Training Grammar With Meaning

Last updated: July 22, 2024
Sponsor: University of Arizona
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Speech Disorders

Communication Disorders

Treatment

Enhanced Conversational Recast treatment

Clinical Study ID

NCT06250101
DLD-Tx2
  • Ages 48-83
  • All Genders

Study Summary

This study will enroll children between the ages of 4 and 6 years of age who exhibit significant difficulty developing language skills without any other handicapping conditions. Children will receive standardized language, hearing, and cognitive testing to confirm a diagnosis of developmental language disorder. Children will be enrolled in a half-day summer camp program for six weeks during which they will receive treatment designed to improve their language skills. Children will be seen again approximately six weeks after the end of treatment to determine how much learning they have retained.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

Language scores consistent with a developmental language disorder nonverbal cognitive scores consistent with normal-range intellectual functioning

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

hearing loss Intellectual disability Other handicapping conditions

Study Design

Total Participants: 24
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Enhanced Conversational Recast treatment
Phase:
Study Start date:
June 17, 2024
Estimated Completion Date:
January 30, 2026

Study Description

Children between 4 years, 0 months and 6 years 11 months are eligible. A diagnosis of developmental language disorders will be confirmed as normal nonverbal cognitive function, passing a pure-tone audiometric screening, and a test score consistent with developmental language disorder on a standardized language test, and parent report of no other diagnosed handicapping condition. Speech skills and vocabulary skills will be described via standardized testing.

Children enrolled in treatment are seen for up to 28 consecutive weekdays. The study starts with three days of baseline assessment of morpheme use for potential treatment targets. Two are selected for study, with one treated and one tracked over the course of treatment. Treatment is embedded in child-friendly activities like games, book reading, and craft activities. Children are prompted to use the treated morpheme in conversation. Immediately following this attempt, the treating clinician repeats the child's utterance, correcting any ungrammatical forms. Half of the children will also receive explanations of what the key words in sentences mean (e.g., to twirl means to turn around fast). Generalization to untreated contexts is assessed 2-3 times weekly. Retention of learning is measured about six weeks after the end of treatment.

Connect with a study center

  • The University of Arizona

    Tucson, Arizona 85721
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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