Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research Vol.53 196-208 February 2010. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0241)
© American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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Language and Social Factors in the Use of Cell Phone Technology by Adolescents With and Without Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

Gina Conti-Ramsden
University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Kevin Durkin
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Zoë Simkin
University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Contact author: Gina Conti-Ramsden, Human Communication and Deafness, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Ellen Wilkinson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom. E-mail: gina.conti-ramsden{at}manchester.ac.uk.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare cell phone use (both oral and text-based) by adolescents with and without specific language impairment (SLI) and examine the extent to which language and social factors affect frequency of use.

Method: Both interview and diary methods were used to compare oral and text-based communication using cell phones by 17-year-olds: 52 adolescents with SLI and 52 typically developing (TD) peers.

Results: Overall, adolescents with SLI are motivated users of mobile technology, and they engage with both oral uses (phoning) and text-based uses (text messaging). However, adolescents with SLI do not exchange text messages as often as their TD peers. Social rather than language factors are associated with frequency of cell phone use in adolescence.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that social difficulties restrict text-based uses of cell phones by adolescents with SLI, which can in turn reduce the opportunities that these adolescents have to develop social networks and make arrangements to engage in peer social interaction.

KEY WORDS: cell phones, language, social factors, adolescence, specific language impairment (SLI)


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