Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months?
Saved in:
| Title: | Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months? |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kristin M. Uhler (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2026 69(3):1230-1248. |
| Availability: | American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) (DHHS/NIH) National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) (DHHS/NIH) National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) (DHHS/ACL) |
| Contract Number: | K23DC01358 R01DC021068 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Infants, Toddlers, Hard of Hearing, Assistive Technology, Language Acquisition, Age Differences, Auditory Discrimination, Word Recognition, Morphemes, Socioeconomic Status, Verbs |
| DOI: | 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00719 |
| ISSN: | 1092-4388 1558-9102 |
| Abstract: | Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among speech discrimination at 9 months of age, word recognition at 30 months of age, and mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLUm) at 33 months of age among children who are hard of hearing (CHH) and children with normal hearing (CNH). This study also explored early sociodemographic and audiological variables that may influence communication outcomes in CHH and CNH. Method: Participants included 18 CNH and 32 CHH with early and well-fit hearing aids (HAs). Measures included speech discrimination in response to vowel and consonant stimuli at 9 months, word recognition at 30 months, and a spontaneous language sample at 33 months. Results: Group-level differences were not observed in speech discrimination or word recognition but emerged for language outcomes. Specifically for language outcomes, CHH had shorter MLUms and produced fewer mental state verbs than CNH. Vowel discrimination and word recognition were related to each other, and word recognition was related to MLUm. Consonant discrimination did not relate to any other variables. Higher MLUm was related to maternal level of education, hearing status, and daily device use. Additionally, daily device use at both 9 and 30 months correlated with word recognition at 30 months. Conclusions: Early auditory measures (speech discrimination and daily device use) relate to later speech recognition and MLUm in young children wearing well-fit HAs. Clinicians should consider these early metrics, as well as spontaneous language samples to capture real-world conversational skills, to identify young CHH at risk for poorer language outcomes. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1499679 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among speech discrimination at 9 months of age, word recognition at 30 months of age, and mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLUm) at 33 months of age among children who are hard of hearing (CHH) and children with normal hearing (CNH). This study also explored early sociodemographic and audiological variables that may influence communication outcomes in CHH and CNH. Method: Participants included 18 CNH and 32 CHH with early and well-fit hearing aids (HAs). Measures included speech discrimination in response to vowel and consonant stimuli at 9 months, word recognition at 30 months, and a spontaneous language sample at 33 months. Results: Group-level differences were not observed in speech discrimination or word recognition but emerged for language outcomes. Specifically for language outcomes, CHH had shorter MLUms and produced fewer mental state verbs than CNH. Vowel discrimination and word recognition were related to each other, and word recognition was related to MLUm. Consonant discrimination did not relate to any other variables. Higher MLUm was related to maternal level of education, hearing status, and daily device use. Additionally, daily device use at both 9 and 30 months correlated with word recognition at 30 months. Conclusions: Early auditory measures (speech discrimination and daily device use) relate to later speech recognition and MLUm in young children wearing well-fit HAs. Clinicians should consider these early metrics, as well as spontaneous language samples to capture real-world conversational skills, to identify young CHH at risk for poorer language outcomes. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1092-4388 1558-9102 |
| DOI: | 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00719 |
