Language Experience in the Second Year of Life and Language Outcomes in Late Childhood

Abstract

<div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="S1"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d614129e202">Objective</h5> <p id="P7">Quantity of talk and interaction in the home during early childhood correlates with socioeconomic status (SES) and predicts early language and cognitive outcomes. This study tested the effectiveness of automated early language environment estimates for children 2–36 months to predict cognitive and language skills 10 years later and examined effects for specific age periods of early development. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="S2"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d614129e207">Methods</h5> <p id="P8">Daylong audio recordings for 146 infants and toddlers were completed monthly for 6 months, and the total number of adult words and adult-child conversational turns for recording days were automatically estimated with LENA software. Follow-up evaluations at 9–14 years of age included language and cognitive testing using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V – IQ and Verbal Comprehension Index, VCI), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), and Expressive Vocabulary Test (EVT). Language exposure for three age groups was assessed: 2–17, 18–24 and 25+ months. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="S3"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d614129e212">Results</h5> <p id="P9">Conversational turn counts at 18–24 months of age accounted for 14–27% of the variance in IQ, verbal comprehension, and receptive/expressive vocabulary scores ten years later, after controlling for SES. Adult word counts between 18–24 months correlated with language outcomes but were weakened after controlling for SES. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="S4"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d614129e217">Conclusion</h5> <p id="P10">These data support the hypothesis that early talk and interaction, particularly during a relatively narrow developmental window of 18–24 months, predicts school-age language and cognitive outcomes. These findings underscore the need for early intervention programs that support parents to create an optimal early language learning environment in the home. </p> </div><p id="P11">This 10-year study explores the relationship between very early child language experience and language and cognitive skills in late childhood. </p>