Research Trends Regarding Language Development and Language Impairment of Infancy and Toddlerhood: From 2012 to 2021

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to examine Korean and English research trends regarding language development and language impairment, and to suggest future directions for later research. Methods: Sixty-five Korean research papers published in Communication Science & Disorders and 129 English research published in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research were classified according to the subject, time dimension, observational method, independent variable, and dependent variable. The frequency and rate of publication of each type were yielded. Results: Nearly half of the subjects were typically developing toddlers, but there were some differences between the research in the two journals. Cross-sectional studies had higher rates in Korean research, and longitudinal studies had higher rates in English research. In Korean journals, most articles were descriptive studies, with very few experimental studies. In English journals, various independent variables were used relatively evenly, whereas the variables related to the characteristics of the subject were used at higher rates in the Korean journals. Both journals mostly used variables associated with expressive language as dependent variables. Conclusion: Although more research has been published and the types of studies have become more diverse than in the past, during the recent decade in Korea the amount and types of studies are limited when compared to English research. In this regard, this study discussed the direction in which future research related to infant language disorder should proceed.