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A Comparison Of The Maladaptive Behaviors Of Normal, Language Delayed, And Late Talking Toddlers, Denise Elaine James

Dissertations and Theses

People use language to communicate their needs and intentions, to express emotions, and to form relationships. It seems likely that a disruption in children's language development would have a negative impact on their social development. There is extensive research that shows that school age children with delayed language are "at risk" for increased maladaptive behaviors (Cantwell and Baker, 1977). Whether this is also true for children in the earliest stages of language development is not yet known.

The questions this study sought to answer were: 1) Is there a significant difference in the severity and frequency of maladaptive behaviors seen …