Processing Measures of LI in Linguistically Diverse Learners

描述（由申请人提供）：这个探索性项目的目标是开发和完善一套新的基于处理的测量工具，这些工具可以用来有效地识别具有不同语言学习经历的儿童的原发性或“特异性”语言障碍（LI）的行为表型。参与者将只讲英语，有或没有英语，西班牙语和英语双语，苗语和英语双语。我们提出两种类型的任务，要么强调语言处理，要么强调非语言信息的处理。在英语、西班牙语和苗族语中，三个基于语言的处理任务是非单词重复、计数广度和快速命名。三种非语言加工任务是选择、视觉检测、听觉序列记忆和高度重复。分组比较之后的似然比将用于计算任务的敏感性和特异性。逻辑回归和聚类分析将用于确定识别LI患儿和潜在LI亚组的最佳任务组合。本研究应用的创新之处在于两个方面：在语言多样性的背景下，采取解决LI表型的基本步骤，并开发利用信息处理系统稳健方面的评估措施，即检查伴随LI语言表现的非语言认知概况以及语言处理中更可观察的缺陷。拟议项目的结果将直接有助于更明确地定义LI表型，以及在日益多样化的人群中分离典型语言发展和LI所需的无偏见评估措施的发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this exploratory project is to develop and refine a novel battery of processing-based measurement tools that can be used to effectively identify a behavioral phenotype for primary or "specific" language impairment (LI) across children with diverse language learning experiences. Participants will be English-only speakers with and without LI, bilingual speakers of Spanish and English, and bilingual speakers of Hmong and English. We propose 2 types of tasks that emphasize either language processing or the processing of nonlinguistic information. The 3 language-based processing tasks are non-word repetition, counting span and rapid naming, in English, Spanish and Hmong. The 3 non-linguistic processing tasks are choice visual detection, auditory serial memory, and Tallal repetition. Group comparisons followed by likelihood ratios will be used to calculate task sensitivity and specificity. Logistic regression and cluster analyses will be used to determine the best combination of tasks for identifying children with LI and potential LI subgroups. The innovation of this research application is 2-fold: to take the fundamental step of addressing the LI phenotype within the context of linguistic diversity and to develop assessment measures that tap into robust aspects of the information processing system, that is, to examine the nonlinguistic cognitive profile accompanying LI language performance as well as the more observable deficit in language processing. Results from the proposed project will directly contribute to a more clearly defined LI phenotype as well as to the development of non-biased assessment measures needed for separating typical language development from LI in an increasingly diverse population.