African American premature infants and their caregivers. In addition, these findings document the need for further research on the oral-motor feeding problems that may be unique to formerly premature infants. Further, the current investigation reveals the value in examining premature infants' early communication development within the context of their family systems and interactions with caregivers
Examination of maternal language strategies during book sharing with infants and toddlers from low income and rural environments
Get PDFResearch indicates that maternal language plays a crucial role in children's communication development, however, less is known about the relationships between maternal language use and children's early communication abilities within families from low income and rural environments. In order to better understand these relationships the current study examined the structure and content of mothers' language use when children were 6 months of age and again when the children were 15 months of age, within a sample of 82 mothers and their children who were living in low income, rural environments. Maternal language use was documented during book sharing interactions within the home at each time point, and information regarding children's communication abilities was obtained at the 15 month time point. The main aims of the investigation were to identify whether differences occurred in maternal language use across the two time points and to analyze the potential relationships between mothers' language use and children's early communication abilities. Among mother-child dyads there was a great deal of variability in maternal language use and in the duration of book sharing interactions within time points. In addition, significant differences in both the structure and content of mothers' language were evident between the 6 and 15 month time points. Analyses also identified a significant predictive relationship between mothers' rate of use of specific language strategies and children's symbolic communication abilities. These findings emphasize the potential importance of mothers' use of language strategies that provide greater elaborated or abstract content. The results highlight the heterogeneity in the sample and demonstrate the utility of obtaining various measures of maternal language to more fully describe their interactions with their children, as only certain aspects of maternal language use were significant predictors of children's communication outcomes. Further, the current investigation reveals the value in examining children's early communication development within families who live in low income, rural environments
Characterizing Functional Limitations in Children Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY)
Get PDFThis project was designed to create and pilot test a checklist for use with populations of children that present challenges for evaluators. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-Children and Youth (ICF-CY) system was used to create a checklist to better characterize functional limitations in children. The checklist evaluates Body Structures and Functions, limitations in Activities and Participation resulting from speech-language difficulties, and relevant Environmental factors. Seven children with rare disorders and ten native Spanish-speaking children in Guatemala were evaluated using formal (standardized and non-standardized) tools and the pilot version of the ICF-CY based checklist. The results of testing and case studies demonstrate the clinical utility of the checklist. The main benefit of the ICF-CY checklist was identifying how children's speech-language impairments impacted their participation in daily activities. As a result, the checklist was also used to make functional treatment recommendations
Storybook reading and the addition of toy props: the effects on child engagement and interest and the interactions between caregivers and their children
Get PDFUsing a repeated-measures design, this study examined the addition of toy props during storybook reading between caregivers and their young children 18-27 months of age. Twelve children identified as demonstrating "high engagement" and 12 children identified as demonstrating "low engagement" during storybook interactions and their caregivers were recruited to participate. Group membership was based on a researcher developed literacy attitude and behavior questionnaire completed by the participating caregiver. Caregiver-child dyads were video-recorded on two occasions at their home reading two different storybooks and engaging in a "favorite" activity. Toy props were included during one of the storybook interactions, counterbalanced across participants. The results of the study revealed significant group differences between prop conditions for the total interaction time and the rate of child protesting behaviors. Additionally a trend was identified between dyads in the high and low engagement groups for both the total number of child verbal/vocal acts and total child gesture use. Specifically there was a differential influence for the addition of toy props dependent on engagement group membership with children in the low engagement group producing more verbal/vocal acts and gestures during the prop condition than the no prop condition. In contrast, children in the high engagement group tended to produce few verbal/vocal acts and gestures during the prop condition compared to the no prop condition
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
- …
