Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T04:35:55.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Speech and language impairment: A neglected issue for abused and neglected children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Kellie Grant  and
Fred Gravestock
Kellie Grant
Affiliation:
Abused Child Trust, PO Box 94, Albion, Qld 4010. Tel: (07) 3857 8866 Email: [email protected]
Fred Gravestock
Affiliation:
Abused Child Trust PO Box 94, Albion, Qld 4010
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Speech and language impairment in the context of children who have experienced abuse and neglect is not well documented, with only a handful of controlled studies and research reviews on the relationships between maltreatment and children's communication development. More prevalent in the literature are reports on the deleterious effects of child abuse and neglect on overall childhood development, purporting effects on cognitive, affective, social and neurological development. However, the growth of communication skills is integral to a child's early development and is closely related to cognitive and social-emotional development. The experience of abuse and/or neglect has profound implications for a child's developing communication, supporting the inclusion of speech pathology in approaches to working with children and families in abusive and neglectful environments. This article reviews the literature on the relationship between communication development and childhood abuse and neglect. Data collected during the course of speech pathology intervention for abused and neglected children attending the Abused Child Trust's (Queensland) counselling service is also presented in order to highlight the need for the inclusion of this therapeutic modality in managing the developmental needs of this population of children.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , 2003 , pp. 4 - 11
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allen, R.E. & Oliver, J.M. (1982) ‘The effects of child maltreatment on language development’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 6,299–305.Google Scholar
Allen, R. & Wasserman, G.A. (1985) ‘Origins of language delay in abused infants’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 9,335–340.Google Scholar
Aram, D.M. & Nation, J.E. (1980) ‘Preschool language disorders and subsequent language and academic difficulties’, Journal of Communication Disorders, 13,159–170.Google Scholar
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (2001) Child Protection Australia 1999-00, Child Welfare Series No. 27, Canberra: AIHW.Google Scholar
Baker, L. & Cantwell, D.P. (1987) ‘A prospective psychiatric follow-up of children with speech/language disorders’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26,546–553.Google Scholar
Beeghly, M. & Cicchetti, D. (1994) ‘Child maltreatment, attachment, and the self system: Emergence of an internal state lexicon in toddlers at high social risk’, Development and Psychopathology, 6, 5–30.Google Scholar
Beitchman, J.H., Brownlie, E.B. & Wilson, B. (1996) ‘Linguistic impairment and psychiatric disorder: pathways to outcome’, in Beitchman, J.H., Cohen, N.J., Konstantareas, M. and Tannock, R. (Eds), Language, Learning and Behaviour Disorders: Developmental, Biological and Clinical Perspectives, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bousha, D.M. & Twentyman, C.T. (1984) ‘Mother-child interactional style in abuse, neglect and control groups: naturalistic observations in the home’, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 106–114.Google Scholar
Bowlby, J. (1988) A Secure Base – Clinical Applications of Attachment Theory, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Broadbent, A. & Bentley, R. (1997) Child Abuse and Neglect Australia 1995-1996, Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.Google Scholar
Burdekin, B. (1993) Report of the National Inquiry into Mental Health, Canberra: AGPS.Google Scholar
Cahill, L.T., Kaminer, R.K. & Johnson, P.G. (1999) ‘Developmental, cognitive and behavioural sequelae of child abuse’, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 8 (4), 827–843.Google Scholar
Cantwell, D.P. & Baker, L. (1987) ‘Prevalence and type of psychiatric disorder and developmental disorders in three speech and language groups’, Journal of Communication Disorders, 20, 151–160.Google Scholar
Carlson, V., Cicchetti, D., Barnett, D. & Braunwald, K. (1989) ‘Disorganised/disoriented attachment relationships in maltreated infants’, Developmental Psychology, 25,525–531.Google Scholar
Catts, H. & Kamhi, A. (1986) ‘The linguistic basis for reading disorders: Implications for the Speech-Language Pathologist’, Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 22, 196–203.Google Scholar
Chapman, R.S. (2000) ‘Children's Language Learning: An interactionist perspective’, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 41(1), 33–54.Google Scholar
Cicchetti, D. & Barnett, D. (1991) ‘Attachment organisation in preschool aged maltreated children’, Development and Psychopathology, 3, 397–411.Google Scholar
Cicchetti, D. & Toth, S. (1995) ‘A developmental psychopathology perspective on child abuse and neglect’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34 (5), 541–565.Google Scholar
Cicchetti, D., Toth, S. & Hennessy, K. (1989) ‘Research on the consequences of child maltreatment and its application to educational settings’, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9(2), 35–55.Google Scholar
Clarke-Stewart, K.A., VanderStoep, L.P. & Killian, G.A. (1979) ‘Analysis and replication of mother-child relations at two years of age’, Child Development, 50, 777–793.Google Scholar
Cohen, N.J. (1996) ‘Unsuspected language impairments in psychiatrically disturbed children: developmental issues and associated conditions’, in Beitchman, J.H., Cohen, N.J., Konstantareas, M.M. & Tannock, R. (eds), Language, Learning and Behaviour Disorders: Developmental, Biological and Clinical Perspectives, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Coster, W.J., Gersten, M.S., Beeghly, M. & Cicchetti, D. (1989) ‘Communicative functioning in maltreated toddlers’, Developmental Psychology, 25, 1020–1029.Google Scholar
Coster, W. & Cicchetti, D. (1993) ‘Research on the communicative development of maltreated children: Clinical implications’, Topics in Language Disorders, 13 (4), 25–38.Google Scholar
Crittenden, P.M. (1985) ‘Maltreated infants: vulnerability and resilience’, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26, 85–96.Google Scholar
Culp, R.E., Watkins, R.V., Lawrence, H., Letts, D., Kelly, D.J. & Rice, M. (1991) ‘Maltreated children's language and speech development: abused, neglected, and abused and neglected’, First Language, 11, 377–389.Google Scholar
Dale, P.S. (1996) ‘Language and emotion: a developmental perspective’, in Beitchman, J.H., Cohen, N.J., Konstantareas, M.M. and Tannock, R. (eds), Language, Learning and Behaviour Disorders: Developmental, Biological and Clinical Perspectives, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Darwish, D., Esquivel, G.B., Houtz, J.C. & Alfonso, V.C. (2001) ‘Play and social skills in maltreated and non-maltreated preschoolers during peer interactions’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 25,13–31.Google Scholar
Farber, A. & Egeland, B. (1987) ‘Invulnerability among abused and neglected children’, in Anthony, E. & Cohler, B. (eds), The invulnerable child, New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Finkelhor, D. (1984) Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory and Research, New York: The Free Press.Google Scholar
Finkelhor, D. (1986) A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse, New York: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Fox, L., Long, S. & Langlois, A. (1988) ‘Patterns of language comprehension deficit in abused and neglected children’, Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 53,239–244.Google Scholar
Gallagher, T.M. (1993) ‘Language skill and the development of social competence in school-age children’, Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 24, 199–205.Google Scholar
Gallagher, T. M. (1999) ‘Interrelationships among children's language, behaviour and emotional problems’, Topics in Language Disorders, 19(2), 1–15.Google Scholar
Gallaway, C. & Richards, B.J. (eds) (1994) Input and Interaction in Language Acquisition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gualtieri, C.T., Koriath, U., Van Bourgondien, M. & Saleeby, N. (1983) ‘Language disorders in children referred for psychiatric services’, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 22 (2), 165–171.Google Scholar
Halliday, M. (1975) Learning how to mean: Explorations in the development of language, New York: Arnold.Google Scholar
Hammond, J., Nebel-Gould, A. & Brooks, J. (1989) ‘The value of speech-language assessment in the diagnosis of child abuse’, Journal of Trauma, 29, 1258–1260.Google Scholar
Hampson, J. & Nelson, K. (1993) ‘The relation of maternal language to variation in rate and styles of language acquisition’, Journal of Child Language, 20, 313–342.Google Scholar
Hansen, M.L. (1999) The effects of early neglect on the language skills of children aged 9 to 11 years, unpublished Honours thesis, UQ.Google Scholar
Hart, B. & Risley, T.R. (1995) Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children, Baltimore, USA: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.Google Scholar
Heller, S.S., Larrieu, J.A, D'Imperio, R. & Boris, N.W. (1999) ‘Research on resilience to child maltreatment: Empirical considerations’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 23 (4), 321–338.Google Scholar
Herrenkohl, R. & Herrenkohl, C. (1981) ‘Some antecedents and developmental consequences of child maltreatment’, in Rizley, R. & Cicchetti, D. (Eds), New Directions for Child Development: Developmental Perspectives on Child Maltreatment.Google Scholar
Hoffman-Plotkin, D. & Twentyman, C.T. (1984) ‘A multimodal assessment of behavioural and cognitive deficits in abused and neglected preschoolers’, Child Development, 55,794–802.Google Scholar
Hummel, L. & Feinstein, C. (1997) ‘Developmental language disorders in school-age children’, in Nosphitz, J.D. (Ed), Handbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Vol 2: The Grade School Child: Development and Syndrome, New York: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Kaufman, J. (1991) ‘Depressive disorders in maltreated children’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30 (2), 257–265.Google Scholar
Knutson, J.F. & Sullivan, P.M. (1993) ‘Communicative disorders as a risk factor in abuse’, Topics in Language Disorders, 13(4), 1–14.Google Scholar
Kotsopoulos, A. & Boodoosingh, L. (1987) ‘Language and speech disorders in children attending a day psychiatric programme’, British Journal of Disorders of Communication, 22, 227–236.Google Scholar
Law, J. & Conway, J. (1992) ‘Effect of abuse and neglect on the development of children's speech and language’, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 34,943–948.Google Scholar
McCain, M. & Mustard, F. (1999) Early Years Study, Toronto: Founders Press.Google Scholar
Morrison Dore, M., Doris, J.M. & Wright, P. (1995) ‘Identifying substance abuse in maltreating families: a child welfare challenge’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 19 (5), 531–543.Google Scholar
National Crime Prevention (1999) Pathways to Prevention: Developmental and early intervention approaches to crime in Australia, Canberra: Attorney-General's Department.Google Scholar
Oates, K., Gray, J., Schweitzer, L., Kempe, H. & Harmon, R. (1995) ‘A therapeutic preschool for abused children: The Keepsafe project’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 19(11), 1379–1386.Google Scholar
Oates, K. (1986) Child abuse and neglect: What happens eventually?, New York: Brunner/Mazel.Google Scholar
Paul, R. (1995) Language Disorders from Infancy through Adolescence, USA: Mosby-Year Book.Google Scholar
Paul, R. (1996) ‘Disorders of Communication’, in Lewis, M. (Ed), Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Comprehensive Textbook, 2 nd edition, Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.Google Scholar
Paul, R. & Rubin, E. (1999) ‘Communication and its disorders’. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 8(1), 1–18.Google Scholar
Peterson, L. & Brown, D. (1994) ‘Integrating child injury and abuse-neglect research: Common histories, etiologies and solutions’, Psychological Bulletin, 116 (2), 235–315.Google Scholar
Perry, B.D. (1997) ‘Incubated in Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the ‘Cycle of Violence’, in Osofsky, J. (Ed), Children, Youth and Violence: The Search for Solutions, New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Prino, C. & Peyrot, M. (1994) ‘The effects of child physical abuse and neglect on aggressive, withdrawn and pro-social behaviour’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 18 (10), 871–884.Google Scholar
Prizant, B. & Meyer, E. (1993) ‘Socioemotional aspects of language and social-communication disorders in young children’, American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology: A Journal of Clinical Practice, 2(3), 56–71.Google Scholar
Prizant, B.M. & Wetherby, A.M. (1990) ‘Toward and integrated view of early language and communication development and socioemotional development’, Topics in Language Disorders, 10 (4), 1–16.Google Scholar
Prizant, B.M., Wetherby, A.M. & Roberts, J.E. (1997) ‘Communication Disorders in infants and toddlers’, in Nosphitz, J.D. (Ed.), Handbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Read, J. (1997) ‘Child abuse and psychosis: A literature review and implications for professional practice’, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28 (5), 448–456.Google Scholar
Sameroff, A.J. & Fiese, B.H. (1990) ‘Transactional regulation and early intervention’, in Meiseis, S.J. & Shonkoff, J.P. (Eds.), Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Shonkoff, J. & Phillips, D. (Eds.) (2000) From neurons to neighbourhoods: The science of early childhood development, Washington: National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Sullivan, P.M. & Knutson, J.F. (2000) ‘Maltreatment and disabilities: a population-based epidemiological study’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 24(10), 1257–1273.Google Scholar
Tomison, A. (1996) ‘Child abuse prevention programs in Australia’, in National Child Protection Clearinghouse Newsletter, 4(1), Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Toppleberg, C.O. & Shapiro, T. (2000) ‘Language disorders: a 10-year research update review’, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39 (2), 143–152.Google Scholar
Vondra, J.I., Barnett, D. & Cicchetti, D. (1990) ‘Self-concept, motivation and competence among preschoolers from maltreating and comparison families’, Child Abuse and Neglect, 14 (4), 525–540.Google Scholar
Warr-Leeper, G., Wright, N.A. & Mack, A. (1994) ‘Language disabilities of antisocial boys in residential treatment’, Behavioural Disorders, 19, 159–169.Google Scholar
Wetherby, A.M. & Prizant, B.M. (1997) ‘Speech, language and communication disorders in young children’, in Nosphitz, J.D. (Ed), Handbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Vol I : Infant and Preschoolers: Development and Syndrome, New York: John Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Widom, C. (1992) The cycle of violence, Child Protection Seminar Series No. 5, NSW Child Protection Council, Sydney.Google Scholar
Wiig, E.H. & Semel, E. (1984) Language Assessment and Intervention for the Learning Disabled, 2nd edition, Columbus, OH: Merrill.Google Scholar