Language Processing in Children with Emotional Disorders

Extensive research has explored the incidence of children with emotional disorders (ED) who experience co-occurring language delays or the converse (Benner, Nelson, & Epstein, 2002). Yet, little research has been conducted that explores the factors that may precipitate this relationship. The internal biological neural systems underlying language processing abilities may contribute to the cooccurrence of language and behavior problems (Pine et al., 1997). This article describes a preliminary investigation into the language processing ability of children with ED who have preexisting language delays (ED/LA). It is critical to determine whether language difficulties in this population are internal biological features rather than due to environmental variables such as lack of language stimulation in the home. A comparison group consisting of children with ED but without language delays (ED) was used to determine whether language processing may be a critical factor in the occurrence of language delays in children with ED.Review of the LiteratureThe interpretation of oral language is a complex process. It is an internal mental ability requiring integration of "attention, memory, concept formation, problem solving, and information management" (Snyder, Dabasinskas, & O'Connor, 2002, p. 2). At its lowest level, perception of basic stimuli in the environment is used to make meaning of words as individual pieces of oral communication. Advanced language processing requires the use of stored information to formulate cognitive predictions and to make meaning of words (Snyder, et al., 2002). Advanced processing also requires testing and retesting of meanings when the first hypothesis made during interpretation does not provide accurate meaning for the listener. These two abilities working together provide for optimal interpretation (Von Berger, Wulfeck, Bates, & Fink, 1996). In addition, processing ability requires both automatic interpretations and controlled processing (Schneider & Shiffrin, 1997). Automatic processing requires little to no thought for interpretation since the stimulus is well integrated into the child's internal schema, as, for example, in the words Hi or book. Also, this level of processing allows the listener to continue to engage in other behaviors such as walking or writing. Typically, this ability increases with age and exposure to increasingly difficult communication models (Windsor, 2002). Conversely, controlled processing usually results in the need to discontinue other tasks to understand the language because the child must apply all cognitive processes to the task of interpretation (Snyder et al., 2002).The prevalence of delays in both receptive and expressive language ability reported within the population of children with ED suggests that language processing deficits may be present as well. Previous research regarding specific language impairment indicates that children with more syntactical or grammar-based problems have performance-based deficits, whereas children with more language-based difficulties have processing deficits (Rice & Wexler, 1996; Weismer, & Evans, 2002). Yet, to date, no research has explored language processing in the population of children with ED.MethodParticipantsA total of 19 students participated in the comparison group of children with emotional disorders (ED; 14 boys, 5 girls) as well as in the group of children with ED and language delays (ED/LA; 15 boys, 4 girls). The mean age of the groups was 11.10 years (ED) and 11.00 years (ED/LA). Ethnicity for both groups included eight white, nine African American, and two Hispanic participants. All of the students were currently qualified as having ED according to the criteria established in the Individual with Disabilities Education Act. In addition, all of the students were determined to have an IQ within the normal range as indicated in a review of their cumulative files (median IQ = 97, range = 85-128). …