Abstract

This study examined the relationship between language skills and reticence in 37 children with language impairment (LI) and 37 typically developing peers matched for age (ranging from 6;11 to 10;1 years) and gender. Subtests of the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (E. Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999) were used to evaluate language ability. The Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (C. H. Hart & C. C. Robinson, 1996) was used to evaluate reticence. The current study replicated previous research by documenting significantly higher levels of reticence in children with LI when compared to typical peers. Significant group differences were also found in paragraph comprehension, syntax construction, and pragmatic judgment skills, with children with LI performing poorer on each language subtest compared to typical peers. No significant gender differences were observed on any of the comparisons. Multiple regression analyses were applied to evaluate the relationship between the language subtests and reticence in the group with LI and the typical group. Results for both groups indicated that paragraph comprehension, syntax construction, and pragmatic judgment skills were not significant predictors of reticent withdrawal behavior, either in combination or independently. Results suggest that language alone cannot predict reticence in either children with LI or their typical peers.

Degree

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Communication Disorders

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/