Talking Tots and the Terrible Twos: Early Language and Disruptive Behavior in Toddlers.
Megan Y Roberts, Philip Curtis, Ryne Estabrook and 6 others
PMID 30277894WHAT IT FOUND
Toddlers with better language had fewer disruptive behaviors on parent report.
The association was stronger for girls and toddlers in poverty. This cross-sectional survey cannot show language problems caused behavior problems.
Key findings
01Higher language scores were associated with lower disruptive behavior scores.
02The association between language and disruptive behavior was stronger for girls than for boys.
03The association between language and disruptive behavior was stronger for children in poverty.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Mothers reported both language and behavior, so their reporting style may have affected both scores and inflated the association. The study used only 8 language items, so it cannot identify which language skills matter. It was one time point, so it cannot show whether language problems came before behavior problems or after. The sex and poverty interactions were exploratory and need replication. The sample was mothers of toddlers 18 to 36 months, so it may not extend to older children.
Declared interests
All phases were supported by Northwestern University, and the work was funded by NIH R01 R01MH107652. The authors reported no other conflicts.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that language delay caused disruptive behavior or that improving language would reduce behavior. The study was cross-sectional, used mothers' reports for both language and behavior, and did not test treatment.