Long-term effects of childhood speech and language disorders: A scoping review

Abstract

Background: Speech and language disorders in childhood have the potential to affect every aspect of a child's day-to-day life and can potentially have negative long-term impacts.Aim: This scoping review seeks to collate the existing evidence to identify the long-term effects of childhood speech and language disorders. Methods: A systematic search of speechBITE, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Linguistics and Language Behaviour Abstracts, PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX and the Cochrane Library was conducted. Peer-reviewed English language publications reporting on the long-term (2+-year) outcomes of individuals with a childhood history of speech or language disorders were included. Data were extracted and the study quality assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale.Results: Fifty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies reported mixed results, the most common of which were suboptimal mental health, social and academic outcomes for persons with a history of speech or language disorders. We found an association between childhood speech or language disorders and psychiatric disability, behavioural problems, lower socio-economic status, relationship and living difficulties, and lower academic achievement compared to the general population. Conclusion:Individuals with a history of childhood speech or language disorders may experience long-term difficulties in mental health, social well-being and academic outcomes.

The Divergent Nature of Language Performance and Social Use of Language: An Online Scale for the Assessment of Language in Adults Using Self-reported Skills (ALASS)

“…Easier methods to identify language difficulties should have a helpful effect not only at academic and professional levels, but also for the general wellbeing of children, adolescents and adults. As DLD and other childhood conditions seem to have life-span effects (e.g., Botting, 2020), complementary types of assessment can provide additional information about the nature and extent of language difficulties (Langbecker et al, 2020). With this purpose in mind, a new scale based on online self-reports has been developed in this study.…”

Modifiable factors associated with mental health in child language disorder: A scoping review protocol

“…There is a growing and robust literature showing a significant, and persistent, relationship between language disorder and mental health difficulties in childhood and adolescence. This literature includes several reviews, which have synthesised studies of internalising and/or externalising symptoms associated with child language disorder (Donolato et al, 2022;Hentges et al, 2021;Langbecker et al, 2020). However, there has been less research into the modifiable mechanism(s) that account for the relationship between language disorder and mental health problems.…”

Speech-language disorder severity, academic success, and socioemotional functioning among multilingual and English children in the United States: The National Survey of Children’s Health

“…The impact of a SLD extends beyond childhood. Adults with a history of childhood SLDs are less likely to participate in the workforce but when they do, they are more likely to be unskilled manual workers, experience higher rates of discrimination and termination compared those without a history of SLD ( Cronin et al, 2020 ; Langbecker et al, 2020 ). Simply put, SLDs may produce a cascading, cumulative disadvantage that begins in childhood.…”