Bilingual children and communication disorders: a 30-year research retrospective. 2009

Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. kohne005@umn.edu

We present a review of the empirical literature at the intersection of bilingualism and pediatric communication disorders. A computer search of six electronic databases was done to identify studies published in English since 1950 that directly investigated some aspect of speech, language, or cognitive performance in developing bilinguals and children with communication impairments. The computer search yielded 116 non-duplicated articles, the first published in 1978. An article review by the authors further reduced the number of studies meeting search criteria to 64. A majority of studies focused on primary developmental language impairment (LI) and children learning two languages sequentially. Spanish and English were the most frequent combination of languages for bilingual participants. Collective study findings are presented with respect to trends, clinical implications, and areas for future research.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007807 Language Tests Tests designed to assess language behavior and abilities. They include tests of vocabulary, comprehension, grammar and functional use of language, e.g., Development Sentence Scoring, Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language Scale, Parsons Language Sample, Utah Test of Language Development, Michigan Language Inventory and Verbal Language Development Scale, Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, Northwestern Syntax Screening Test, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Ammons Full-Range Picture Vocabulary Test, and Assessment of Children's Language Comprehension. Language Comprehension Tests,Vocabulary Tests,Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination,Boston Naming Test,Comprehensive Aphasia Test,Multilingual Aphasia Examination,Language Test
D008037 Linguistics The science of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical linguistics. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Linguistic
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002663 Child Language The language and sounds expressed by a child at a particular maturational stage in development. Child Languages,Language, Child,Languages, Child
D003147 Communication Disorders Disorders of verbal and nonverbal communication caused by receptive or expressive LANGUAGE DISORDERS, cognitive dysfunction (e.g., MENTAL RETARDATION), psychiatric conditions, and HEARING DISORDERS. Acquired Communication Disorders,Childhood Communication Disorders,Communication Disabilities,Communication Disorders, Childhood,Communication Disorders, Developmental,Communication Disorders, Neurogenic,Communicative Disorders,Communicative Dysfunction,Developmental Communication Disorders,Neurogenic Communication Disorders,Acquired Communication Disorder,Childhood Communication Disorder,Communication Disability,Communication Disorder,Communication Disorder, Acquired,Communication Disorder, Childhood,Communication Disorder, Developmental,Communication Disorder, Neurogenic,Communication Disorders, Acquired,Communicative Disorder,Communicative Dysfunctions,Developmental Communication Disorder,Disabilities, Communication,Disability, Communication,Dysfunction, Communicative,Dysfunctions, Communicative,Neurogenic Communication Disorder
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D019303 Multilingualism The ability to speak, read, or write several languages or many languages with some facility. Bilingualism is the most common form. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Bilingualism

Related Publications

Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
July 2012, Behavior modification,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
January 2024, Aesthetic surgery journal,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
April 1991, The American psychologist,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
January 2010, Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
June 2007, Nursing,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
January 2006, Journal of health communication,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
January 2000, Dyslexia (Chichester, England),
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
July 2012, Soudni lekarstvi,
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
February 2020, Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland),
Kathryn Kohnert, and Amelia Medina
December 2023, Journal of autism and developmental disorders,
Copied contents to your clipboard!