Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools Vol.41 349-366 July 2010. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2009/08-0085)
© American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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Reports

Communication Development and Differences in Children Adopted From China and Eastern Europe

Deborah A. Hwa-Froelich
Hisako Matsuo
Saint Louis University, MO

Contact author: Deborah A. Hwa-Froelich, 3750 Lindell Boulevard, 12 McGannon Hall, St. Louis, MO 63108. E-mail: hwafroda{at}slu.edu.

Purpose: The communication development of children adopted from China and Eastern Europe was compared by region of origin at 6 and 12 months after adoption.

Method: Twenty children, recruited before or immediately following their adoption, participated in the study. Measures were collected between 2 and 6 months after adoption (Time 1) and between 12 and 14 months after adoption (Time 2). The children's ages ranged between 11–22 months and 22–34 months, respectively. Parent-reported vocabulary comprehension and expression and behavioral communication assessments were administered.

Results: No significant differences between region of origin were found at Time 1. At Time 2, significant group differences in expressive language performance were found, with children adopted from China and Eastern Europe demonstrating different patterns of English language development.

Conclusion: Early prelinguistic measures may provide prognostic indicators for later English language development. Children adopted from different countries where they are initially exposed to different birth languages may acquire English differently.

KEY WORDS: internationally adopted children, English language development, regional differences


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