Naming verbs in children with specific language impairment

Given that verbs are the type of content words whose proper use in children requires a high level of language processing skills, it is expected that children with specific language impairment (SLI) will experience difficulties in lexical processing of this class of words. However, there is a relative paucity of studies focusing on lexical-semantic abilities in class of verbs in children with SLI, and the results of previous studies are quite contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the vocabulary scope of verbs, and also to compare types of errors in verb naming between children with SLI and typically developing children. The sample consisted of 60 participants with SLI (5-8 yrs) within the experimental group, while the control group consisted of 55 typically developing (TD) children. For the purpose of naming verbs assessment, 30 pictorial verbs from the Children's Word Frequency Dictionary were used, while errors were classified according to the principle used in Boston Naming Test. The results showed that children with SLI had a significantly lower score of accuracy in verb naming compared to TD children (p≤0.000). Also, children with SLI made significantly more semantic, unrelated and circumlocutive errors, as well as more omissions (p<0.05). However, an error distribution analysis indicates a similar pattern in both groups of children. We concluded that children with SLI had significantly narrower vocabulary scope of verbs compared to typically developing peers. Also, SLI children showed a significant delay in the development of lexical processing skills for this type of content words. However, children with SLI follow a similar pattern as TD children in the area of lexical-semantic development of verb using.