1,104 research outputs found
Memory and Language in Middle Childhood in Individuals with a History of Specific Language Impairment
No full textThis study reports on the sensitivity of sentence repetition as a marker of specific language impairment (SLI) in different subgroups of children in middle childhood and examines the role of memory and grammatical knowledge in the performance of children with and without language difficulties on this task. Eleven year old children, 197 with a history of SLI and 75 typically developing (TD) peers were administered sentence repetition, phonological short term memory (PSTM) and grammatical morphology tasks. Children with a history of SLI were divided into four subgroups: specific language impairment, non-specific language impairment, low cognition with resolved language and resolved. Performance on the sentence repetition task was significantly impaired in all four subgroups of children with a history of SLI when compared to their age peers. Regression analyses revealed grammatical knowledge was predictive of performance for TD children and children with a history of SLI. However, memory abilities were significantly predictive of sentence repetition task performance for children with a history of SLI only. Processes involved in sentence repetition are more taxing of PSTM for individuals with a history of SLI in middle childhood in a way that does not appear to be the case for TD children. © 2013 Hesketh, Conti-Ramsden
Social Difficulties and Victimization in Children with SLI at 11 Years of Age
No full textSpecific language impairment is sometimes thought to be associated with concurrent difficulties in the area of social and behavioral development (N. Botting & G. Conti-Ramsden, 2000; D. P. Cantwell & L. Baker, 1987; M. Fujiki, B. Brinton, & C. Todd, 1996; S. Redmond & M. Rice, 1998). The present study follows a group of 242 children, initially studied at age 7 years when they attended language units in England, and assesses their social and behavioral status at age 11 years. In total, 64% of the children were found to have scores on the Rutter behavioral questionnaire (M. Rutter, 1967) of 9 or above (clinical threshold); 34% scored over the threshold for the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (R. Goodman, 1997); and 39% scored below average on the Peer Competence subscale of the Harter Perceived Competence Scale (S. Harter & R. Pike, 1984). On further analysis, these generalized difficulties were characterized mainly by poor social competence. In addition, 36% of the cohort were at risk of being regular targets for victimization compared to 12% of a comparison sample of typically developing peers. Few associations were found between social outcome and other measures, including nonverbal intelligence, overall linguistic skill, gender, and longitudinal measures taken previously. Importantly, however, pragmatic language difficulties measured on the Children's Communication Checklist (D. V. M. Bishop, 1998) were most strongly related to poor social outcome and to expressive language related to victimization
Severity of specific language impairment predicts delayed development in number skills
No full textThe extent to which mathematical development is dependent upon language is controversial. This longitudinal study investigates the role of language ability in children's development of number skills. Participants were 229 children with specific language impairment (SLI) who were assessed initially at age 7 and again 1 year later. All participants completed measures of psycholinguistic development (expressive and receptive), performance IQ, and the Basic Number Skills subtest of the British Ability Scales. Number skills data for this sample were compared with normative population data. Consistent with predictions that language impairment would impact on numerical development, average standard scores were more than 1 SD below the population mean at both ages. Although the children showed improvements in raw scores at the second wave of the study, the discrepancy between their scores and the population data nonetheless increased over time. Regression analyses showed that, after controlling for the effect of PIQ, language skills explained an additional 19 and 17% of the variance in number skills for ages 7 and 8, respectively. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses revealed that less improvement in the child's language ability over the course of the year was associated with a greater odds of a drop in performance in basic number skills from 7 to 8 years. The results are discussed in relation to the interaction of linguistic and cognitive factors in numerical development and the implications for mathematical education
The radical right in Europe, between slogans and voting behavior. IHS Political Science Series No. 123, July 2011
No full textThe paper analyzes the radical right‘s attitudes toward the EU focusing in particular on the level of congruence between the programmatic statements of the central office and the voting behavior of their MEPs. It shows that although radical right parties represent a source of opposition to the EU, within the EP they express their dissent making use of the rules of the game, voting with the opposition more than the other forces do, but voting almost as much with the majority. The party public office in the EP is inserted in the legislative process and even more collusive with the other parties of both sides of the political spectrum than the Eurosceptical rhetoric and statements of central office makes the public believe
Severity of specific language impairment predicts delayed development in number skills
No full textThe extent to which mathematical development is dependent upon language is controversial. This longitudinal study investigates the role of language ability in children's development of number skills. Participants were 229 children with specific language impairment (SLI) who were assessed initially at age 7 and again 1 year later. All participants completed measures of psycholinguistic development (expressive and receptive), performance IQ, and the Basic Number Skills subtest of the British Ability Scales. Number skills data for this sample were compared with normative population data. Consistent with predictions that language impairment would impact on numerical development, average standard scores were more than 1 SD below the population mean at both ages. Although the children showed improvements in raw scores at the second wave of the study, the discrepancy between their scores and the population data nonetheless increased over time. Regression analyses showed that, after controlling for the effect of PIQ, language skills explained an additional 19 and 17% of the variance in number skills for ages 7 and 8, respectively. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses revealed that less improvement in the child's language ability over the course of the year was associated with a greater odds of a drop in performance in basic number skills from 7 to 8 years. The results are discussed in relation to the interaction of linguistic and cognitive factors in numerical development and the implications for mathematical education. © 2013 Durkin, Mok and Conti-Ramsden
The relationship between language difficulties, psychosocial difficulties and speech–language pathology service access in the community
No full textBackground: A range of factors may impact whether children access speech-language pathology (SLP) services, beyond their communication difficulties. For instance, co-occurring psychosocial difficulties may amplify children's observable difficulties, leading to greater access. It is important to examine such associations because they may reflect inherent differences between children with language difficulties who access services and those who do not, indicating under-servicing for subgroups in the community.
Aims: The first aim was to examine possible differences in psychosocial difficulties between children with language difficulties who did versus did not access SLP services in the past 12 months. The second aim was to examine the unique contribution of psychosocial difficulties to service access, over and above language difficulties and other common predictors of service access.
Methods & Procedures: Analyses were carried out on data gathered from 808 eleven-year-old children who took part in the Early Language in Victoria Study (ELVS). Children were categorized as having language difficulties based on their CELF-4 Core Language Score with a cut-point of > 1.25 SD below the mean. The primary outcome measure was access to SLP services in the past 12 months. Comparison and predictor variables included children's psychosocial difficulties, language skills, relevant demographic variables (gender, caregiver education) and prior SLP access.
Outcomes & Results: A total of 42 children with language difficulties who had accessed SLP services had significantly greater psychosocial difficulties than those who had not (SDQ Total Difficulties, U = 53.00, z = -4.080, p < 0.001). Using binary logistic regression, a model examining child gender, caregiver education, psychosocial difficulties (internalizing and externalizing behaviours), language difficulties and prior SLP access (in earlier years) was significant χ2 (8) = 137.285, p< 0.001, with increased externalizing difficulties (OR = 1.213, p < 0.001), increased communication difficulties (OR = 0.949, p < 0.001), and prior SLP access (OR = 7.430, p < 0.001) identified as unique predictors of service access.
Conclusions & Implications: The results indicate that children with language difficulties who have comorbid psychosocial difficulties are more likely to access services than those who do not. Accordingly, children with language difficulties who access clinical services may require interdisciplinary support, while children without co-morbid psychosocial difficulties may be under-referred for SLP services. What this paper adds What is already known on this subject There is evidence that a range of personal and contextual factors impact the likelihood of a person accessing healthcare services beyond the specific issue of concern. What this paper adds to existing knowledge In this population-based study, we provide statistical evidence that children with language difficulties who had higher levels of psychosocial difficulties were more likely to access SLP services than those who had lower levels. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Children with language difficulties who access SLP services may require support for psychosocial difficulties, while children who do not have comorbid difficulties may be underserviced in the community.Full Tex
Frequency of educational computer use as a longitudinal predictor of educational outcomes in young people with specific language impairment
No full textComputer use draws on linguistic abilities. Using this medium thus presents challenges for young people with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and raises questions of whether computer-based tasks are appropriate for them. We consider theoretical arguments predicting impaired performance and negative outcomes relative to peers without SLI versus the possibility of positive gains. We examine the relationship between frequency of computer use (for leisure and educational purposes) and educational achievement; in particular examination performance at the end of compulsory education and level of educational progress two years later. Participants were 49 young people with SLI and 56 typically developing (TD) young people. At around age 17, the two groups did not differ in frequency of educational computer use or leisure computer use. There were no associations between computer use and educational outcomes in the TD group. In the SLI group, after PIQ was controlled for, educational computer use at around 17 years of age contributed substantially to the prediction of educational progress at 19 years. The findings suggest that educational uses of computers are conducive to educational progress in young people with SLI
"Il ‘fuoco giorgionesco’ da Angelo Conti a d’Annunzio"
No full textThe friendship between Gabriele d’Annunzio and Angelo Conti is particularly intense in the years 1894-1900, in the context of Venice. Both of them reflect about Venetian painters and especially Giorgione, whose picture they interpret as an expression of Venetian magnificent life. I analyze the meaning of the form fuoco giorgionesco, also used by Walter Pater in his well-known essay The School of Giorgione. I examine in particular Conti’s references to this text, in order to verify their accuracy. I put forward the hypothesis that, when Conti wrote the monograph Giorgione, his knowledge of the English author was incomplete and came largely from articles published in magazines, from conversations with friends, and from the translation into Italian of only short extracts. I argue that it was unlikely that Conti (and d’Annunzio) had read Pater’s whole work in English, which at the time was little known in Italy
Bullying risks of 11-year-old children with specific language impairment (SLI): Does school placement matter?
No full textIn addressing an issue rarely explored in research literature, the prevalence and severity of the risk of being bullied at school was measured in 100 children with specific language impairment (SLI). Participants attended a range of different educational placement types and these were compared for bullying risk. Furthermore, the risk encountered by children with SLI was compared with that of normally developing age-matched peers. Each participant completed a questionnaire and it was found that 36% of participants with SLI considered themselves at risk of being bullied in school compared with only 12% of the normally developing cohort. No statistically significant difference was found between the risk experienced by participants with SLI attending mainstream education and that by participants attending special education placements. Possible explanations for the results are offered and the relevance of the findings in the context of optimizing the educational experience of children with SLI is highlighted
- …
