Social-Emotional Functioning and Quality of Life in Language Disorders: A Systematic Review of Development From Childhood to Adolescence.
Mélanie van Barreveld, Annette Scheper, Constance Vissers and 2 others
PMID 40260753WHAT IT FOUND
Children with language disorders face persistent social and emotional struggles that do not resolve with age.
Peer problems and emotional difficulties often worsen through adolescence, while prosocial skills may improve. Quality of life declines in school-age children, indicating a need for long-term support.
Key findings
01Peer problems in children with language disorders typically increase between ages 4 and 16, while prosocial abilities tend to improve or remain stable over the same period.
02Emotional functioning generally deteriorates from childhood to early adolescence, with more than 60% of children experiencing emotional problems at some point between ages 7 and 16.
03Quality of life declines over time for children with developmental language disorder, with approximately 25% of those with low language abilities following a trajectory of low and rapidly declining quality of life.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
High attrition rates in most included studies, with participants having more severe language problems or lower socioeconomic status dropping out more frequently, potentially biasing results. Methodological heterogeneity across studies, including different definitions of language disorder, varying diagnostic criteria, and different measurement tools. Reliance on parent reports for most QoL data, with very few studies using self-reports from adolescents or adults. The review included only 34 studies, with multiple studies drawing from the same few cohorts (e.g., Manchester Language Study), limiting the independence of the evidence. Inconsistent findings regarding predictors, with language severity not consistently predicting social-emotional outcomes across studies.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that social and emotional problems in children with language disorders improve naturally with age. While some prosocial skills may develop, peer problems and emotional distress frequently worsen through adolescence, and quality of life often declines during school years.