Language processing in children with emotional disorders

The author explores the language processing ability of children with emotional disorders who have preexisting language delays (ED/LA) 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 was used to determine whether language processing may be a critical factor in the occurrence of language delays in children with ED. Language competence was determined using the Test of Language Development/Intermediate. Language processing skills were then compared in the typical versus delay language groups using the Language Processing Test-R. Children with ED and language delays presented concerns in areas of language processing difficulty suggestive of underlying neurological pathology.