Early predictors of language development in preschool children

Language has a significant mediating role in cognitive, social and behavioural development, especially in young children. The aim of this study was to identify some factors which are associated with further language development in toddlers. To this purpose a longitudinal study design with two assessments was used in order to evaluate to what extent some language variables measured at 24-30 months of age could predict language outcome one year later (36-42 months). Three measures (absence of word combination, reduced vocabulary, absence of morphological competence), potentially associated with later language development, were extracted from the Italian version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory, compiled by the teachers at the first assessment. According to the results, a risk index was developed which allowed to identify a group of late talkers. All the children with language difficulties at the second assessment were correctly identified at the first, even though some false positives are present. The cognitive, behavioural and language profiles of children at risk showed some differences as compared with those of toddlers with typical language development.