Retrieval-Based Word Learning in Developmental Language Disorder: Verb Learning

NCT06001866 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 1603017480BR01DC014708
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD; also referred to as specific language impairment) experience a significant deficit in language ability that is longstanding and harmful to the children's academic, social, and eventual economic wellbeing. Word learning is one of the principal weaknesses in these children. This project focuses on the word learning abilities of four- and five-year-old children with DLD. The goal of the project is to build on the investigators' previous work to determine whether, as has been found thus far, special benefits accrue when these children must frequently recall newly introduced words during the course of learning. The focus of the current study is verb-learning. The goal of the study is to increase children's absolute levels of verb learning while maintaining the advantage that repeated retrieval holds over comparison methods of learning.

Conditions

Developmental Language Disorder; Specific Language Impairment; Language Development

Keywords

word learning; word retrieval; preschool-aged children

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Verb Recall Accuracy (Number of Verbs Correctly Recalled) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions at 5 Mins. for Learned Items

  Five minutes after second learning session, child is asked to recall and say the word associated with each novel action learned under each of the two conditions: a condition in which spaced retrieval trials occurred and one in which there were no retrieval trials. For Learned items, each of the four verbs was tested with videos of two of the agent-object pairs the child had seen during the learning period, for a total of 8 recall items. Children were prompted to retrieve/produce the novel verbs in the sentence structure used during learning.

  5 minutes after end of Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Verb Recall Accuracy (Number of Verbs Correctly Recalled) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions at 5 Mins. for Generalized Items

  Five minutes after second learning session, child is asked to recall and say the word associated with each novel action learned under one of two conditions: a condition in which spaced retrieval trials occurred and one in which there were no retrieval trials. For Generalized items each of the four verbs was tested with videos of two agent-object pairs that were new (that the child had not seen during the learning period), for a total of 8 recall items. Children were prompted to retrieve/produce the novel verbs in the sentence structure used during learning.

  5 minutes after end of Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Verb Recall Accuracy (Number of Verbs Correctly Recalled) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions at 1 Week for Learned Items.

  One week after second learning session, child is asked to recall and say the word associated with each novel action learned under one of two conditions: a condition in which spaced retrieval trials occurred and one in which there were no retrieval trials. For Learned items, each of the four verbs was tested with videos of two of the agent-object pairs the child had seen during the learning period, for a total of 8 recall items. Children were prompted to retrieve/produce the novel verbs in the sentence structure used during learning.

  1 week after Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Verb Recall Accuracy (Number of Verbs Correctly Recalled) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions at 1 Week for Generalized Items

  One week after second learning session, child is asked to recall and say the word associated with each novel action learned under one of two conditions: a condition in which spaced retrieval trials occurred and one in which there were no retrieval trials. For Generalized items, each of the four verbs was tested with videos of two agent-object pairs that were new (that the child had not seen during the learning period), for a total of 8 recall items. Children were prompted to retrieve/produce the novel verbs in the sentence structure used during learning.

  1 week after Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Accuracy of Verb Recall (Number of Verbs Correctly Recalled) in a New Structure in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions

  Child is asked to describe the video of a novel action using the novel verb in a frame different from the one learned (i.e.,"X likes to VERB the Y") in repeated spaced retrieval and repeated study conditions. Each verb is tested with four items: three items made use of videos of agent-object pairs the child had seen during the learning period and one item used an agent-object pair that was new. There were eight items total per condition.

  1 week after Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Verb Recognition (Number of Words Accurately Identified) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions for Learned Items.

  One week after the learning session, child is asked to indicate (by pointing) which of 2 video options is referred to upon hearing a sentence using a novel word learned in either the repeated spaced retrieval or repeated study condition. Each verb is tested with two items which used videos of agent-object pairs that the child had seen during the learning period, for a total of eight items.

  1 week after Day 2 (second day) learning period.

• Verb Recognition (Number of Words Accurately Identified) in Repeated Spaced Retrieval (RSR) and Repeated Study (RS) Conditions for Generalized Items.

  One week after the learning session, child is asked to indicate (by pointing) which of 2 video options is referred to upon hearing a sentence using a novel word learned in either the repeated spaced retrieval or repeated study condition. Each verb is tested with two items which used videos of agent-object pairs that were new (that the child had not seen during the learning period), for a total of eight items.

  1 week after Day 2 (second day) learning period.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fifth Edition

  Test completed at start of study

• Maternal Education in Years

  information collected at start of study

Study Arms (2)

Children with Developmental Language Disorder

EXPERIMENTAL

These children have a significant delay in language development in the absence of hearing impairment, cognitive delay, autism, or neurological injury/disease.

Behavioral: Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Spaced Retrieval condition; Behavioral: Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Study condition

Children with typical language development

EXPERIMENTAL

Children whose language development is as expected for their age.

Behavioral: Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Spaced Retrieval condition; Behavioral: Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Study condition

Interventions

Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Spaced Retrieval condition BEHAVIORAL

A set of novel verbs are practiced on 2 consecutive days (the same verbs are used each day). Half of the novel verbs are learned in the repeated spaced retrieval condition and half are learned in the repeated study condition, with the two conditions interleaved on each day. The repeated spaced retrieval condition consists of study and retrieval trials. At the start of the sessions, retrieval trials immediately follow study trials. Thereafter, retrieval trials are spaced for each verb, occurring after 3 other words have intervened between the retrieval trial and the last study trial for that verb.

Children with Developmental Language Disorder; Children with typical language development

Retrieval-based verb learning: Repeated Study condition BEHAVIORAL

A set of novel verbs are practiced on 2 consecutive days (the same verbs are used each day). Half of the novel verbs are learned in the repeated spaced retrieval condition and half are learned in the repeated study condition, with the two conditions interleaved on each day. The repeated study condition consists of study trials only (with no retrieval practice).

Children with Developmental Language Disorder; Children with typical language development

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 48 Months - 71 Months
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• a significant deficit in language ability (language test score below cutoff for best sensitivity/specificity) or documented age-appropriate language ability.
• normal hearing no evidence of neurological damage or disease scores on tests of nonverbal intelligence above the intellectual disability range not within Autistic range on Autism screening test native English speaker (can be bilingual)

You may not qualify if:

• failed hearing screening known neurological damage or disease scores on tests of nonverbal intelligence below the intellectual disability range (standard score less than 75) autism spectrum disorder non-native English speaker

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

Study Sites (1)

Purdue University

West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Language Development Disorders; Specific Language Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Patricia Deevy, Research Associate
• Organization: Purdue University

deevy@purdue.edu

765-496-1821

Study Officials

• Laurence B. Leonard, PhD

  Purdue Universtiy

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

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

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences

Model Details: Within-participant design in which each child learns words under two conditions.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 3, 2023
• First Posted: August 21, 2023
• Study Start: March 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: January 25, 2024
• Study Completion: January 25, 2024
• Last Updated: August 13, 2025
• Results First Posted: August 13, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Data will become available after the results are published or within 12 months from the primary completion date (i.e., the date of final data collection for the primary outcome measure).
• Access Criteria: De-identified data will be made publicly available at www.clinicaltrials.gov

Locations

US (1)