James Law|Kirsty McBean|Robert Rush
Communication skills in a population of primary school?aged children raised in an area of pronounced social disadvantage
Queen Margaret University|Newcastle University|Queen Margaret University|Queen Margaret University
abstract background previous studies highlighted level communication difficulty experienced children socially disadvantaged backgrounds pattern difficulties remains unclear aims study asks whether performance community sample children one socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods scotland best characterized general delay areas development difficulties across formal structural aspects language phonological skills methods amp procedures study included 138 monolingual englishspeaking children 63 457 boys 75 543 girls aged 5 12 years children assessed blind educational attainment school outcomes amp results nearly 40 children delayed language development 10 severe difficulties children presented uneven profile much lower structural language scores reading general communication skills nonverbal performance although service use high group whole proportion met criteria specific language impairment discrepancy criteria referred speech language therapy conclusions amp implications although many children performing well within normal range substantial proportion considerable implications way services delivered children given high prevalence delayed structural language difficulties group clear need universal populationbased approaches service delivery