Exploring the effects of a repair strategies training program among children with auditory processing disorder: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Children with hearing loss, as well as those with auditory processing disorder (APD), experience more communication difficulties than their normal-hearing peers. Receiving training on communication strategies has been shown to be beneficial for children with hearing loss, but little is known on the effect of such training on children with APD. The main purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effects of a repair strategies training program among children with APD. METHODS: Ten school-aged children with APD participated in a ten 60-min weekly repair strategies training program (experimental group) and ten did not receive any training (control group). In pre- and post-intervention, children were filmed while taking part in short scripted conversation situations in which communication breakdowns were introduced. Additionally, questionnaires on communication difficulties and repair skills, on life habits related to communication and education as well as on emotional well-being were filled by the children and their parents. RESULTS: In post-compared to in pre-intervention, children in the experimental group used significantly more of the repair strategies taught right after a communication breakdown occurred, used a greater variety of repair strategies, and overcame more communication breakdowns. The number of strategies needed to overcome a breakdown was not significantly different after the training compared to before. The level of difficulty to accomplish education-related life habits was generally lower, although not significantly, after entering the program than before. The individualized data showed that the studied training was more suited for children aged 9 years and older. The results of the children in the control group were not significantly different between the two measured times on all outcomes. CONCLUSION: Learning how to recognize and overcome communication breakdowns through a training program was beneficial for children with APD. The program enabled them to use a wider variety of repair strategies and to be more proactive in situations where communication is difficult. Studies are needed to further examine these findings in a larger sample of children with APD and in real-life settings.

Long-term evolution of the structure of the St. Lawrence (Canada) marine ecosystem in the context of climate change and anthropogenic activities: An isotopic perceptive.

Documenting long-term changes in the trophic structure of food webs and how species respond to these changes is essential to forecast their vulnerability and resilience to environmental stressors. Over the past decades, the St. Lawrence marine ecosystem (Canada) has experienced major changes in its physical, chemical, and biological conditions from overfishing, acoustic and chemical pollution, climate change, and the increased abundance of some top predators. These changes have likely affected the trophodynamics of the ecosystem, and are suspected to have deleterious effects on endangered species of mammals and other components of the ecosystem, such as blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whales (B. physalus), and beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). This study examined the trophic structure of the St. Lawrence marine ecosystem, including the isotopic niche of various species, over two periods of contrasting pressures from anthropogenic and climatic stressors (1995-2003 vs. 2019-2021). Stable isotope ratios were measured in 1240 samples of 21 species of marine invertebrates, fishes, and mammals sampled during both periods. A significant change in the isotopic value and niche position between periods is observed in most of the sampled species. While the direction of change and effect size were not uniform among species, these changes confirmed that substantial modifications in community structure have occurred over time. Niche overlap decreased considerably among some of the pelagic and demersal fishes, and among whale species during the most recent period. Combined with a concomitant reduction in niche breadth in several species, these observations suggested that resource sharing was limited among these species. This study highlighted some degree of dietary plasticity in several species, and a long-term change in the trophic structure of the St. Lawrence marine ecosystem, with likely effects on diet composition and energetics of several populations, including endangered species.

Bilingual Adolescents' Complex Syntax Production in Both Languages Across Conversational and Expository Contexts.

PURPOSE: Bilingual development has been shown to be highly dependent on language-specific exposure. This study extended the study of bilingual development to adolescence and to the production of complex syntax in two contexts: conversation and expository discourse. METHOD: English-French bilinguals (EFbil; n = 27) and French L1 speakers (n = 14) aged 12 to 17 years produced French and English conversational and expository samples. Measures of mean length of T-units and clausal density were used, as well as a measure of detailed subordinate clause diversity developed in this study. RESULTS: Both groups produced more complex syntax in expository discourse compared to conversation and performed very similarly overall. Significant group differences were found in French subordinate clause diversity but not in sentence length or clause density. For EFbil, differences between languages were unexpectedly greater in conversation. Previous language exposure impacted both languages of the EFbil and in both contexts. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to report on the spontaneous syntactic use of bilingual adolescents in both their languages. Subtle but significant differences were found in the syntactic skills of the two groups. Expository and conversational contexts each provided unique information on aspects of complex syntactic development, calling into question the idea that the ability to produce a more complex context guarantees conversational abilities. Finally, for the EFbil, previous language exposure impacted both languages, particularly in conversation. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23713152.

Trophic niche partitioning between two prey and their incidental predators revealed various threats for an endangered species.

Documenting trophic niche partitioning and resource use within a community is critical to evaluate underlying mechanisms of coexistence, competition, or predation. Detailed knowledge about foraging is essential as it may influence the vital rates, which, in turn, can affect trophic relationships between species, and population dynamics. The aims of this study were to evaluate resource and trophic niche partitioning in summer/autumn between the endangered Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population, moose (Alces americanus) and their incidental predators, the black bear (Ursus americanus) and coyote (Canis latrans), and to quantify the extent to which these predators consumed caribou. Bayesian isotopic analysis showed a small overlap in trophic niche for the two sympatric ungulates suggesting a low potential for resource competition. Our results also revealed that caribou occupied a larger isotopic niche area than moose, suggesting a greater diversity of resources used by caribou. Not surprisingly, coyotes consumed mainly deer (Odocoileus virginianus), moose, snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), and occasionally caribou, while bears consumed mainly vegetation and, to a lesser extent, moose and caribou. As coyotes and bears also feed on plant species, we documented trophic niche overlap between caribou and their predators, as searching for similar resources can force them to use the same habitats and thus increase the encounter rate and, ultimately, mortality risk for caribou. Although the decline in the Gaspésie caribou population is mostly driven by habitat-mediated predation, we found evidence that the low level of resource competition with moose, added to the shared resources with incidental predators, mainly bears, may contribute to jeopardize the recovery of this endangered caribou population. Highlighting the trophic interaction between species is needed to establish efficient conservation and management strategies to insure the persistence of endangered populations. The comparison of trophic niches of species sharing the same habitat or resources is fundamental to evaluate the mechanisms of coexistence or competition and eventually predict the consequences of ecosystem changes in the community.

Does Efficacy Equal Lasting Impact? A Study of Intervention Short Term Gains, Impact on Diagnostic Status, and Association with Background Variables.

OBJECTIVE: This article examines the efficacy of language intervention services for monolingual and immigrant children in a public clinic in Montreal, Canada. Intervention is provided in French for a preset number of sessions regardless of intervention needs. The study assessed immediate gains after intervention, their maintenance over 2 months, and their effect on diagnostic status at both time points. METHODS: Participants included 15 children (57.7 months SD 7.8) diagnosed with developmental language disorder: 3 monolinguals and 12 bilingual immigrants. Intervention targeted vocabulary and syntax. Assessment of intervention targets and standardized testing was conducted before, after, and 2 months after treatment. Diagnostic status and severity level were assessed at each time point. RESULTS: Intervention was highly efficacious with large effect sizes for intervention targets. However, for diagnostic status, efficacy was more questionable. Seven children improved their diagnostic status from pre- to posttest; but many dropped back at maintenance point. For 3 children, all test time showed scores within the non-impaired range, indicating misdiagnosis or change in status while waiting for treatment. Amount of pain was not correlated with any background variable. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that intervention could be more efficacious by giving more therapy sessions and conducting evaluation and treatment closer in time.