The Effect of Semantic Support on Word Learning

NCT05921214 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: Late Talker Phase 52R01DC015642-06
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare word learning outcomes in late talking toddlers who are taught different types of words. The main question it aims to answer is if teaching words that come from categories that children already know (e.g., animals) will aid overall word learning. Children will take part in the Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) word learning treatment and be taught words from more familiar or less familiar categories to see which group learns more words overall.

Conditions

Language Development Disorders

Keywords

Late Talkers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Treatment Effect Size

  The investigators will count the number of spontaneous and probed productions of target and control words and calculate a treatment effect size (d).

  Change from baseline through treatment, which will average an 8-week time frame.

• Number/Rate of Words Learned

  The investigators will measure the number of words learned and rate of words learned as reported by the parent on the MCDI starting prior to treatment, and measured during, immediately following, and 4-6 weeks after treatment.

  Change from Initial Evaluation through Follow-up, which will average a 6-month time frame.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Post Treatment Retention

  Change from end of treatment to follow up, which will average 4-6 weeks.

Study Arms (2)

Familiar Words

EXPERIMENTAL

In this condition, children will learn new words that come from semantic categories (e.g., animals, body parts) from which they currently understand at least several words.

Behavioral: VAULT Phase 5

Less-Familiar Words

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

In this condition, children will learn new words that come from semantic categories (e.g., animals, body parts) from which they currently understand few or no words.

Behavioral: VAULT Phase 5

Interventions

VAULT Phase 5 BEHAVIORAL

This is an input-based vocabulary learning treatment based on principles of statistical learning.

Familiar Words; Less-Familiar Words

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 2 Years - 4 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Native English Speaking
• Pass pure tone hearing screening or medical report of normal hearing
• Years of age
• MCDI expressive scale \<10th percentile

You may not qualify if:

• Parental report of other diagnoses
• Enrolled in concurrent treatment elsewhere
• Nonverbal IQ \<75 as measured by the Bayley scales
• Parents unable to consistently bring child to treatment sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

Study Sites (1)

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona, 85721, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Language Development Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Language Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Mary Alt, PhD

  University of Arizona

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Mary Alt, PhD

CONTACT

520-626-6180; malt@arizona.edu

Nora Evans-Reitz, MS

CONTACT

520-626-6885; nevansreitz@arizona.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Masking Details: The late talkers and their caregivers will not explicitly be told what condition their child is in.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Using treatment effect sizes, children will be compared to themselves (treatment words v. control words) and across groups (familiar word group v. less-familiar word group).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 14, 2023
• First Posted: June 27, 2023
• Study Start: June 10, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: June 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)