Effects of a Parent Training Program Using CAI on Language Behaviors of Mothers and the Expressive Language of Their Children from Multicultural Families

Background & Objectives: Several researchers on multiculturalism in Korea have suggested the risk of language delay and the necessity for early language intervention. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a parent training program using CAI on mothers' language behaviors as well as their children's expressive language. Methods: Ten pairs of mothers and children from multicultural families participated in the present study. The children, aged 3 to 4 years, showed delayed vocabulary usage. Using CAI, mothers were trained on the use of facilitative strategies. The researcher provided modeling, coaching and feedback to mothers and guided them in the education of their children. A pretest-posttest control group design was employed to examine the effects of the parent training program. The Mann-Whitney U-test was utilized to measure pre-post differences in frequency of mothers' language behaviors, degree of precision in children's vocabulary expressions, number of different words (NDW), and mean length of utterance (MLU-w). Results: Compared to the control group, mothers of the intervention group who received parent training showed significant increases in frequency of proper language behaviors and use of questions inducing utterance. In addition, their frequencies of improper language behaviors and use of directions/arguments significantly decreased. The training effects were generalized to the non-training context. Also, compared to the control group, those children of the intervention group displayed significant improvements in correctness of expressive vocabulary, MLU-w, and NDW. Discussion & Conclusions: Results of the present study implicate that even mothers from multicultural families could be effective language facilitators if they are trained in a systematic and intensive manner.