Longitudinal trajectories of peer relations in children with specific language impairment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Longitudinal trajectories of peer relations in children with specific language impairment

AU - Mok, Pearl L. H.

AU - Pickles, Andrew

AU - Durkin, Kevin

AU - Conti-Ramsden, Gina

PY - 2014/5

Y1 - 2014/5

N2 - BackgroundPeer relations is a vulnerable area of functioning in children with specific language impairment (SLI), but little is known about the developmental trajectories of individuals.MethodsPeer problems were investigated over a 9-year period (from 7 to 16years of age) in 171 children with a history of SLI. Discrete factor growth modelling was used to chart developmental trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with group membership.ResultsFour distinct developmental trajectories were identified: low-level/no problems in peer relations (22.2% of participants), childhood-limited problems (12.3%), childhood-onset persistent problems (39.2%) and adolescent-onset problems (26.3%). Risk of poor trajectories of peer relations was greater for those children with pragmatic language difficulties. Prosocial behaviour was the factor most strongly associated with trajectory group membership. Overall, the more prosocial children with better pragmatic language skills and lower levels of emotional problems had less difficulty in developing peer relations.ConclusionsAnalysis of developmental trajectories enriches our understanding of social development. A sizeable minority in the present sample sustained positive relations through childhood and adolescence, and others overcame early difficulties to achieve low levels of problems by their early teens; the majority, however, showed childhood-onset persistent or adolescent-onset problems.

AB - BackgroundPeer relations is a vulnerable area of functioning in children with specific language impairment (SLI), but little is known about the developmental trajectories of individuals.MethodsPeer problems were investigated over a 9-year period (from 7 to 16years of age) in 171 children with a history of SLI. Discrete factor growth modelling was used to chart developmental trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with group membership.ResultsFour distinct developmental trajectories were identified: low-level/no problems in peer relations (22.2% of participants), childhood-limited problems (12.3%), childhood-onset persistent problems (39.2%) and adolescent-onset problems (26.3%). Risk of poor trajectories of peer relations was greater for those children with pragmatic language difficulties. Prosocial behaviour was the factor most strongly associated with trajectory group membership. Overall, the more prosocial children with better pragmatic language skills and lower levels of emotional problems had less difficulty in developing peer relations.ConclusionsAnalysis of developmental trajectories enriches our understanding of social development. A sizeable minority in the present sample sustained positive relations through childhood and adolescence, and others overcame early difficulties to achieve low levels of problems by their early teens; the majority, however, showed childhood-onset persistent or adolescent-onset problems.

KW - peer relations

KW - developmental trajectories

KW - prosocial behaviour

KW - pragmatic language impairment

KW - autistic symptomatology

KW - Specific language impairment

KW - RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL

KW - AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

KW - SOCIAL-BEHAVIOR

KW - SLI

KW - ADOLESCENTS

KW - HISTORY

KW - DIFFICULTIES

KW - QUESTIONNAIRE

KW - PREVALENCE

KW - OUTCOMES

U2 - 10.1111/jcpp.12190

DO - 10.1111/jcpp.12190

M3 - Article

SN - 0021-9630

VL - 55

SP - 516

EP - 527

JO - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

JF - Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

IS - 5

M1 - N/A

ER -