Relation Between Language and Sociometric Status in School-Aged Children

Several social skills assessment studies have found children with impaired language to also have a deficit in their social skills. These studies have focused on either young children (e.g., preschool) or older children (e.g., elementary or middle school) but rarely included a range of ages in a single study. In addition, many of these studies included a small sample size (< 20 children). It is unclear how the peer relationships of children with language impairment change over time and if these children are included in more relationships as they age. This study examined the relation between language ability and sociometric ratings of 234 mainstreamed school-aged children in three age groups through peer nominations and peer ranking. The change in this relation at different ages and the characteristics associated with child relationships also was investigated. Findings revealed a strong relation between language ability and sociometric status in kindergarten but this relation weakened with age. The positive and negative characteristics associated with peer relationships also changed with age. Play and companionship skills were most important in kindergarten while personality, being a reliable ally, and validation and caring were additional characteristics important to children in fifth and eighth grades. These findings offer a framework to address the intervention for children with language impairment and a social skills deficit.