Charman, Tony, Ricketts, Jessie, Dockrell, Julie E., Lindsay, Geoff and Palikara, Olympia (2015) Emotional and behavioural problems in children with language impairments and children with autism spectrum disorders. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 50 (1). pp. 84-93. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12116

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Abstract

Background

Although it is well-established that children with language impairment (LI) and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) both show elevated levels of emotional and behavioural problems, the level and types of difficulties across the two groups have not previously been directly compared.

Aims

To compare levels of emotional and behavioural problems in children with LI and children with ASD recruited from the same mainstream schools.

Methods & Procedures
We measured teacher-reported emotional and behavioural problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in a sample of 5–13-year-old children with LI (N = 62) and children with ASD (N = 42) attending mainstream school but with identified special educational needs.

Outcomes & Results

Both groups showed similarly elevated levels of emotional, conduct and hyperactivity problems. The only differences between the LI and ASD groups were on subscales assessing peer problems (which were higher in the ASD group) and prosocial behaviours (which were higher in the LI group). Overall, there were few associations between emotional and behavioural problems and child characteristics, reflecting the pervasive nature of these difficulties in children with LI and children with ASD, although levels of problems were higher in children with ASD with lower language ability. However, in the ASD group only, a measure of family social economic status was associated with language ability and attenuated the association between language ability and emotional and behavioural problems.

Conclusions & Implications

Children with LI and children with ASD in mainstream school show similarly elevated levels of emotional and behavioural problems, which require monitoring and may benefit from intervention. Further work is required to identify the child, family and situational factors that place children with LI and children with ASD at risk of emotional and behavioural problems, and whether these differ between the two groups. This work can then guide the application of evidence-based interventions to these children.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman R Medicine > RC Internal medicine R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) Faculty of Social Sciences > Centre for Education Studies (2013- )
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Language disorders in children, Language disorders in children -- Complications, Autism spectrum disorders , Autism spectrum disorders in children , Behavior disorders in children, Children -- Language, Communicative disorders in children, Emotional problems of children., Problem children -- Language, Problem children--Mental health
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis Ltd.
ISSN:	1368-2822
Official Date:	January 2015
Dates:	Date Event January 2015 Published 17 July 2014 Available May 2014 Accepted October 2013 Submitted
Volume:	50
Number:	1
Number of Pages:	10
Page Range:	pp. 84-93
DOI:	10.1111/1460-6984.12116
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID Better Communication Research Programme Department for Education http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000829

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