The Type-Token Ratio and Vocabulary Performance

1984 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla W. Hess ◽  
Kelley P. Ritchie ◽  
Richard G. Landry

The Type-Token Ratio (TTR), a measure of lexical diversity, was correlated with four measures of vocabulary performance: the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, the Oral and Picture subtests of the Test of Language Development, and the Test of Written Language. The vocabulary tests were administered to 21 6-, 7-, and 8-yr.-old children from whom language samples were obtained for the application of three Type Token Ratio measures: the TTR-Total for the whole language sample, the TTR-100 for language samples of 100 words, and the CTTR, a procedure intended to be independent of language sample size. One correlation of .45 (between the CTTR and the Oral-TOLD) was significant. More research on validity is necessary to clarify the measurement domain of the TTR, if it is to be useful clinically.

Author(s):  
Barbara Solarsh

The performance of five aphasic patients was rated on three tests of language ability: The Minnesota Test for  Differential  Diagnosis; Luria's Tests of aphasia; and a Test of expressive language based on graded stimuli from the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. In order to assess communicative-ability of the subjects, each expressive language sample was administered to four judges and a score of communicative success was computed. The study aimed at comparing each subject's performance on these tests of aphasia and its relationship to the degree of communicative success, in an attempt to ascertain which test is the most accurate predictor of  "amount" of aphasic impairment. It also aimed at extracting those variables most useful and appropriate in the diagnosis of the impairment found in aphasic patients. Inter-test correlations revealed that tests of aphasia appear to be accurate predictors of "amount" of communicative success. Inter-item comparison revealed fourteen sub-tests which indicated greatest difference in the performance of all the subjects.


1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven F. Warren ◽  
Ann P. Kaiser

This study investigated the generalized effects of a language intervention program on the structural aspects of 8 language-delayed preschool children's productive language. Subjects were observed in preschool free play for periods ranging from 12 to 24 months concurrent with receiving daily didactic language intervention. A total of 57 two-, three-, and four-word syntactic forms were taught to criterion. Generalized usage was determined from (verbatim) language samples collected during free play periods in the subjects' classroom. Forty-two (74%) of the treated forms generalized to the subjects' spontaneous language in free play. There was a relationship between the complexity and potential functions of the treated forms and their generalization to free play. This effect may have been related to the subjects' MLUs. Substantial changes also occurred in the subjects' MLUs, frequency of speaking, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores, and Houston Test for Language Development scores over the period of instruction. These measures suggested that 4 of the 8 subjects were functioning near the normal range at the conclusion of treatment. Implications of these and other results are discussed.


1971 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Weiner

An assessment was made of reliability and validity of the Arthur Adaptation of the Leiter International Performance Scale (AALIPS) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) when used with preschool, language delayed children. The tests were used to examine a group of such children on three occasions. Six months elapsed between the first two administrations and approximately two years, on the average, between the first and third. On the last occasion, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) was also administered. The AALIPS proved to be quite useful as a gauge of intelligence level for this population. Measurements on it were stable through time and also predictive of later functioning on the WISC, particularly on the nonverbal section of that test. Useful in the group study, the AALIPS was also helpful in individual cases if interpretations were limited to judgments of normal and subnormal functioning. The PPVT was equally stable as a measure of group functioning. However, it was much less successful in predicting later functioning on the verbal section of the WISC. It seems to be much more limited than the AALIPS as a measure of intellectual functioning of preschool, language delayed children. Its scope is a restricted though possibly helpful one.


1981 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
Kandace A. Penner ◽  
Betsy Partin Vinson

It has been our experience in using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test that an inordinate number of verbs are missed by mentally retarded individuals. This study attempts to determine whether verb errors were due to a lack of word comprehension or a failure to understand what was being requested by the morphological-syntactic form of the stimulus. Twenty-eight subjects residing in a state facility for the mentally retarded were given a standard version and a modified version of the PPVT. On the modified version of the test, the stimulus "verbing" was altered to incorporate a syntactic helper, forming the stimulus "somebody verbing." As a result, there was a mean reduction of verb error by almost 50%.


1980 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-582
Author(s):  
Frank H. Farley ◽  
Valerie J. Reynolds

The contribution of individual differences in physiological arousal to intellective assessment in learning disabled children was studied. Arousal was measured by salivary response and intellective function (receptive vocabulary) by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. It was predicted that best performance would be found at intermediate levels of arousal. Peabody scores of learning disabled subjects of high, middle, and low arousal showed a non-significant trend in the predicted direction. Reasons for the lack of significance of this hypothesized trend were proposed and needed research outlined.


1986 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann C. Candler ◽  
Cleborne D. Maddux ◽  
Dee La Mont Johnson

Comparisons of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—Revised and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised were made with 104 children diagnosed as learning disabled and mentally retarded. Significant but modest correlations were found between all but one of the WISC—R scaled scores (i.e., Coding) and PPVT—R standard scores, and between WISC—R IQs and PPVT—R standard scores. Significant differences were found among mean Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs and mean PPVT—R standard scores. The PPVT—R standard scores underestimated WISC—R Verbal IQs by 7 points, WISC—R Performance IQs by 17 points, and WISC—R Full Scale IQs by 11 points.


1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Richards

ABSTRACTType/Token Ratios have been extensively used in child language research as an index of lexical diversity. This paper shows that the measure has frequently failed to discriminate between children at widely different stages of language development, and that the ratio may in fact fall as children get older. It is suggested here that such effects are caused by a negative, though non-linear, relationship between sample size (i.e. number of tokens) and Type/Token Ratio. Effects of open and closed class items are considered and an alternative Verbal Diversity measure is examined. Standardization of the number of tokens before computing Type/Token Ratios is recommended.


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