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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05921188

The Effect of Prior Learning on Word Learning

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two treatment conditions for late talking toddlers. In 8 weeks of word learning treatment, toddlers will be taught words that sound more like the words they already know or sound less like the words they already know. The investigators see which group learns more, to understand if choosing words that let children use the knowledge they already have helps with learning.

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Key information

Conditions

Language Development Disorders Communication Disorders Language Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

2 year–4 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona, 85721, United States

About this study

Late talking toddlers will be assigned to be in the More Familiar Sounds condition or the Less Familiar Sounds condition. Both groups will receive 8 weeks of Vocabulary Acquisition and Usage for Late Talkers (VAULT) word learning treatment (2x/week for 30 minutes per session) using their words. The investigators will compare learning within children (taught words v. control words that are not explicitly taught) to make sure the learning that is happening is due to the treatment and not just maturation. The investigators will compare across groups to see if the group treated with More Familiar Sounding words learns more than the group treated with Less Familiar Sounding words.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Native English Speaking
  • Pass pure tone hearing screening or medical report of normal hearing
  • 2-3 Years of age at start of study
  • MCDI expressive scales <10th percentile

Exclusion criteria

  • Parental reports of other diagnoses
  • Enrolled in concurrent treatment elsewhere
  • Nonverbal IQ <75 as measured by the Bayley scales
  • Parents unable to consistently bring child to treatment sessions

Treatment and study plan

VAULT Phase 4

Behavioral

Children will receive an input-based word learning treatment that is designed based on principles of statistical learning.

Primary outcomes

  1. Treatment Effect Size

    Time frame: Change from baseline through treatment, which will average an 8-week time frame.

    The investigators will count the number of spontaneous and probed productions of target and control words and calculate a treatment effect size (d).

  2. Number/Rate of Words Learned

    Time frame: Change from Initial Evaluation through Follow-up, which will average a 6-month time frame.

    The investigators will measure the number of words learned and the rate of words learned as reported by the parent on the MCDI starting prior to treatment and measured during, immediately following, and 4-6 weeks after the treatment.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Post Treatment Retention

    Time frame: Change from end of treatment to follow up, which will average 4-6 weeks.

    The investigators will use probe data and parental report to determine how many of the words the child retained from treatment.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Arizona

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Registry information

Official study title

Identification of Treatment Parameters That Maximize Language Treatment Efficacy for Children

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jun 27, 2023
Registry last updated
Jun 27, 2025

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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