Health-Related Quality of Life and Behavioral Difficulties in Greek Preschool Children with Developmental Language Disorder

Konstantinos Kotsis; Maria Boukouvala; Alexandra Tzotzi; Iouliani Koullourou; Andromachi Mitropoulou; Aspasia Serdari; Vassiliki Siafaka; Thomas Hyphantis

doi:10.3390/healthcare12040470

Health-Related Quality of Life and Behavioral Difficulties in Greek Preschool Children with Developmental Language Disorder

Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Feb 13;12(4):470. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12040470.

Authors

Konstantinos Kotsis¹, Maria Boukouvala¹, Alexandra Tzotzi¹, Iouliani Koullourou¹, Andromachi Mitropoulou¹, Aspasia Serdari², Vassiliki Siafaka³, Thomas Hyphantis¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45 110 Ioannina, Greece.
² Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68 100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
³ Department of Speech & Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45 500 Ioannina, Greece.

Abstract

Developmental language disorder (DLD) has a great impact on language skills as well as on a wide range of functioning areas, such as social and school functioning. In the present study, we aim to explore the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of preschool children with DLD, compared to children with no language difficulties, using a self and proxy report method. A total of 230 parents of preschool children with DLD and 146 parents of children without language difficulties completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL^TM) 4.0 Generic Core Module and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Additionally, 71 children with DLD and 55 peers without DLD completed the self-reported PedsQL^TM module. The parents of kindergarten children (5-6 years old) with DLD reported that their kids experience worse social and school functioning compared to the control group. In addition, the children with DLD self-reported lower physical and social functioning. The parents of children with DLD reported that their children experience higher hyperactivity/inattention problems than the parents of the control group. Kindergarten children with DLD have a poorer HRQoL compared to their peers, as perceived by themselves and their parents. Moreover, children with DLD present with higher hyperactivity and inattention symptoms. Health professionals working with children who have DLD need to consider not only the language difficulties but also the children's wellbeing and symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention.

Keywords: behavioral problems; developmental language disorder; emotional problems; health-related quality of life; kindergarten.

Grants and funding

The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work. No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript. No funding was received for conducting this study. No funds, grants, or other kinds of support were received.