title: Comprehension of Inferences in a Narrative in 3- to 6-Year-Old Children.
abstract: This study aimed to describe the development of inferential abilities of children age 3 to 6 years in a narrative using a dialogic reading task on an iPad.
  
  
  
  Participants were 121 typically developing children, divided into 3 groups according to age range (3-4 years old, 4-5 years old, 5-6 years old). Total score of inferential comprehension, subscores by causal inference type targeting elements of the story grammar, and quality of response were examined across groups.
  
  
  
  Inferential comprehension emerged early, from 3 to 4 years old, with considerable interindividual variability. Inferential comprehension scores increased significantly in relation to age, leading to developmental steps with regards to the type of causal inferences. The ability to infer the problem of the story, the internal response of a character, and predictions were easier starting at age 4 years. Then, the 5- to 6-year-olds were better able to infer the goal, the attempt to solve the problem, and the resolution. Last, between the ages of 3 and 6 years, children improved in terms of the quality of response they provided.
  
  
  
  This study addresses important gaps in our knowledge of inferential comprehension in young children and has implications for planning of early education in this realm.
authors.affiliation: Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et en intégration sociale, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Paméla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Filiatrault-Veilleux
authors.affiliation: Département d'études sur l'enseignement et l'apprentissage, Faculté des sciences de l'éducation, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.affiliation: École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Université de Montréal et Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation, Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trudeau
authors.affiliation: Département de réadaptation, Faculté de medicine, Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et en intégration sociale, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desmarais
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration