Penetrating the Classroom Social Network for Children With Language Impairment Via Peer Mediated Intervention

NCT06182033 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: R21DC018395
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This exploratory experiment is designed to determine the extent to which the socialization experiences and social, behavioral, and linguistic skills of preschoolers with language impairment (LI) can be improved. The investigators implement a peer-mediated intervention in inclusive preschool classrooms, randomly assigned to treatment (n=12) or control (n=13) conditions. A focal child is identified in each classroom, representing a child with LI (3 to 5 years of age) who exhibits the poorest pragmatic-language skills and highest level of social exclusion in the classroom. Over a 12-week period, the focal children will receive peer-mediated intervention from identified peers, who use strategies to engage the focal child socially during center time, as supported by a classroom facilitator (teacher, aide). Outcomes of interest include the overarching classroom social network and its embedded socialization processes (e.g., frequency of child-to-child interaction), the focal child's interactions with peers and exposure to peer talk, and the focal child's social, behavioral, and linguistic skills. The study employs state-of-the-art social network analyses to represent the classroom network at the child, dyad, and network level and is dynamically modeled over the academic year using advanced location-tracking technologies and voice-activated recorders to capture incoming and outgoing peer talk for the focal child. The investigators anticipate the results of this study to yield significant theoretical and scientific impact. Theoretically, the investigators propose that improved socialization experiences in the preschool classroom can disrupt the social exclusion and peer maltreatment experienced by children with LI, leading to accelerated growth in linguistic, social, and behavioral outcomes for children with LI.

Conditions

Peer Influence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Preschool Language Screener 5 (PLS-5) - Growth Scale Value

  The PLS-5 is used to assess expressive language skills. Specific skills assessed include naming, expressing quantity, describing, using specific prepositions, grammatical markers, sentence structures, and emergent literacy skills. An assessor indicates whether a child passes (1) or does not pass (0) each item. Growth Scale Value: Range: Minimum = 100/Max = 900. Higher scores indicate better expressive language skills. Assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months. Baseline reported.

  at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Developmental Pragmatic Profile (DPP)

  at baseline and 9 months, month 9 reported

• Teacher-Child Rating Scale (TCRS)

  at baseline, and 9 months, month 9 reported

• Peer Incoming Talk

  through study completion, an average of 9 months, month 9 reported

• Peer Outgoing Talk

  through study completion, an average of 9 months, month 9 reported

• Peer Interactions

  through study completion, an average of 9 months, final observation (up to 9 months) reported

Study Arms (2)

Peer-mediated pivotal response intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Facilitators hold four 15-minute training sessions with the peer group to engage the target child. The facilitator explicitly identifies the "buddy" and asks the children to use four strategies to play with the child during center time: (a) offer your buddy some play options; (b) show and talk about how to play with your buddy; (c) compliment your buddy; and (d) show your buddy how to take turns. At each training session the facilitator will describe one strategy, provide examples, and practice the strategy through role play. After trainings, the facilitator provides ongoing support during center time to implement the strategies over 12 weeks during months 3-6 of the 9 months of study participation.

Behavioral: Peer-mediated pivotal response training

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Business as usual

Interventions

Peer-mediated pivotal response training BEHAVIORAL

Teachers support children in the implementation of three strategies directed toward a target child identified as having language impairment and as isolated from the classroom social network.

Peer-mediated pivotal response intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 36 Months - 66 Months
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• teacher informed consent
• caregiver informed consent
• months of age or older.

You may not qualify if:

• no caregiver informed consent
• younger than 36 months of age

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ohio State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy

Columbus, Ohio, 43201, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Foster TJ, Xiao N, Pelfrey GL, Villasanti HG, Brock M, Justice L. Peer-Mediated Intervention for Socially Isolated Preschoolers: An Early-Stage Feasibility Study. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2024 Jan 11;55(1):166-180. doi: 10.1044/2023_LSHSS-23-00090. Epub 2023 Dec 4.

  PMID: 38048318 BACKGROUND

Limitations and Caveats

The study protocol initially included the use of a waitlist control design. Given the study pause due to the impacts of the global pandemic and the landscape of early childhood education centers in the subsequent years during which study activities were implemented, our team instead opted to randomly assign participating classrooms to a study condition in lieu of the waitlist control design.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Laura Justice
• Organization: Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at The Ohio State University

justice.57@osu.edu

614-247-7488

Study Officials

• Laura M Justice, PhD

  Ohio State University

  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
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 4, 2023
• First Posted: December 26, 2023
• Study Start: November 11, 2021
• Primary Completion: May 30, 2023
• Study Completion: July 20, 2023
• Last Updated: January 16, 2025
• Results First Posted: January 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)