Prospective Evaluation of Environmental and Temperamental Variables in Child Language Development

The main risk factor in the study for general language problems was a family history of language problems, p< .001. However, being male, p= .004, and being shy, p= .001, were the main risk factors for specific delays in speech. The other important risk factors were health problems in early childhood, especially recurrent otitis, p= .012, having a mother with a low educational level, p= .003, and having parents older than 35 years, p< .001. Worse pronunciation development was detected in those who were preterm, p= .045, suffered perinatal complications, p= .005, or belonged to families with many members, p= .005. Firstborns generally had better language development, p= .005. Bilingualism, p= .001, was a protective factor, especially in the context of a family history of language problems.