Discourse deficits associated with psychiatric disorders and with language impairments in children

Author(s): Im, N., Cohen, N. J.

Journal/Book: J Child Psychol Psychiat. 1999; 40: 40 West 20Th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA. Cambridge Univ Press. 693-704.

Abstract: The purpose of the current study was to examine whether types of discourse deficits were associated differentially with psychiatric disorders (PD) and with language impairments (LI) in children. Discourse analyses examining the occurrence of different types of discourse deficits in language structure, information structure, and flow of information were performed on the spoken narratives of 111 children aged 7 to 12 years who comprised 4 groups: (1) psychiatrically referred children with LI(PD + LI), (2) psychiatrically referred children with normally developing language (PD), (3) nonreferred children with language impairments (LI), and (4) nonreferred children with normally developing language (controls). Discourse deficits in language and information structure characterized children with PD. Children with the comorbid condition exhibited deficits related to pronominal reference and casual cohesion. The findings provide a preliminary understanding of the associations among language, discourse, and psychopathology in children.

Note: Article Vallance DD, CM Hincks Inst, 114 Maitland St, Toronto, ON M4Y 1E1, CANADA

Keyword(s): language disorder; psychiatric disorders; narratives; discourse skills; social behaviour; school children; internalizing disorder; externalizing disorder; LONG-TERM CONSISTENCY; NARRATIVE DISCOURSE; DISTURBED-CHILDREN; BEHAVIORAL-CHARACTERISTICS; SPEECH/LANGUAGE PROFILES; HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER; LEARNING-DISABILITIES; COMPREHENSION; COMMUNICATION; ADOLESCENTS

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