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NCT Number: NCT07283458

Assessment of Language Comprehension and Learning in Children Attending Child Psychiatry Services (TICOALA-SOINS)

Language is central to children's cognitive, emotional, and social development, and language difficulties are a frequent reason for consultation in child psychiatry, often co-occurring with psychiatric disorders. Yet, systematic language assessment is rarely possible due to the limited availability of speech-language therapists in these services.

The TICOALA tool (Interactive Test of Language Comprehension and Learning on tablet) offers a quick and engaging way to evaluate lexical and syntactic comprehension and word learning. This study aims to assess its acceptability among children aged 3-7 attending a child psychiatry service in Paris, as well as among clinicians and parents. Secondary goals include testing the feasibility of a larger study, describing children's language skills, and examining how these relate to clinical and background variables.

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Key information

Conditions

Typical Development Children Children Behavior Problem FRENCH STUDY Typical Preschoolers Who Can Not Zipper Typically Developing Children Ages 3 to 6

Age range

3 year–7 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

Language is intrinsically linked to children's cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological development, and plays a crucial role in both academic achievement and psychosocial adjustment. In child psychiatry, language difficulties are a common reason for consultation and are frequently associated with psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorders or attention difficulties. However, due to the limited availability of speech-language therapists in these settings, systematic language assessments are rarely conducted.

The TICOALA tool (Interactive Test of Language Comprehension and Learning on tablet) offers a quick and engaging way to evaluate children's lexical and syntactic comprehension, as well as their ability to learn new words. Integrating this tool into clinical practice could provide an initial language assessment and help guide referrals for formal speech-language evaluation.

Main Objective To assess the acceptability of the TICOALA tool among children attending our child psychiatry service.

Secondary Objectives

  • To evaluate its acceptability for clinicians (psychiatrists, psychologists) and parents.
  • To assess the acceptability of the parental clinical questionnaire.
  • To determine the feasibility of conducting a larger-scale study.
  • To describe the language skills (lexical, syntactic, word learning) of children in our service.
  • To analyze the relationship between language skills and clinical/anamnestic data (socio-economic background, play and screen exposure, language experience, etc.).

Target Population Children aged 3-7 years consulting at the child psychiatry service in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Children (boys or girls) aged 3-7 years
  • Consulting in the child psychiatry service
  • Enrolled in a French-speaking school

Exclusion criteria

  • Inability to use the tablet-based TICOALA tool due to severe sensory (blindness, deafness), motor, or intellectual impairment
  • Refusal of the child or parents/legal guardians to participate
  • Child not affiliated with the French social security system

Treatment and study plan

TICOALA

Other

The TICOALA tool (Interactive Test of Language Comprehension and Learning on tablet) offers a quick and engaging way to evaluate children's lexical and syntactic comprehension, as well as their ability to learn new words. Integrating this tool into clinical practice could provide an initial language assessment and help guide referrals for formal speech-language evaluation.

Primary outcomes

  1. Acceptability of the TICOALA tool among children attending our child psychiatry service

    Time frame: 4 months

    This objective will be evaluated using a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, with a composite evaluation criterion based on three elements: the child's opinion, their level of attention, and their level of motivation. The questionnaire will be completed by the consultant, reporting the child's opinion and their clinical observations (attention, motivation) during the assessment.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Khaoussou SYLLA, Dr

CONTACT

[email protected]

+33145658486

Viviane AWASSI

CONTACT

[email protected]

+ 33 1 45 65 84 86

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier St Anne

Other

Collaborators

  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
  • Université Paris Cité

Registry information

Official study title

TICOALA-SOINS : Assessment of Language Comprehension and Learning in Children Attending Child Psychiatry Services. Pilot Study of Acceptability and Feasibility.

Acronym: TICOALA-SOINS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Dec 15, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 21, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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