The Impact of Parent-Implemented Early Intervention on Expressive Language Skills of Toddlers with Language Delay: A Single-Subject Study

Abstract

Introduction: Parents of children with language impairment play an important role in improving their child's language development. Thus, training them on early intervention is essential. An effective program in this respect is Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT). EMT implements language learning strategies through daily parent-child interactions in order to promote expressive language skills in children with language impairment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of EMT on expressive language skills of toddlers (24-30 months) with language delay in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: It was a single-subject study with multiple baselines and different behaviors. The subjects were 3 toddlers with expressive language delay, and their mothers. The participants were selected through purposive sampling and received EMT within 17, 14, and 9 sessions. The outcome of the intervention was evaluated immediately after and 3 months after the treatment. Increased expressive lexicon of nouns, verbs, and word compounds was their speech goal. Visual analysis and improvement rate difference (IRD) were used to analyze data. Results: All 3 children showed significant progress in their expressive language skills during the intervention phase, maintaining sessions, and 3 months after the intervention compared to baseline. The IRD for expression of nouns, verbs, and word compounds were 1, 0.91, and 0.77 for child A, 0.92, 0.77, and 0.6 for child B, and 1, 1, and 0.66 for child C, respectively. Conclusion: Training parents of children with expressive language delays on EMT can improve their children’s expressive language skills.

Keywords

• Early intervention
• Teaching language strategies to parents
• Language delay