Table 1.
Characteristics and performance of the preterm groups with and without language impairment
| Characteristics and performance | Unimpaired language (n = 31) | Impaired language (n = 19) | Statistical comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Language Score (CELF-3UK) | 102 (10) | 68 (10) | t(48) = 11.9, P < 0.0001* |
| Verbal IQ | 100 (10) | 77 (9) | t(48) = 8.3, P < 0.0001 |
| Non-verbal IQ | 100 (14) | 81 (13) | t(48) = 4.6, P < 0.0001 |
| Demographics | |||
| Age (years) | 16.2 (1.2) | 16.1 (1.6) | t(48) = 0.3, P = 0.767 |
| Sex ratio (male:female) | 11:20 | 8:11 | χ2(1, n = 50) = 0.2, P = 0.431 |
| Maternal education (years) | 2.5 (3.3) | 2.1 (3.2) | t(48) = 0.4, P = 0.714 |
| Abnormal MRI at follow-up, n (%) | 16 (52) | 17 (89) | χ2(1, n = 50) = 4.5, P = 0.032 |
| Abnormal/suspicious neurological outcome, n (%) | 7 (23) | 10 (53) | χ2 (2, n = 50) = 4.7, P = 0.031 |
| Perinatal and developmental variables | |||
| Cranial ultrasound lesion, n (%) | χ2 (2, n = 50) = 1.7, P = 0.430 | ||
| Minor | 11 (35) | 6 (32) | |
| Major | 5 (16) | 6 (32) | |
| Gestation (weeks) | 28 (2) | 26 (2) | t(48) = 3.0, P = 0.004 |
| Birth weight (g) | 1203 (420) | 883 (210) | t(48) = 3.6, P = 0.001 |
| Development quotient at 1 year | 119 (16) | 110 (12) | t(46) = 2.1, P = 0.041 |
| History of speech and/or language delay, n (%) | 6 (19) | 13 (68) | χ2(1, n = 50) = 6.0, P = 0.014 |
| School performance and behaviour | |||
| Total behavioural score | 7.4 (5.7) | 12.0 (3.6) | t(41) = 2.9, P = 0.007 |
| Additional help at school, n (%) | 2 (7) | 15 (75) | χ2 (1, n = 50) = 28.0, P < 0.0001 |
| School leavers exam passes (grades A–C) | 8 (3) | 2 (2) | t(38) = 6.7, P < 0.0001* |
Table displays mean values and standard deviation in parenthesis unless otherwise stated. Values in bold are significant.
* Significantly different after controlling for non-verbal IQ (P < 0.0001).