Funds are requested to support the second phase of an ongoing research initiative directed at clarifying the association of children's language impairments and attention deficits. In Phase 1, the psycholinguistic and socioemotional profiles of narrowly defined and independently verified clinical groups (SLI and combined-type ADHD) were investigated to identify key clinical markers which best differentiated attention deficits and language impairments form each other and form typical development (R03 DC008382). Phase 2 moves the initiative forward by examining variation associated with the two most efficient language indices across a larger age span and within a more diverse community-based sample. Nine hundred and twenty students will be administered a brief screening of their proficiencies with past tense marking and sentence recall (230 x K-3rd grade). Cutoff scores will be based on study sample's characteristics. Out of the pool of screened participants, 260 low scoring students (< 16th %ile) and 360 average scoring (> 15th %ile) will participate in confirmatory evaluations of their language, attention, reading, nonverbal, and working memory skills. Blinding procedures will be used to reduce examiner bias.
The specific aims of the project are (1) to determine the adequacy of past tense- marking and sentence recall indices for identifying language impairments within a community based study sample of early elementary students. (2): to determine the risk of co-occurring attention deficits within students who have confirmed language impairments and (3): to evaluate different models of the association of language impairment and attention deficit among young children. The possibility that associations of language impairment and attention deficits might be different across grade groups will be examined. The proposed research impacts upon several key public health concerns. In addition to substantial familial and societal costs associated with addressing language impairments and attention deficits, both of these disorders have been shown to be contributors to long-standing academic, socioemotional, and vocational difficulties. Given the limited resources available to practitioners and the health risks associated with missed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and untreated comorbidity, it is crucial that identification is accurate, efficient, and timely so children can receive the most benefit from therapeutic services.

Public Health Relevance

Developmental language impairments and attention deficits represent the two most common reasons young children are referred for clinical services. These disorders frequently co-occur and both conditions represent risk factors for the emergence academic and social difficulties, however, interrelationships between these areas remains unclear. The goals of the proposed research are to clarify the mechanisms linking language impairments and attention deficits and to advance the translation of behavioral phenotypes of language impairment (LI) into clinical protocols appropriate for differential diagnosis and the identification of cases of LI+ADHD comorbidity and

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC011023-05
Application #
8837599
Study Section
Language and Communication Study Section (LCOM)
Program Officer
Cooper, Judith
Project Start
2011-05-01
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2015-05-01
Budget End
2016-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$258,142
Indirect Cost
$84,892
Name
University of Utah
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Allied Health Profes
DUNS #
009095365
City
Salt Lake City
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84112
Ash, Andrea C; Redmond, Sean M; Timler, Geralyn R et al. (2017) The influence of scale structure and sex on parental reports of children's social (pragmatic) communication symptoms. Clin Linguist Phon 31:293-312
Redmond, Sean M; Ash, Andrea C (2017) Associations Between the 2D:4D Proxy Biomarker for Prenatal Hormone Exposures and Symptoms of Developmental Language Disorder. J Speech Lang Hear Res 60:3226-3236
Redmond, Sean M (2016) Language Impairment in the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Context. J Speech Lang Hear Res 59:133-42
Fowler, Jennifer R; Eggleston, Jessica L; Reavis, Kelly M et al. (2016) Effects of Removing Low-Frequency Electric Information on Speech Perception With Bimodal Hearing. J Speech Lang Hear Res 59:99-109
Redmond, Sean M (2016) Markers, Models, and Measurement Error: Exploring the Links Between Attention Deficits and Language Impairments. J Speech Lang Hear Res 59:62-71
Redmond, Sean M; Ash, Andrea C; Hogan, Tiffany P (2015) Consequences of co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder on children's language impairments. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 46:68-80
Redmond, Sean M; Ash, Andrea C (2014) A cross-etiology comparison of the socio-emotional behavioral profiles associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and specific language impairment. Clin Linguist Phon 28:346-65
Ash, Andrea C; Rice, Mabel L; Redmond, Sean M (2014) Effect of language context on ratings of shy and unsociable behaviors in English language learner children. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 45:52-66