The Number of Sessions Children With Developmental Language Disorder Retrieve Words Relates Positively to Retrieval After Extended Post-Training Delays.

purposeFor adults and children with typical development, the number of training sessions a target item is successfully retrieved relates positively to the probability of successful post-training retrieval. Determining the relationship between training performance and post-training retrieval during a word learning intervention for children with developmental language disorder (DLD) has the potential to inform clinical practice. To determine this relationship, secondary analyses of data from Storkel's interactive book reading intervention for kindergarten children with DLD were conducted.

methodChildren completed a biweekly book reading intervention across 15 sessions. The administrator cycled through 5 books and the associated target words across sessions. Each target word was trained, and the word's form and meaning were assessed, during 6 sessions. In the current analyses, the relationships between the number of sessions that the form or meaning were produced correctly and the probability of retrieving the form or meaning at the end of training and after 4-, 8-, and 12-week delays were assessed.

resultsThe number of sessions that a word was successfully retrieved during training was positively related to the probability of retrieval at post-training delays. This was the case for both forms and meanings.

conclusionsCurrent results suggest that children with DLD should successfully retrieve word forms and meanings across multiple sessions to support post-training retention. Implications for clinical interventions and suggestions for future research are discussed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29591660.