Behavioral problems in language-impaired children: Therapy evaluation using the child behavior checklist

Speech and language impaired children often show accompanying behavioral and emotional problems, putting an additional burden on their developmental course. In a sample of 57 children with a specific speech and language disorder we evaluated the behavioral changes after therapeutic intervention. The children got intensive treatment for about 15 months. Before the beginning of the treatment, all children were assessed using clinical psychiatric interviews and observations and were diagnosed according to the multiaxial classification scheme. The CBCL was filled in by the same parent before and after the treatment program. The Total Behavior Problem Score was used to assess changes in behavioral problems. The school type as well as the still necessary therapeutic interventions after the completion of the treatment program were used as global measures of psychosocial adaptation. 45 of 57 children had a psychiatric diagnosis on axis 1 of the multiaxial classification scheme. Hyperkinetic disorder, with or without conduct disorders were the most commonly given diagnoses, in addition to emotional disorders and adjustment problems. Before treatment, the children with a psychiatric diagnosis had higher scores on the Total Behavior Problem Score than the children without a psychiatric diagnosis. The children with psychiatric problems showed a significant decrease in the Total Behavior Problem Score of the CBCL. Although the children with a conduct disorder also showed improvement after treatment, their CBCL scores remained high. The stability of their problems was associated with a worse school prognosis and with further institutional care after the end of the treatment.