A broadened estimate of syntactic and lexical ability from the MCDI

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor K. M. Day ◽  
Jed Elison

A critical question in the study of language development is to understand lexical and syntactic acquisition. Functional and content words are acquired and processed differently, demonstrated in deaf acquisition and electroencephalography work. As measured through the comprehension and production of closed-class words, syntactic ability emerges at roughly the 400-word mark. However, a significant proportion of the developmental work uses a coarse combination of functional and content words on the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MCDI). Using the MCDI Wordbank database, we implemented a factor analytic approach to elucidate lexical and syntactic development from the Words and Sentences (WS) form that involves both functional words and the explicit categorizations. Although the Words and Gestures (WG) form did not share the factor structure, common WG/WS elements recapitulate the expected age-related changes. This simple parsing of the MCDI may prove simple, yet fruitful in subsequent investigation.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Trevor K.M. DAY ◽  
Jed T. ELISON

Abstract A critical question in the study of language development is to understand lexical and syntactic acquisition, which play different roles in speech to the extent it would be natural to surmise they are acquired differently. As measured through the comprehension and production of closed-class words, syntactic ability emerges at roughly the 400-word mark. However, a significant proportion of the developmental work uses a coarse combination of function and content words on the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MB-CDI). Using the MB-CDI Wordbank database, we implemented a factor analytic approach to distinguish between lexical and syntactic development from the Words and Sentences (WS) form that involves both function words and the explicit categorizations. Although the Words and Gestures (WG) form did not share the factor structure, common WG/WS elements recapitulate the expected age-related changes. This parsing of the MB-CDI may prove simple, yet fruitful in subsequent investigation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
serena sabatini ◽  
Obioha C Ukoumunne ◽  
Clive Ballard ◽  
Allyson Brothers ◽  
Roman Kaspar ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: A questionnaire assessing awareness of positive and negative age-related changes (AARC gains and losses) was developed in the US and Germany. We validated the short form of the measure (AARC-10 SF) and the cognitive functioning subscale from the 50-item version of the AARC (AARC-50) questionnaire in the UK population aged 50 and over. Methods: Data from 9,410 participants (Mean (SD) age= 65.9 (7.1)) in the PROTECT cohort were used to explore and confirm the psychometric properties of the AARC measures including: validity of the factor structure; reliability; measurement invariance across men and women, individuals with and without a university degree, and in middle age, early old age, and advanced old age; and convergent validity with measures of self-perception of aging and mental, physical, and cognitive health. We explored the relationship between demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, employment, and university education) and AARC. Results: We confirmed the two-factor structure (gains and losses) of the AARC-10 SF and the AARC-50 cognitive functioning subscale. Both scales showed good reliability and good convergent validity for AARC losses, but weak convergent validity for AARC gains. For both scales metric invariance was held for the two subgroups defined by education level and age. For the AARC-50 subscale, but not for the AARC-10 SF, strong invariance was also held for the two subgroups defined by sex. Age, sex, marital status, employment, and university education predicted AARC gains and losses. Conclusions: The AARC-10 SF and AARC-50 cognitive functioning subscale identify UK individuals who perceive age-related changes in their mental, physical, and cognitive health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Sabatini ◽  
Obioha C. Ukoumunne ◽  
Clive Ballard ◽  
Allyson Brothers ◽  
Roman Kaspar ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A questionnaire assessing awareness of positive and negative age-related changes (AARC gains and losses) was developed in the US and Germany. We validated the short form of the measure (AARC-10 SF) and the cognitive functioning subscale from the 50-item version of the AARC (AARC-50) questionnaire in the UK population aged 50 and over. Methods Data from 9410 participants (Mean (SD) age = 65.9 (7.1)) in the PROTECT cohort were used to explore and confirm the psychometric properties of the AARC measures including: validity of the factor structure; reliability; measurement invariance across men and women, individuals with and without a university degree, and in middle age, early old age, and advanced old age; and convergent validity with measures of self-perception of aging and mental, physical, and cognitive health. We explored the relationship between demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, employment, and university education) and AARC. Results We confirmed the two-factor structure (gains and losses) of the AARC-10 SF and the AARC-50 cognitive functioning subscale. Both scales showed good reliability and good convergent validity for AARC losses, but weak convergent validity for AARC gains. For both scales metric invariance was held for the two subgroups defined by education level and age. For the AARC-50 subscale, but not for the AARC-10 SF, strong invariance was also held for the two subgroups defined by sex. Age, sex, marital status, employment, and university education predicted AARC gains and losses. Conclusions The AARC-10 SF and AARC-50 cognitive functioning subscale identify UK individuals who perceive age-related changes in their mental, physical, and cognitive health.


1998 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. De BENEDICTIS ◽  
L. CAROTENUTO ◽  
G. CARRIERI ◽  
M. De LUCA ◽  
E. FALCONE ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad S. Rogers ◽  
Larry L. Jacoby ◽  
Mitchell S. Sommers ◽  
Arthur Wingfield

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