Cognitive Representation in Specific Language Impairment

描述(由申请人提供)：本项目的目的是调查有特殊语言障碍(SLI)儿童的知识表征的性质。基于加工的SLI描述主要集中在处理能力的限制在多大程度上解释了这些儿童的语言障碍。特别是，这些账户主要侧重于处理速度较慢或获取信息效率较低的情况在多大程度上导致SLI的能力限制。在这些描述中，几乎没有强调被操纵的信息的性质。然而，最近有人提出，SLI儿童的心理表征可能不同于正常发育儿童的心理表征。具体地说，有人提出，SLI儿童可能会使用更具体、更扎根的心理表征，因此与正常语言同龄人使用的更抽象的表征相比，操作和存储起来更麻烦、更低效。本项目的目的是调查系统性红斑狼疮儿童在多大程度上依赖于与民族解放力量对照相比更加扎实的陈述。共有148名儿童将参与这个为期5年的项目，其中包括74名7-9岁的SLI儿童，34名在心理年龄(MA)、非言语LQ、性别和SES方面匹配的正常语言控制，以及40名在性别、SES和量化知识(QK)方面匹配的较年轻的NL控制。本研究共提出6项认知问题解决研究。研究1-4将考察基础问题表征和抽象问题表征对SLI儿童(N=34)和MA控制组(N=34)儿童解决问题的速度和准确性的影响。研究5和6将考察一组SLI儿童(N=40)和一组较年轻的QM对照组(N=40)的知识表征的性质和变化率。研究5将考察儿童对数学问题的自发问题解决，研究6将使用微基因设计来检验SLI儿童(N=40)和QM对照组(N=40)儿童在数学知识表征上的转移的性质和比率。该项目的成果将有助于促进我们对SLI儿童处理缺陷本质的理解，并为发展有效的干预模式提供有价值的见解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this project is to investigate the nature of knowledge representations in children with Specific Language Impairments (SLI). Processing based accounts of SLI have focused primarily on the extent to which limitations in processing capacity account for the language impairments seen in these children. In particular, these accounts have focused primarily on the extent to which slower rates of processing or less efficient access to information leads to capacity limitations in SLI. Within these accounts, little emphasis has been placed on the nature of the information being manipulated. Recently, however, it has been suggested that mental representations in children with SLI may differ from those of typically developing children. Specifically, it has been suggested that children with SLI may be working with mental representations that are more concrete and grounded in nature and thus more cumbersome and inefficient to manipulate and store as compared to more abstract representations used by their normal language peers. The purpose of this project is to investigate the extent to which children with SLI are relying on representations that are more grounded as compared to NL controls. A total of 148 children will participate in this 5-year project, including 74 children with SLI, 7-9 years of age, 34 normal language controls matched on mental age (MA), nonverbal l.Q., gender, and SES, and 40 younger NL controls matched on gender, SES, and quantitative knowledge (QK). A total of 6 cognitive problem solving studies are proposed. Studies 1-4 will examine the impact of grounded versus abstract problem representations on the speed and accuracy of problem solutions for children with SLI (N = 34) and MA controls (N = 34). Studies 5 and 6 will examine the nature and rate of change of knowledge representations for a group of children with SLI (N = 40) and a group of younger QM controls (N = 40). Study 5 will examine children's spontaneous problem solutions for mathematical problems and Study 6 will use a microgenetic design to examine the nature and rate of shifts in representations of mathematical knowledge for children with SLI (N = 40) and QM controls (N = 40). The outcomes of this project will serve to advance our understanding of the nature of processing deficits in children with SLI, and provide valuable insights into the development of effective models of intervention.