Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of nonverbal intelligence on spoken language performance in children with hearing loss who use amplification and spoken language. Specifically, we compared language performance measured by norm-referenced measures compared with spontaneous language sample measures. DESIGN: Nonverbal intelligence and spoken language skills were analyzed using norm-referenced nonverbal intelligence and language assessments and language sample analyses in 92 children ages 3 to 6 who varied by hearing and nonverbal intelligence status. All children had nonverbal intelligence within the average or above-average range. RESULTS: Regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for maternal education and hearing status, nonverbal intelligence contributed unique variance to norm-referenced language measures but not spontaneous language measures. CONCLUSIONS: Performance on norm-referenced language measures is influenced by nonverbal intelligence, whereas functional language use measured by spontaneous language samples is not. These findings suggest that spontaneous language measures may contribute additional value to language assessment batteries that are independent of nonverbal intelligence.