Accelerating Word Learning in Children With Language Impairment

NCT01829360 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: R01DC012824
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 35
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This research attempts to adapt and optimize a word learning treatment, specifically interactive book reading, for use with Kindergarten children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). Children with SLI have difficulty learning language without any obvious cause for this difficulty. This study will examine the best way to achieve the appropriate intensity of 36 exposures. For example, is it better to hear the new words many times within the book (high dose) and to read the book few times (low dose frequency), or is it better to hear the new words a few times within the book (low dose) and to read the book many times (high dose frequency). The investigators hypothesize that reading the books many times will be more effective than repeating the words many times within a book.

Conditions

Specific Language Impairment

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Words Known From Pre- to Post-treatment

  In each of the two treatments, children are taught 30 new words and tested on their ability to provide a definition of each word. Definitions are scored as 0 points for an incorrect or absent definition, 1 point for an appropriate use of the word in a sentence or for a vague definition, 2 points for a conventional definition containing at least one critical element but lacking other critical elements, and 3 points for a complete and accurate definition including all critical elements. For the analyses, children's definitions scored as 2 or 3 (i.e., a partially or completely accurate definition) were counted as correct (i.e., the child knows the word) and definitions scored as 0 or 1 (i.e., incorrect definition, absent definition, correct use of a word in a sentence, or vague definition) were counted as incorrect (i.e., the child does not know the word). Thus, children's scores could range from 0 to 30 words known, with higher scores indicating better outcomes.

  Pre- and Post-treatment with treatment lasting 10 to 23 sessions (approximately 5 to 12 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Interim Definition

  Treatment lasted 5-12 weeks. Data was taken during this time.

• Interim Naming

  Administered during treatment, which lasted 5-12 weeks

Study Arms (4)

Standard then Alternative: High Dose

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this arm are assigned to the standard treatment for the first round of intervention (dose 6 x dose frequency 6) and then the alternative treatment that maximizes dose (dose 9 x dose frequency 4)

Behavioral: Treatment (interactive book reading, dialogic reading, shared book reading)

Alternative: High Dose then Standard

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this arm are assigned to the alternative treatment that maximizes dose (dose 9 x dose frequency 4) in the first round of intervention and then to the standard treatment for the second round of intervention (dose 6 x dose frequency 6)

Behavioral: Treatment (interactive book reading, dialogic reading, shared book reading)

Alternative: High Dose Frequency then Standard

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this arm are assigned to the alternative treatment that maximizes dose frequency (dose 4 x dose frequency 9) in the first round of intervention and then to the standard treatment for the second round of intervention (dose 6 x dose frequency 6)

Behavioral: Treatment (interactive book reading, dialogic reading, shared book reading)

Standard then Alternative: High Dose Frequency

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this arm are assigned to the standard treatment for the first round of intervention (dose 6 x dose frequency 6) and then the alternative treatment that maximizes dose frequency (dose 4 x dose frequency 9)

Behavioral: Treatment (interactive book reading, dialogic reading, shared book reading)

Interventions

Treatment (interactive book reading, dialogic reading, shared book reading) BEHAVIORAL

Children receive 2 rounds of treatment with interactive book reading. Each treatment teaches 30 words that the children do not know. Treatments vary in dose (the number of times the words is heard/taught in an individual book reading session: 4 vs. 6 vs. 9) and dose frequency (the number of times book reading sessions are repeated: 4 vs. 6. vs. 9). Across all dose x dose frequency combinations, children hear/are taught the 30 words 36 times, which has been shown to be the adequate overall intensity of the intervention.

Also known as: Interactive book reading, Dialogic reading, Shared book reading

Alternative: High Dose Frequency then Standard; Alternative: High Dose then Standard; Standard then Alternative: High Dose; Standard then Alternative: High Dose Frequency

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 6 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Eligible for Kindergarten enrollment
• Age 5 to 6 years
• Normal hearing
• Nonverbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of 85 or higher on the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scale
• Score below 82 on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals
• Score at or below the 10% percentile on one of the approved standardized vocabulary assessments.

You may not qualify if:

• Speaks more than one language
• Health history indicating neurologic or other disorder that would exclude a diagnosis of SLI (e.g., autism, developmental disability, seizure disorder)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Kansas: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas, 66045, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Specific Language Disorder

Interventions

Therapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Language Development Disorders; Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Learning Disabilities; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Limitations and Caveats

No limitations noted.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Holly Storkel
• Organization: University of Kansas

hstorkel@ku.edu

7858640099

Study Officials

• Holly Storkel

  University of Kansas

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Research assistants that collect and score the pre/post outcomes are blind to arm assignment.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2013
• First Posted: April 11, 2013
• Study Start: March 1, 2013
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2018
• Study Completion: August 1, 2018
• Last Updated: November 14, 2019
• Results First Posted: November 14, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-10

Locations

US (1)