Title:
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The socio-emotional functioning of primary aged children with specific language impairment
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Aims: This thesis investigates the socio-emotional functioning of children with Specific
Language Impairment. It aims to: i) investigate different types of behavioural, emotional and
social difficulties; ii) examine which language dimension (receptive vs expressive vs pragmatic
language ability) is related to difficulties with socio-emotional functioning; iii) explore the role of
social cognition; iv) examine whether the nature of children's difficulties are context specific.
Sample: Participants were forty-two children with SLI, forty-two children matched for
chronological age and non-verbal cognitive ability, and forty-two children matched for language
ability. The children were identified from five mainstream primary schools and one Language
Unit.
Method: Parents and teachers completed a behavioural questionnaire assessing socioemotional
functioning, and a communication checklist assessing pragmatic language ability.
The children were assessed on tasks measuring emotion identification, emotion labelling,
emotion explanation, and knowledge of conflict resolution strategies.
Results: The SLI Group was rated significantly higher by parents and teachers than both
matched groups on all the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire subscales indicating
considerable problems with socio-emotional functioning. Parents and teachers reported
increased difficulties in children's pragmatic language ability on Children's Communication
Checklist-2 and varying significantly to both matched groups. Significant variations between
parent and teacher reports on difficulties with socio-emotional functioning and pragmatic
language ability existed only for the SLI Group. Significant group differences were found for all
the social cognition tasks. Social cognition, but not language ability, predicted both parent and
teacher rated behavioural, emotional and social difficulties for the SLI Group.
Conclusions: The results challenge current understanding about difficulties with socioemotional
functioning experienced by children with SLI by pointing to the crucial role of social
cognition and the importance of the social environment. Atypical developmental trajectories
are evident for this group of children with factors other than language playing more of a role for
their socio-emotional functioning.
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