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Link between poor language skills and problem behaviour

25 June 2008

Dr Pamela Snow says there is a strong correlation between poor language skills and youth offending.

A Monash University researcher has called for early detection of poor language skills in children because of the link to disadvantage and offending.

Dr Pamela Snow, a co-author of research into links between poor language skills and youth offending in boys, said there is a strong correlation between the two.

“Children who do not receive adequate assistance to develop verbal communication skills in their early years are more likely to suffer socially and emotionally as they get older,” Dr Snow said.

“Children with poor language skills are also likely to be disadvantaged in terms of education and future employment opportunities.”

The study of 50 male juvenile offenders found that more than half had an undiagnosed oral language impairment – that is, problems using and understanding spoken language at the level of everyday communication.

“The concern is that children who do not enter school with adequate oral language skills have difficulty moving to literacy and using more complex forms of spoken language in the classroom,” Dr Snow said.

“By the time they reach mid-primary school they may have significant behavioural and adjustment difficulties and can be in desperate need of extensive speech pathology services and counselling.

“Unfortunately, speech pathology services are only funded for a limited number of students who meet stringent criteria for intervention services and many young people inevitably miss out.”

Dr Snow said early intervention would help children develop language skills at a young age and a screening process would help identify any issues.

"Comprehensive screening of children in the early stages is by far the better investment and will help prevent serious problems later on," Dr Snow said.

"We can’t expect school teachers to be equipped to identify and manage language difficulties on their own. Speech pathologists need to work alongside teachers as early as possible in a child's life."