Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the characteristics of the language-related skills of bilingual children with specific learning disorders (SLD). The aim is achieved by analyzing language-related skills in a sample of bilingual (Italian plus another language) and Italian mo...

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Main Authors: Anna Riva, Alessandro Musetti, Monica Bomba, Lorenzo Milani, Valentina Montrasi, Renata Nacinovich
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.564047/full
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spelling doaj-7e16d0fd993849338b2b7edf12e6f38c2021-01-21T10:05:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-01-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.564047564047Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning DisordersAnna Riva0Anna Riva1Alessandro Musetti2Monica Bomba3Monica Bomba4Lorenzo Milani5Lorenzo Milani6Valentina Montrasi7Renata Nacinovich8Renata Nacinovich9Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) di Monza, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, University of Parma, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, ItalyAzienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) di Monza, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, ItalyAzienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) di Monza, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, ItalyAzienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) di Monza, Monza, ItalyAzienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) di Monza, Monza, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, ItalyPurpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the characteristics of the language-related skills of bilingual children with specific learning disorders (SLD). The aim is achieved by analyzing language-related skills in a sample of bilingual (Italian plus another language) and Italian monolingual children, with and without SLD.Patients and methods: A total of 72 minors aged between 9 and 11 were recruited and divided into four groups: 18 Italian monolingual children with SLD, 18 bilingual children with SLD, 18 Italian monolingual children without SLD, and 18 bilingual children without SLD. Each child underwent tests to evaluate different aspects of language skills: lexical and grammar, metalanguage and executive functions.Results: With regard to lexical and grammatical skills, the conditions of SLD and bilingualism both impact naming in terms of total number of errors for words with low frequency of use, while the condition of SLD has an effect on semantic errors for words with low frequency of use. The condition of bilingualism impacts on the total errors for words with high frequency of use and on circumlocution-type errors for words with low frequency of use. There were significant effects of bilingualism and SLD on the metalinguistic test for understanding implicit meaning, and an impact of SLD on phonological awareness was also found.Conclusion: The results suggest that both SLD and bilingualism have an effect on some lexical skills, in particular for words with low frequency of use. Both conditions, bilingualism and SLD, seem to impact on metalinguistic abilities that depend on lexical knowledge. These findings reinforce the importance of improving understanding of the neuropsychological profile of bilingual children with SLD.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.564047/fullspecific learning disorderbilingualismmetalinguistic abilitieschildrenlanguage-related skills
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Anna Riva
Anna Riva
Alessandro Musetti
Monica Bomba
Monica Bomba
Lorenzo Milani
Lorenzo Milani
Valentina Montrasi
Renata Nacinovich
Renata Nacinovich
spellingShingle Anna Riva
Anna Riva
Alessandro Musetti
Monica Bomba
Monica Bomba
Lorenzo Milani
Lorenzo Milani
Valentina Montrasi
Renata Nacinovich
Renata Nacinovich
Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
Frontiers in Psychology
specific learning disorder
bilingualism
metalinguistic abilities
children
language-related skills
author_facet Anna Riva
Anna Riva
Alessandro Musetti
Monica Bomba
Monica Bomba
Lorenzo Milani
Lorenzo Milani
Valentina Montrasi
Renata Nacinovich
Renata Nacinovich
author_sort Anna Riva
title Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
title_short Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
title_full Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
title_fullStr Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
title_full_unstemmed Language-Related Skills in Bilingual Children With Specific Learning Disorders
title_sort language-related skills in bilingual children with specific learning disorders
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Psychology
issn 1664-1078
publishDate 2021-01-01
description Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the characteristics of the language-related skills of bilingual children with specific learning disorders (SLD). The aim is achieved by analyzing language-related skills in a sample of bilingual (Italian plus another language) and Italian monolingual children, with and without SLD.Patients and methods: A total of 72 minors aged between 9 and 11 were recruited and divided into four groups: 18 Italian monolingual children with SLD, 18 bilingual children with SLD, 18 Italian monolingual children without SLD, and 18 bilingual children without SLD. Each child underwent tests to evaluate different aspects of language skills: lexical and grammar, metalanguage and executive functions.Results: With regard to lexical and grammatical skills, the conditions of SLD and bilingualism both impact naming in terms of total number of errors for words with low frequency of use, while the condition of SLD has an effect on semantic errors for words with low frequency of use. The condition of bilingualism impacts on the total errors for words with high frequency of use and on circumlocution-type errors for words with low frequency of use. There were significant effects of bilingualism and SLD on the metalinguistic test for understanding implicit meaning, and an impact of SLD on phonological awareness was also found.Conclusion: The results suggest that both SLD and bilingualism have an effect on some lexical skills, in particular for words with low frequency of use. Both conditions, bilingualism and SLD, seem to impact on metalinguistic abilities that depend on lexical knowledge. These findings reinforce the importance of improving understanding of the neuropsychological profile of bilingual children with SLD.
topic specific learning disorder
bilingualism
metalinguistic abilities
children
language-related skills
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.564047/full
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