Mental State Language Use in Children with Down Syndrome and the Role of Caregivers.
Marie Moore Channell, Rebekah Bosley
PMID 34311483WHAT IT FOUND
Shared storybook reading is a promising context for caregivers to support mental state language in school-age children with Down syndrome, but evidence for this specific intervention is currently preliminary.
Key findings
01Mental state language is delayed in school-age children with Down syndrome, with variability in use and a reliance on basic emotional words.
02Preliminary data suggests maternal mental state language may facilitate child mental state language indirectly by increasing the child's emotion knowledge.
03Caregiver-implemented shared storybook interventions show promise in other populations but require more evidence for Down syndrome, particularly regarding causal relationships.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review relies on preliminary data from a small sample (33 dyads) for its specific findings on mediation. There is no longitudinal evidence to support causal relationships between caregiver input and child mental state language in this population. Evidence for caregiver-implemented shared storybook interventions specifically targeting mental state language in school-age children with Down syndrome is currently lacking. The review notes significant variability in language skills and behaviors across the Down syndrome phenotype, which complicates the application of a one-size-fits-all intervention approach.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that shared storybook reading has been proven to improve mental state language in school-age children with Down syndrome. The evidence is preliminary and based on associations, not tested interventions with this specific outcome.