Dorothy V. M. Bishop|David McDonald
Identifying language impairment in children: combining language test scores with parental report
University of Oxford|University of Oxford
background children meet language test criteria specific language impairment sli necessarily referred speech language therapist aims consider far discrepancy reflects insensitivity traditional language tests clinically important features language impairment methods amp procedures total 245 twin children 52 referred speech language therapist assessment intervention studied given battery language tests parents completed childrens communication checklist 2 ccc2 results language tests stressed verbal shortterm memory best distinguishing clinically referred cases narrative vocabulary tasks less effective discriminant function analysis identified combination language test parental report measures giving best discrimination referred nonreferred cases nevertheless 82 children classified language impaired discriminant function 44 never referred speech language therapist appear falsepositives scored least poorly referred cases literacy tests significantly lower socioeconomic backgrounds referred cases conclusions amp implications language test scores provide important information children risk academic failure though varies test test reliance language tests alone however insufficient parental report provides important complementary information diagnostic process children low socioeconomic status language problems particularly likely contact speech language therapist services