TY - JOUR

T1 - Research on the methodology of LSA with preschool children

T2 - a scoping review

AU - Lüdtke, Ulrike

AU - Ehlert, Hanna

AU - Gaigulo, Dana

AU - Bornman, Juan

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Purpose: Language Sample Analysis (LSA) is a prominent method in researching language development and is also used in clinical practice in the speech-language pathology (SLP) discipline. This scoping review aims to describe current contributions of research on LSA methodology, identify research gaps and explore areas of future advancement of LSA methodology related to its five components: determining the sample length/size, collecting, transcribing, coding and analyzing the sample. Methods: A scoping review was conducted of studies on LSA methodology published between 2010-2020 that focused on preschool children. Relevant electronic databases and research platforms were searched using the PRISMA method for data identification, screening, selection and extraction. Results: Of the 213 identified studies, 61 met the inclusion criteria, covering all aspects of the LSA process. Overall, a wide variability in study designs and research foci were found, reflecting the broad applicability of LSA. The two LSA aspects addressed most frequently are the first and last of the five LSA components: determining the length (or size) of the language sample and analyzing the sample. The methodological variability hinders the comparison of evidence and drawing implications which negatively impacts on research and clinical SLP practice. Conclusions: Besides expanding research on LSA for multilingual children and establishing LSA guidelines for specific contexts, age groups and language backgrounds, it appears as if technological development, particularly in the (semi)automatic transcription, coding and analysis of child language, holds promise to improve LSA applicability and efficiency.

AB - Purpose: Language Sample Analysis (LSA) is a prominent method in researching language development and is also used in clinical practice in the speech-language pathology (SLP) discipline. This scoping review aims to describe current contributions of research on LSA methodology, identify research gaps and explore areas of future advancement of LSA methodology related to its five components: determining the sample length/size, collecting, transcribing, coding and analyzing the sample. Methods: A scoping review was conducted of studies on LSA methodology published between 2010-2020 that focused on preschool children. Relevant electronic databases and research platforms were searched using the PRISMA method for data identification, screening, selection and extraction. Results: Of the 213 identified studies, 61 met the inclusion criteria, covering all aspects of the LSA process. Overall, a wide variability in study designs and research foci were found, reflecting the broad applicability of LSA. The two LSA aspects addressed most frequently are the first and last of the five LSA components: determining the length (or size) of the language sample and analyzing the sample. The methodological variability hinders the comparison of evidence and drawing implications which negatively impacts on research and clinical SLP practice. Conclusions: Besides expanding research on LSA for multilingual children and establishing LSA guidelines for specific contexts, age groups and language backgrounds, it appears as if technological development, particularly in the (semi)automatic transcription, coding and analysis of child language, holds promise to improve LSA applicability and efficiency.

KW - Language sample analysis; Language disorder; Preschool children

KW - Language sample analysis

KW - Preschool children

KW - Language disorder

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85173953540&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.21849/cacd.2022.00738

DO - 10.21849/cacd.2022.00738

M3 - Article

VL - 8

SP - 29

EP - 46

JO - Clinical Archives of Communication Disorders

JF - Clinical Archives of Communication Disorders

IS - 2

ER -