Associations between language and social competence

Abstract

Although there is a robust association between children’s language ability and social competence (Conti-Ramsden & Botting, 2008; van Daal, Verhoeven, & van Balkom, 2007)who were in their final year of compulsory schooling. The risk of emotional difficulties was assessed using the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ little is known about the relation between these constructs. This longitudinal study examined associations between the use of mental state words, communication connectedness and social competence. A cohort of children (n=67) were assessed at three age points: 24-30 months, 41-49 months and 52-60 months. Data consisted of standardised tests of language and cognition, spontaneous play-based language samples and parental questionnaires of children’s social competence. Mother’s connected communication was associated with children’s social development. Mothers who more often referred to their children’s utterances, reformulated, elaborated or answered in an appropriate way described their children as being more socially advanced later in development. Other key findings were that children’s early expressive vocabulary was found to be a significant predictor of social competence. Additionally, children who used more words to refer to their own and other’s mental states were reported to have fewer social difficulties later in development. In conclusion, the findings of this study support the assumption that the process of becoming socially competent encompasses having words to express oneself effectively. It also adds new findings showing that using words to refer to mental state terms and interacting in an environment which offers connected communication is important for the development of social competence. References: Conti-Ramsden, G., & Botting, N. (2008). Emotional health in adolescents with and without a history of specific language impairment (SLI). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 49(5), 516–25. van Daal, J., Verhoeven, L., & van Balkom, H. (2007). Behaviour problems in children with language impairment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 48(11), 1139–47.