Relationships between concurrent language ability and mental health outcomes in a South African sample of 13-year-olds
| dc.contributor.author | St. Clair, Michelle C. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Skeen, Sarah | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Marlow, Marguerite | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-10-25T12:07:18Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-10-25T12:07:18Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019-09-05 | |
| dc.description | CITATION: St Clair, M. C., et al. 2019. Relationships between concurrent language ability and mental health outcomes in a South African sample of 13-year-olds. PLoS ONE, 14(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221242 | |
| dc.description | The original publication is available at https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ | |
| dc.description.abstract | Children and adolescents with delayed or disordered language development are at increased risk of a number of negative outcomes, including social and emotional problems and mental health difficulties. Yet, in low- and middle- income countries, where risk factors for compromised language development are known to be prevalent, there is a lack of research on the association between child and adolescent language ability and mental health outcomes. This study evaluates data from a cross-sectional study in Khayelitsha, a semi-urban impoverished community near Cape Town, South Africa. To measure language ability, behaviour and mental health, adolescents aged 13 (n = 200) were assessed using the Riddles subtest of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children Version 2, the parent report Child Behaviour Checklist, and the self-report Moods and Feelings Questionnaire and the Self-Esteem Questionnaire. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to determine associations between language skills, self-esteem and mental health in this group of adolescents. Poor language ability was related to a range of concurrent adverse difficulties, such as attention deficits, self-esteem problems, social withdrawal, and depressive symptoms. Increased levels of language ability were related to better psychosocial profiles. In some cases, only individuals with a low level of language (bottom 10% of sample) were at increased risk of maladaptive outcomes. This study replicates the well-established relationship between language ability and poorer mental health found within high income countries in an upper middle-income country setting. Locally accessible support for children with reduced language ability is required, given the longer-term consequences of poorer mental health. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.uri | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0221242 | |
| dc.description.version | Publisher's version | |
| dc.format.extent | 12 pages | |
| dc.identifier.citation | St Clair, M. C., et al. 2019. Relationships between concurrent language ability and mental health outcomes in a South African sample of 13-year-olds. PLoS ONE, 14(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221242 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1932-6203 (online) | |
| dc.identifier.other | doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0221242 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123307 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Public Library of Science | |
| dc.rights.holder | Authors retain rights | |
| dc.subject | Mental health -- Primary school children -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Language acquisition -- Children -- Psychological aspects | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Language and emotions -- Primary school children -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Language and emotions -- Social aspects -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Relationships between concurrent language ability and mental health outcomes in a South African sample of 13-year-olds | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Article | en_ZA |