Validity of a Parent Report Measure of Vocabulary and Syntax for Preschool Children With Language Impairment

dthal{at}mail.sdsu.edu

Previous research has documented the validity of parent report for measuring vocabulary and grammar in typically developing toddlers. In this project, two studies examined the validity of parent report for measuring language in children with specific language delay who are older than the normative group, but who have language levels within the range measured by the instruments. In Study 1, scores on the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Sentences were compared to behavioral measures of production of vocabulary and grammar in 39- to 49-month-old children with language delay. Results indicated moderately high to high concurrent validity correlations in both domains (.67–.86). In Study 2, scores on the MacArthur Communicative Inventory: Words and Gestures were compared to behavioral measures of vocabulary comprehension and production and gesture production in 24- to 32-month-old children with language delay. Results indicated a moderately high concurrent validity correlation for vocabulary production (.66). Parent report of comprehension and gesture scores did not correlate significantly with their behavioral counterparts, but gesture scores were moderately highly correlated with language comprehension (.65).

KEY WORDS: parent report, language impairment, preschool language, vocabulary, syntax

Submitted on January 20, 1998
Accepted on September 16, 1998

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Guiberson Concurrent Validity of a Parent Survey Measuring Communication Skills of Spanish Speaking Preschoolers with and without Delayed Language Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations, October 1, 2008; 15(3): 73 - 81. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Vohr, J. Jodoin-Krauzyk, R. Tucker, M. J. Johnson, D. Topol, and M. Ahlgren Early Language Outcomes of Early-Identified Infants With Permanent Hearing Loss at 12 to 16 Months of Age Pediatrics, September 1, 2008; 122(3): 535 - 544. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Rinaldi and C. Caselli Lexical and Grammatical Abilities in Deaf Italian Preschoolers: The Role of Duration of Formal Language Experience J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ., June 5, 2008; (2008) enn019v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. G. Nicholas and A. E. Geers Expected Test Scores for Preschoolers With a Cochlear Implant Who Use Spoken Language Am J Speech Lang Pathol, May 1, 2008; 17(2): 121 - 138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. M. Bernhardt, N. Kemp, and J. F. Werker Early word-object associations and later language development First Language, October 1, 2007; 27(4): 315 - 328. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. E. Kummerer, N. A. Lopez-Reyna, and M. T. Hughes Mexican Immigrant Mothers' Perceptions of Their Children's Communication Disabilities, Emergent Literacy Development, and Speech-Language Therapy Program Am J Speech Lang Pathol, August 1, 2007; 16(3): 271 - 282. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Glennen Predicting Language Outcomes for Internationally Adopted Children J Speech Lang Hear Res, April 1, 2007; 50(2): 529 - 548. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Thal, J. L. DesJardin, and L. S. Eisenberg Validity of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories for Measuring Language Abilities in Children With Cochlear Implants Am J Speech Lang Pathol, February 1, 2007; 16(1): 54 - 64. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Salerni, A. Assanelli, L. D'Odorico, and G. Rossi Qualitative aspects of productive vocabulary at the 200-and 500-word stages: A comparison between spontaneous speech and parental report data First Language, February 1, 2007; 27(1): 75 - 87. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Westerlund, E. Berglund, and M. Eriksson Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at 18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. J Speech Lang Hear Res, April 1, 2006; 49(2): 237 - 247. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. F Hick, K. L Joseph, G. Conti-Ramsden, L. Serratrice, and B. Faragher Vocabulary profiles of children with specific language impairment Child Language Teaching and Therapy, June 1, 2002; 18(2): 165 - 180. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. C. High, L. LaGasse, S. Becker, I. Ahlgren, and A. Gardner Literacy Promotion in Primary Care Pediatrics: Can We Make a Difference? Pediatrics, April 1, 2000; 105(4): 927 - 934. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				L. B. Hauerwas and C. A. Stone Are parents of school-age children with specific language impairments accurate estimators of their child's language skills? Child Language Teaching and Therapy, February 1, 2000; 16(1): 73 - 86. [Abstract] [PDF]