Language Development as a Correlate of Adolescent Behavior Problems.

As part of a longitudinal study, 93 urban African American children of lower SES, half of whom had cocaine exposure in utero and half of whom did not were administered the Preschool Language Scale (PLS) at age 2.5, and neurocognitive language measures (NCL), at age 12, associated with the left-perisylvian area of the brain. The Teacher's Report Form (TRF) of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment was used to measure externalizing behavior problems, at age 12. Bivariate correlations were calculated between PLS and NCL scores. Correlations were also performed between PLS and Externalizing scores of the TRF, and NCL and Externalizing. Significant correlatations were found between PLS and NCL scores (r = +0.41, p = .00). PLS and Externalizing scores were not found to be significantly correlated (p > .50). NCL scores were found to be strongly, inversely correlated with Externalizing scores (r = -0.28, p = .003). ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]