Sophie E. Ambrose|Elizabeth Walker|Lauren M. Unflat-Berry|Jacob Oleson|Mary Pat Moeller
Quantity and Quality of Caregivers’ Linguistic Input to 18-Month and 3-Year-Old Children Who Are Hard of Hearing
Boys Town National Research Hospital|University of Iowa|Boys Town National Research Hospital|University of Iowa|Boys Town National Research Hospital
primary objective study examine quantity quality caregiver talk directed children hard hearing chh compared children normal hearing cnh chh study explored caregiver input changed function child age 18 months versus 3 years child family factors contributed variance caregiver linguistic input 18 months 3 years caregiver talk 18 months related child language outcomes 3 yearsparticipants 59 cnh 156 children bilateral mildtosevere hearing loss children approximately 18 months andor 3 years age caregivers children participated 5min semistructured conversational interaction interactions transcribed coded two features caregiver input representing quantity number total utterances number total words four features representing quality number different words mean length utterance morphemes proportion utterances high level proportion utterances directing addition 18month visit parents completed standardized questionnaire regarding childs communication development 3year visit clinician administered standardized language measureat 18month visit chh exposed greater proportion directing utterances cnh 3year visit significant differences cnh chh number total words four quality variables chh exposed fewer words lower quality input caregivers generally provided higher quality input chh 3year visit compared 18month visit 18month visit quantity variables quality variables related several child family factors 3year visit variable strongly related caregiver input child language longitudinal analyses indicated quality quantity caregiver linguistic input 18 months related child language abilities 3 years directing utterances accounting significant unique variance child language outcomesalthough caregivers chh increased use quality features linguistic input time differences compared cnh suggest caregivers may need additional support provide children optimal language learning environments particularly important given relationships identified quality features caregivers linguistic input childrens language abilities family supports include focus developing style conversational eliciting opposed directive