Finite Verb Morphology Composite Between Age 4 and Age 9 for the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument: Reference Data and Psychometric Properties

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-143
Author(s):  
Ling-Yu Guo ◽  
Sarita Eisenberg ◽  
Phyllis Schneider ◽  
Linda Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Reference Data ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Criterion Validity ◽  
Generation Task ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Monitoring Treatment ◽  
Finite Verb

Purpose The purpose of this study was to provide reference data and evaluate the psychometric properties for the finite verb morphology composite (FVMC) measure in children between 4 and 9 years of age from the database of the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument (ENNI; Schneider, Dubé, & Hayward, 2005 ). Method Participants included 377 children between age 4 and age 9, including 300 children with typical language and 77 children with language impairment (LI). Narrative samples were collected using a story generation task. FVMC scores were computed from the samples. Split-half reliability, concurrent criterion validity, and diagnostic accuracy for FVMC were further evaluated. Results Children's performance on FVMC increased significantly between age 4 and age 9 in the typical language and LI groups. Moreover, the correlation coefficients for the split-half reliability and concurrent criterion validity of FVMC were medium to large ( r s ≥ .429, p s < .001) at each age level. The diagnostic accuracy of FVMC was good or acceptable from age 4 to age 7, but it dropped to a poor level at age 8 and age 9. Conclusion With the empirical evidence, FVMC is appropriate for identifying children with LI between age 4 and age 7. The reference data of FVMC could also be used for monitoring treatment progress. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.10073183

Clausal Density Between Ages 4 and 9 Years for the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument: Reference Data and Psychometric Properties

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Ling-Yu Guo ◽  
Phyllis Schneider ◽  
William Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Reference Data ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Criterion Validity ◽  
Likelihood Ratios ◽  
Generation Task ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Purpose This study provided reference data and examined psychometric properties for clausal density (CD; i.e., number of clauses per utterance) in children between ages 4 and 9 years from the database of the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument (ENNI). Method Participants in the ENNI database included 300 children with typical language (TL) and 77 children with language impairment (LI) between the ages of 4;0 (years;months) and 9;11. Narrative samples were collected using a story generation task, in which children were asked to tell stories based on six picture sequences. CD was computed from the narrative samples. The split-half reliability, concurrent criterion validity, and diagnostic accuracy were evaluated for CD by age. Results CD scores increased significantly between ages 4 and 9 years in children with TL and those with LI. Children with TL produced higher CD scores than those with LI at each age level. In addition, the correlation coefficients for the split-half reliability and concurrent criterion validity of CD scores were all significant at each age level, with the magnitude ranging from small to large. The diagnostic accuracy of CD scores, as revealed by sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios, was poor. Conclusions The finding on diagnostic accuracy did not support the use of CD for identifying children with LI between ages 4 and 9 years. However, given the attested reliability and validity for CD, reference data of CD from the ENNI database can be used for evaluating children's difficulties with complex syntax and monitoring their change over time. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13172129

scholarly journals Extending the Application of Tense and Agreement Measures: A Reply to Rispoli and Hadley (2018)

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1460-1461
Author(s):  
Laurence B. Leonard ◽  
Eileen Haebig ◽  
Patricia Deevy ◽  
Barbara Brown
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Direct Activation ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Good Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Finite Verb

Purpose In this reply, we respond to comments on our article “Tracking the Growth of Tense and Agreement in Children With Specific Language Impairment: Differences Between Measures of Accuracy, Diversity, and Productivity.” Conclusion The finite verb morphology composite can be disproportionately affected by frequently occurring grammatical forms produced through direct activation. This assumption was one of the reasons we wished to compare this measure to the tense marker total and the tense/agreement productivity score. The latter two measures provide valuable developmental information that is not available from the finite morphology composite. Yet, the finite verb morphology composite shows good diagnostic accuracy and an interpretable pattern of growth and is relatively stable across different sample sizes.

The Diagnostic Accuracy of Two Tense Measures for Identifying 3-Year-Olds With Language Impairment

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-Yu Guo ◽  
Sarita Eisenberg
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Slight Advantage ◽  
Finite Verb

Purpose The authors of this study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the Finite Verb Morphology Composite (FVMC; Bedore & Leonard, 1998) and the Tense and Agreement Productivity Score (TAPS; Hadley & Short, 2005) in identifying 3-year-olds with language impairment (LI). Method Eighteen pairs of 3-year-olds with and without LI participated in the current study. The FVMC and the TAPS were computed from 100- and 50-utterance language samples. Results The FVMC and TAPS demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy in the 100-utterance samples than in the 50-utterance samples. For 100-utterance samples, when children's age or severity was not considered, the FVMC showed a slight advantage over the TAPS in diagnostic accuracy. However, when children's age or severity was considered, the opposite pattern was observed. Conclusion Both the FVMC and TAPS can be used to differentiate 3-year-olds with and without LI. To reliably identify 3-year-olds with LI by using tense measures, language samples with at least 100 utterances are recommended.

Differentiating School-Aged Children With and Without Language Impairment Using Tense and Grammaticality Measures From a Narrative Task

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling-Yu Guo ◽  
Phyllis Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Likelihood Ratios ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Story Generation ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Sensitive Tool ◽  
Good Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Purpose To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the finite verb morphology composite (FVMC), number of errors per C-unit (Errors/CU), and percent grammatical C-units (PGCUs) in differentiating school-aged children with language impairment (LI) and those with typical language development (TL). Method Participants were 61 six-year-olds (50 TL, 11 LI) and 67 eight-year-olds (50 TL, 17 LI). Narrative samples were collected using a story-generation format. FVMC, Errors/CU, and PGCUs were computed from the samples. Results All of the three measures showed acceptable to good diagnostic accuracy at age 6, but only PGCUs showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy at age 8 when sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were considered. Conclusion FVMC, Errors/CU, and PGCUs can all be used in combination with other tools to identify school-aged children with LI. However, FVMC and Errors/CU may be an appropriate diagnostic tool up to age 6. PGCUs, in contrast, may be a sensitive tool for identifying children with LI at least up to age 8 years.

Guidelines for Judging Psychometric Properties of Imagery Questionnaires as Research Instruments: A Quantitative Proposal

1994 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 1219-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart J. McKelvie
Keyword(s):  
Construct Validity ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Criterion Validity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Reliability Criterion

To aid researchers in evaluating the construct validity of self-report imagery questionnaires in the context of their use as research instruments, standards are proposed for correlation coefficients under the headings of reliability, criterion validity, and content validity. Guidelines for deciding whether relationships are acceptable are also recommended.

Specific Language Impairment and Grammatical Morphology

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 1185-1192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Bedore ◽  
Laurence B. Leonard
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance ◽  
Finite Verb

Discriminant function analysis was employed to determine if grammatical morpheme production could be used to classify preschool-age children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with typically developing language skills. Three variables were included in the discriminant analysis: a finite verb morpheme composite, a noun morpheme composite, and mean length of utterance in morphemes. The children with SLI and age-matched controls were discriminated with high levels of accuracy, though the three variables did not yield identical classifications. Across two samples of typically developing children and children with SLI, the verb morpheme composite showed sensitivity exceeding 85% and specificity of 100%. In light of these results and growing evidence that problems with finite verb morphology continue into the school years in children with SLI, the verb morpheme composite was considered to hold promise as a clinical marker for SLI.

Grammatical Morphology and the Lexicon in Children With Specific Language Impairment

1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 678-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence B. Leonard ◽  
Carol Miller ◽  
Erika Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Preschool Age ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Lexical Diversity ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Grammatical Morphology ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Related Morphology ◽  
Finite Verb

We examined the use of grammatical morphology by preschool-age English-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) as a function of their lexical diversity. Relative to a group of normally developing (ND) preschoolers, these children's use of finite-verb morphology lagged behind expectations based on the number of different verbs they used. Noun-related morphology fell below expectations based on overall lexical diversity. Differences between the ND children and children with SLI were also seen for the slope of the increases in finite-verb morphology as a function of lexical diversity, with shallower slopes in the SLI data. The findings of this study add to existing evidence suggesting that a measure of finite grammatical-morphology use has promise as a clinical marker of SLI in English.

Predicting tense: finite verb morphology and subject pronouns in the speech of typically-developing children and children with specific language impairment

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
MONIQUE J. CHAREST ◽  
LAURENCE B. LEONARD
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Nominative Case ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Subject Pronouns ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Subject Pronoun ◽  
Finite Verb

According to the AGREEMENT/TENSE (Agr/Tns) OMISSION MODEL, children's failure to produce finite verb morphemes represents the selection of an optional infinitive form, in which tense and/or agreement is not specified. When agreement is specified, nominative case is licensed. Following the assumptions of this model, a child's utterance such as She run reflects a failure to specify tense only, given that the subject pronoun shows nominative case. We tested this assumption in two studies through the analysis of spontaneous speech samples from young typically-developing (TD) children and children with specific language impairment (SLI). In Study 1, 15 children were included (TD aged 2;1–3;11, SLI aged 4;0–6;2); in Study 2, 33 children were included (TD aged 2;5–3;11, SLI aged 3;6–6;9). We determined whether there was a relationship between the children's use of past tense -ed and their use of third person singular -s and copula is when nominative case was also used. Because nominative case was used, any failures to produce third person singular -s and copula is should be attributable to tense and not agreement. Such use should therefore be related to the children's use of -ed which presumably hinges on tense only. However, a relationship was not found in the speech of either group of children. This was true both for the children in each group who were consistent in using nominative case pronouns and for those who were not. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.

Deficits in Finite Verb Morphology

1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 701-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Miller ◽  
Laurence B. Leonard
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Grammatical Morphology ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Finite Verb

The grammatical morphology deficits common in children with specific language impairment (SLI) are characterized in some models as linguistic deficits. Such models must assume some mechanism for correct productions of finite verb forms. Three such assumptions were tested by analyzing speech samples from 18 children with SLI (aged 3 years 6 months to 6 years 9 months). Assumption 1, that nonfinite forms are used consistently until replaced by memorized finite forms, was tested by examining the distribution of verb types in present thirdperson singular and noun types in present third-person singular contractible copula contexts. Significantly more word types than expected were inflected inconsistently. Both Assumption 2, that finite and nonfinite verb forms are memorized but used indiscriminately, and Assumption 3, that affixation rules are applied indiscriminately, predict random use of finite forms. This prediction was not supported.

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