published_or_final_version / abstract / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Children presenting with communication difficulties are among the most commonly occurring developmental problems. They were observed to have problems with their everyday activities in all the occupational performance areas, as well as displaying behaviours that have a negative impact on their functioning. These behaviours appear similar to those described in children with sensory processing and sensory modulation difficulties. Literature indicated a possible connection between speech and language difficulties and poor sensory integration. This study used the Sensory Profile, a parent report measurement of the child’s sensory responsiveness in daily life, to investigate the sensory processing and modulation of children with Specific Language Impairment, as reflected in their behavioural and emotional responses. The study indicated that this population has specific areas of sensory processing that are unique to children with SLI and that differ significantly in their sensory responsiveness from typical children and children with other conditions like Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-159). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99187

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-93). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

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The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of linguistic competence in developmental dyslexia. This was done to determine whether there existed subgroups of dyslexics classified according to linguistic criteria. / Two groups, a control group of normal readers and an experimental group of dyslexic readers, were compased using a series of reading tasks that measured certain components of linguistic competence. / A quantitative analysis between groups revealed differences at the level of linguistic competence. A qualitative analysis of the dyslexic group revealed the existence of three subgroups: a morphological subgroup, a Cloze grammatical subgroup, and a Cloze lexical subgroup. / The study indicates a need for further research in the diagnosis of language deficits in beginning readers to prevent reading problems.

Linguistic dysfluencies known as mazes have been interpreted clinically as reflecting breakdown in language formulation. Nevertheless, the relatively limited available research has suggested that maze frequency increases with linguistic complexity and that mazes are produced more frequently by children with specific language impairment (SLI) than normal language (NL) peers. This study examined the hypothesis that greater maze production by children with SLI results from their processing limitations. Language samples of school-age children with SLI (n = 9) and NL (n = 11) were collected in contexts varying in task demands: conversation, narration and expository discourse. Both groups produced significantly more mazes in the more demanding contexts than in conversation. However, no significant group effect was noted for age-matched or MLU-matched groups. These results suggest that mazes should not be viewed primarily as an indication of processing limitations or a clinical marker for SLI, but more appropriately as a byproduct of linguistic complexity across groups.

The study examined the existence of (dis)similarities between subgroups of learning disabled children who had language-based learning disorders and those who did not exhibit specific language-based disabilities, and what related symptomatology characterized these children. The present study extends the previous literature by utilizing a multidimensional approach to the identification of language-based learning disordered children. The subjects used in this study were a group of 46 children between the ages of 6 and 14 years old referred to a major medical center for psychoeducational evaluation due to reported learning and/or behavioral difficulties. The subjects were separated into two groups according to the nature of the initial referral. Initial comparisons of the two groups were conducted by examining differences in cognitive, achievement, language, and behavioral functional as measured by standardized psychometric instruments. Significant differences were found between the two groups on several variables. Subtyping of the sample was accomplished using Ward's Method of cluster analysis. Fourteen cluster variables were chosen for analysis. These included (a) WISC-R Verbal IQ, (b) WISC-R Performance IQ, (c) PPVT, (d) VMI, (e) Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic subtests of the WRAT-R, (f) the five language composites of the TOLD, and (g) the Parent and Teacher versions of the Conner's Abbreviated Questionnaire. Two separate cluster analyses, one with and one without behavioral data were calculated. Results of the second cluster analysis were similar to the first. To validate the obtained cluster solutions, Multivariate Analysis of Variance was used to examine whether the clusters differed significantly on a linear composite of cognitive, achievement, language, and behavioral instruments. The expected subgroupings of language-disordered children did not appear. Several theoretical explanations for these findings are discussed and implications for future research are offered. / Department of Educational Psychology