title: Extending use of the NRT to preschool-age children with and without specific language impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the Nonword Repetition Test (NRT; Dollaghan & Campbell, 1998) using a sample of 4- and 5-year-olds with and without specific language impairment (SLI) and to evaluate its feasibility for use in universal screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  The NRT was administered to 29 children with SLI and 47 age-matched children with typical development. Diagnostic accuracy was computed using alternative scoring methods, which treated out-of-inventory phonemes either as errors or as unscorable. To estimate accuracy in a universal screening context, the probability of identifying a child at risk for language impairment was computed using the prevalence of SLI (7%) as the base rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diagnostic accuracy was acceptable using both scoring methods. The resulting likelihood ratios (LR+ = 22.66, 19.43; LR- = .05, .05) were similar to those reported for older children. The probability of accurate detection of children with SLI in the general population increased from 7% to 61%. However, this value suggests that many false positives could be expected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NRT yielded results similar to those reported for older children. However, despite its strengths, the NRT is not sufficient for screening the general population of 4- and 5-year-olds.
authors.affiliation: Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, 1353 Heavilon Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. deevy@purdue.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deevy
authors.forename: Lisa Wisman
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: Laurence B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goffman
mesh_terms: D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007807:Language Tests; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D010700:Phonetics; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012306:Risk