Language Disorders and Problem Behaviors: A Meta-analysis

Abstract

Children with language disorders display greater rates of problem behaviors compared with their typically developing peers, and this difference is more pronounced in older children.

Bidirectional Relationship Between Language Skills and Behavior Problems in Preschool Children From Low-Income Families

“…In clinical samples, approximately 54%–57% of children with language difficulties also exhibit behavioral problems (Benner, Nelson, & Epstein, 2002; Maggio et al, 2014). Language impairment has been associated with behavior problems, both internalizing and externalizing, based on parent and teacher reports (Curtis, Frey, Watson, Hampton, & Roberts, 2018; Gilliam & de Mesquita, 2000; van Daal et al, 2007; Yew & O’kearney, 2013). For example, parents of children with language impairment reported higher internalizing and externalizing behaviors, such as withdrawn and aggressive behavior, when compared to children without language impairment (van Daal et al, 2007).…”

Parenting Behavior and Child Language: A Meta-analysis

“…1 Early deficits in language have been found to be associated with difficulties in cognitive abilities, academic achievement, occupational outcomes, 2,3 and mental health. 4,5 Many factors are associated with children's language development, which include both genetic and environmental influences. Heritability for language skills has been estimated at 25%.…”

The building blocks of social competence: Contributions of the Consortium of Individual Development

“…For instance, children who scored low in pragmatic abilities (e.g., offered fewer requests for explanations or clarifications, initiated fewer conversations, and showed inappropriate turn-taking behaviors) were more likely to be rejected by their peers ( van der Wilt et al, 2018 ). In addition, children with developmental language disorder often experience peer problems or display problem behaviors (e.g., Curtis et al, 2018 ; Forrest et al, 2018 ; Van den Bedem et al, 2018 ), but this is related to pragmatic rather than structural problems with language ( St. Clair et al, 2011 ; Van den Bedem et al, 2019 ). Interventions aimed at improving pragmatic skills prove beneficial in promoting social competence and reducing peer problems ( Adams et al, 2012 ; Bierman et al, 2013 ; Coplan and Weeks, 2009 ).…”

“…Communication requires in particular a good command of pragmatics in order to confer meaning appropriately for social interactions. For communication skills we assume that pragmatic development has profound influences on social competence in childhood ( van der Wilt et al, 2019 ), but that the additional relevance of language development for social competence might reach a plateau over the following years, before it again assumes importance when friendships in adolescence center on intimacy & self-disclosure ( Troesch et al, 2016 , but see Curtis et al, 2018 ). Nevertheless, our changing society might also add further relevance to communication skills, as interactions increasingly take place online.…”