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. 2010 Dec;61(4):343-65.
doi: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2010.08.002. Epub 2010 Sep 15.

Sources of variability in children's language growth

Janellen Huttenlocher  1 , Heidi Waterfall, Marina Vasilyeva, Jack Vevea, Larry V Hedges
Affiliations

Sources of variability in children's language growth

Janellen Huttenlocher et al. Cogn Psychol. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

The present longitudinal study examines the role of caregiver speech in language development, especially syntactic development, using 47 parent-child pairs of diverse SES background from 14 to 46 months. We assess the diversity (variety) of words and syntactic structures produced by caregivers and children. We use lagged correlations to examine language growth and its relation to caregiver speech. Results show substantial individual differences among children, and indicate that diversity of earlier caregiver speech significantly predicts corresponding diversity in later child speech. For vocabulary, earlier child speech also predicts later caregiver speech, suggesting mutual influence. However, for syntax, earlier child speech does not significantly predict later caregiver speech, suggesting a causal flow from caregiver to child. Finally, demographic factors, notably SES, are related to language growth, and are, at least partially, mediated by differences in caregiver speech, showing the pervasive influence of caregiver speech on language growth.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Children’s average growth trajectory for lexical diversity
Figure 2
Figure 2
Children’s average growth trajectory for constituent diversity
Figure 3
Figure 3
Children’s average growth trajectory for clausal diversity
Figure 4
Figure 4
Modeled growth curves for children’s lexical diversity as a function of SES
Figure 5
Figure 5
Modeled growth curves for children’s constituent diversity as a function of SES
Figure 6
Figure 6
Modeled growth curves for children’s clausal diversity as a function of SES
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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