Evaluation of an Explicit Approach to Teach Grammatical Forms to Children with Language Impairment

项目摘要 拟议的研究是一项随机临床试验，采用序贯多重分配 随机试验（SMART）研究设计。该研究将直接比较 创新的干预，结合了显式和隐式的方法，以传统的隐式 对发展性语言儿童教授真正的语法形式的治疗方法 疾病（DLD）。该研究还将比较干预措施，包括序列的明确- 添加和仅隐式处理。参与者将包括5至8岁的儿童， 有明显语法缺陷的DLD。在第一阶段，155名参与者将 以1：1的比例随机分配至显性添加治疗组或仅隐性治疗组。每个 参加者将完成32节课，针对四种独特的语法形式（8节课/形式）。 在第2阶段，“大师”将被重新随机化，接受32次相同的治疗 治疗，或32个疗程的替代治疗。“非主研究者”将被重新随机分配至 接受32次相同治疗或32次替代治疗。 性能将在获取、维护和泛化探针上进行测量， 干预后即刻、1个月、6个月和12个月。SMART研究设计将用于 确定儿童因素，包括表达和接受语言能力，非语言智商， 和执行功能技能可以可靠地预测治疗顺序， 语言学习。研究结果将有助于确定最佳顺序方法， 改善语法弱点，幼儿语言的核心缺陷之一 损伤

Project Summary The proposed study is a randomized clinical trial that uses a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) study design. The study will directly compare the efficacy of an innovative intervention that combines explicit and implicit approaches to a traditional implicit treatment approach to teach true grammatical forms to children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The study will also compare interventions that include sequences of Explicit- added and Implicit-only treatments. Participants will include 5- through 8-year-old children with DLD who present with significant grammatical weaknesses. In Phase 1, 155 participants will be randomized 1:1 to an Explicit-added treatment group or an Implicit-only treatment group. Each participant will complete 32 sessions targeting four unique grammatical forms (8 sessions/form). In Phase 2, “Masters” will be re-randomized to receive no treatment 32 sessions of the same treatment, or 32 sessions of the alternative treatment. “Non-Masters” will be re-randomized to receive 32 additional sessions of the same treatment or 32 sessions of the alternative treatment. Performance will be measured on acquisition, maintenance, and generalization probes obtained immediately,1-, 6-, and 12- months post-intervention. The SMART study design will be used to determine if child factors, including expressive and receptive language abilities, nonverbal IQ, and executive function skills can reliably predict the treatment sequence that optimizes language learning. Study results will help to determine the best sequence approach to ameliorate grammatical weaknesses, one of the core deficits of young children with language impairment.