Pathways from Preschool Language Difficulties to School-Age Internalizing Problems

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  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      13
    • Subject Terms:
      Language Impairments; Behavior Problems; Preschool Children; Self Control; Empathy; Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Interpersonal Competence; Structural Equation Models; Semantics; Gender Differences; Intervention; At Risk Persons; Language Acquisition; Foreign Countries; Rating Scales; Check Lists; Child Behavior
    • Subject Terms:
      Norway
    • Subject Terms:
      Social Skills Improvement Rating Systems; Child Behavior Checklist
    • Accession Number:
      10.1044/2021_JSLHR-21-00548
    • ISSN:
      1092-4388
      1558-9102
    • Abstract:
      Purpose: Early language difficulties are associated with later internalizing problems across different ages and for different aspects of language. The mechanisms behind this association are, however, less understood. In the current study, we investigated longitudinal associations between language difficulties at 5 years and internalizing problems at 6 years. We also examined emotion regulation, empathy, assertiveness, and social engagement at 6 years as possible pathways for this association. Method: A subsample from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) was used (N = 928). Structural equation models were developed to test the longitudinal associations and indirect pathways between language and internalizing problems. Results: The results showed high stability for internalizing problems from 5 to 6 years ([beta] = 0.59, p < 0.001). Furthermore, semantic language difficulties predicted change in internalizing problems ([beta] = 0.12, p < 0.001). Finally, the path between semantic language and internalizing problems was partially mediated by social engagement and emotion regulation, with the indirect pathways accounting for 55% of the initial association. For girls, there was a significantly stronger correlation (p < 0.05) between semantic language difficulties and internalizing problems at baseline (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) than for boys (r = 0.16, p < 0.001). Otherwise, there were no sex differences. Conclusions: Indirect pathways from language difficulties to internalizing problems were identified through social engagement and emotion regulation. The results may guide targets for intervention in groups of children with language difficulties at risk for developing internalizing problems.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2022
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1343183