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Language‐learning impairments: a 30‐year follow‐up of language‐impaired children with and without psychiatric, neurological and cognitive difficulties
Author(s) -
Elbro Carsten,
Dalby Mogens,
Maarbjerg Stine
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of language and communication disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.101
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1460-6984
pISSN - 1368-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00004.x
Subject(s) - psychology , cognition , psychiatry , population , cognitive skill , comorbidity , intelligence quotient , literacy , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , pedagogy , environmental health
Aims : This study investigated the long‐term consequences of language impairments for academic, educational and socio‐economic outcomes. It also assessed the unique contributions of childhood measures of speech and language, non‐verbal IQ, and of psychiatric and neurological problems. Aims : Methods & Procedures : The study was a 30‐year follow‐up of 198 participants originally diagnosed with language impairments at 3–9 years. Childhood diagnoses were based on language and cognitive abilities, social maturity, motor development, and psychiatric and neurological signs. At follow‐up the participants responded to a questionnaire about literacy, education, employment, economic independence and family status. The response rate was 42% (198/470). Outcomes & Results : At follow‐up a majority of the participants reported literacy difficulties, unemployment and low socio‐economic status—at rates significantly higher than in the general population. Participants diagnosed as children with specific language impairments had significantly better outcomes than those with additional diagnoses, even when non‐verbal IQ was normal or statistically controlled. Childhood measures accounted for up to 52% of the variance in adult outcomes. Conclusions & Implications : Psychiatric and neurological comorbidity is relevant for adult outcomes of language impairments even when non‐verbal IQ is normal.