Title page for ETD etd-11102008-142758

Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

Schneider, Naomi Jean Bell

URN

etd-11102008-142758

Title

The Relation Between Language and Sociometric Status in School-Aged Children

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Communication Disorders, Department of

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Howard Goldstein	Committee Chair
Carla Wood Jackson	Committee Member
Juliann Woods	Committee Member
Molly Wasko	Outside Committee Member

Keywords

Language Ability
Language Impairment
Social Status
School-Aged Children
Social Networks
Peer Relationships
Peer Nomination
Friendship
Language Therapy
Sociometric Status

Date of Defense

2008-10-02

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Several social skills assessment studies have found children with impaired language to also have a deficit in their social skills. These studies have focused on either young children (e.g., preschool) or older children (e.g., elementary or middle school) but rarely included a range of ages in a single study. In addition, many of these studies included a small sample size (< 20 children). It is unclear how the peer relationships of children with language impairment change over time and if these children are included in more relationships as they age. This study examined the relation between language ability and sociometric ratings of 234 mainstreamed school-aged children in three age groups through peer nominations and peer ranking. The change in this relation at different ages and the characteristics associated with child relationships also was investigated. Findings revealed a strong relation between language ability and sociometric status in kindergarten but this relation weakened with age. The positive and negative characteristics associated with peer relationships also changed with age. Play and companionship skills were most important in kindergarten while personality, being a reliable ally, and validation and caring were additional characteristics important to children in fifth and eighth grades. These findings offer a framework to address the intervention for children with language impairment and a social skills deficit.

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