How Simplified Language Affects Comprehension and Learning in Young Children With Down Syndrome

Part of paid clinical trials in East Lansing, Michigan.

Sponsor
Michigan State University
Study ID
NCT06951516
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Down Syndrome

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
2 Years - 7 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Linguistic simplification — BEHAVIORAL
    Children will participate in screen-based language processing and word learning tasks in which they hear utterances with different types and amounts of linguistic simplification (i.e., a within-group manipulation).

Study Details

The long-term study goal is to experimentally evaluate the components (and likely active ingredients) of early language interventions for young children with Down syndrome (DS). The overall objective is to determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects real-time language processing and word learning in young children with DS (relative to full, grammatical utterances). The proposed project will investigate three specific aims: 1) Determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects language processing. 2) Determine how single-word and telegraphic simplification affects word learning. 3) Evaluate child characteristics that may moderate the effects of linguistic simplification on language processing and word learning. Aim 1 will test the hypothesis that children with DS will process grammatical utterances faster and more accurately than telegraphic or single-word utterances. Aim 2 will test the hypothesis that overall, children will demonstrate better word learning in the grammatical compared to the single-word and telegraphic conditions. Aim 3 will test the hypothesis that receptive language and nonverbal cognitive abilities will be significant moderators, such that children with stronger linguistic and cognitive skills will show the greatest benefit from grammatical input but children with lower linguistic and cognitive scores will perform similarly across conditions.

Key Dates

Start date
Jan 1, 2025
Status verified
Jun 2026
Primary completion
May 31, 2027
Completion
May 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
30 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Utterance Type
    This study uses a within-participant experimental manipulation. All participants will be exposed to all utterances types (across trials).

Primary Outcome Measure

Gaze location on Looking-While-Listening (LWL) tasks [ Time Frame: Baseline ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Michigan State UniversityEast LansingMichigan48824
Courtney Venker, PhD
[email protected]
5178842259

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Michigan State University· East Lansing, MI

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