Family History of Speech and Language Impairment in African American Children: Implications for Assessment : Topics in Language Disorders

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Family History of Speech and Language Impairment in African American Children

Implications for Assessment

Pruitt, Sonja L. PhD, CCC-SLP; Garrity, April W. PhD, CCC-SLP; Oetting, Janna B. PhD, CCC-SLP

Author Information

School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California (Dr Pruitt); Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Georgia (Dr Garrity); and Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Interdepartmental Linguistic Program, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Dr Oetting).

Corresponding Author: Sonja L. Pruitt, PhD, CCC-SLP, School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA 92182 ([email protected])

Funding was provided by a graduate student assistantship and Foundation Research Account from Louisiana State University. Gratitude is extended to Beth Wooden for assistance with data collection, Tricia McCully Rodrigue for preliminary analyses of these data as part of an MA thesis, and Janet Bradshaw, Lekeitha Morris, Brandi Newkirk, Karmen Porter, and Christy Moland for feedback on an earlier draft of the work. We also especially thank the children, parents, and teachers who made the research possible.

Topics in Language Disorders 30(2):p 154-164, April 2010. | DOI: 10.1097/TLD.0b013e3181e03f39

Abstract

Purpose 

We explored the prevalence of a positive family history of speech and language impairment in African American children as a function of their socioeconomic status (SES), receipt of speech–language services, and diagnosis of specific language impairment (SLI).

Method 

Data were collected in 2 phases. Phase 1 included family questionnaires from 161 kindergartners. Phase 2 included interviews with the primary caregivers of 17 of these kindergartners.

Results 

Overall, the prevalence of a positive family history was 24%. Children receiving services did not present a higher rate of positive family history than children not receiving services, but low-SES children were 2 times more likely than middle-SES children to present positive family histories. Children with SLI were also 2 times more likely to present a positive family history than children with typical development, and after controlling for SES, elevated rates of a positive family history for those with SLI remained.

Conclusions 

Results support studies that have found higher rates of positive family history in children with SLI relative to controls while also highlighting SES as an important variable to consider within family history studies. These findings call for careful consideration of family history and SES information when assessing African American children.

© 2010 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

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