title: Measuring variability in early child language: don't shoot the messenger.
abstract: Feldman et al. criticize the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) as having too much variability, too little stability, and insufficient ability to predict early language delay. We present data showing that these characteristics of the CDI are authentic reflections of individual differences in early language development rather than measurement deficiencies. We also respond to their critical assertions concerning sociodemographic influences on the CDI scores.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Psychology Laboratory, San Diego State University, CA 92182, USA. fenson@crl.ucsd.edu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fenson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Reznick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thal
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests