Predicting patterns of developmental change: language development into primary school
Citation
Law, J. & Rush, R. (2010) Predicting patterns of developmental change: language development
into primary school, ,
Abstract
Objectives: Although it is possible to examine population subgroups using test cut point it
is preferable to examine the performance of such groups across time if measures allow.
This analysis will compare the profile of childrens language development between three
and five years drawing on data (n=11788) in the UKs Millennium Cohort Study.
Methods: Following clinical convention, the threshold for caseness was set at -1.5 standard
deviations below the mean on the British Ability Scales, a well recognized standardized
assessment of language development. We identified four groups based on their profiles
across time on the British Abilities Scales. Group 1 comprised those whose scores fell 1.5
SD below the mean at both time points (n=199), Group 2 made up those whose scores
deteriorated across time i.e. starting within normal limits and falling outside the normal
range at five years (n=234), Group 3 comprised those who appeared to be resilient i.e.
starting below the norm and improving across time (n=257) Group 4 comprised those
whose scores remained within normal limits between 3 and 5 (n=11098). Multinomial
regression was employed to assess the influence of these variables on the first three
groups relative to the fourth. Potential predictors included gender, whether the child was
small for dates, whether they had been in a special care baby unit, had long term health
conditions, report of parental concern about hearing at nine months, attachment and
developmental performance at nine months.
Conclusion: The findings will be discussed in terms of their implications for our
understanding of developmental change which has tended to emphasise continuities rather
than discontinuities in child development. We will also interpret the data in terms of current
health and educational policy and the popular desire to implement early screening
procedures to identify at risk children. We argue that risk itself is not sufficient to warrant
universal procedures which tend not to be very strong predictors even across such a
narrow age span and using identical measures.