Young children with language difficulties: a dimensional approach to subgrouping.
A dimensional approach was used to create bottom-up constructed subgroups that captured the behavioral heterogeneity in 36 Dutch-speaking children with language difficulties. Four subgroups were delineated based upon differences in cognitive ability, symbol understanding, joint attention and autism spectrum disorder related characteristics. Children with a different developmental disorder were found within a single cluster. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that bottom-up constructed subgroups might capture the heterogeneous behavioral profiles of young children with developmental difficulties in a more meaningful way. Furthermore, joint attention and symbol understanding seem important skills to assess in young children presenting with language difficulties.
KU Leuven, Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, Belgium; KU Leuven, Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), Belgium. Electronic address: rianne.jansen@ppw.kuleuven.be.
Rianne
R
Jansen
Eva
E
Ceulemans
Jolien
J
Grauwels
Jarymke
J
Maljaars
Inge
I
Zink
Jean
J
Steyaert
Ilse
I
Noens
D001288:Attention; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication
Cluster analysis; Early diagnosis; Intentional communication; Language difficulties; Symbol understanding