The Effectiveness of LENA Technology for Changing Parent
Behavior and Accelerating Child Language Development
Jill Gilkerson, Jeffrey A. Richards, Dongxin Xu
Disclosures
• Jill Gilkerson, Jeffrey A. Richards and
Dongxin Xu are FT employees of LENA
Research Foundation.
• LENA Research Foundation is a not-forprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization.
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Inspiration, History, and Mission
• LENA: Language ENvironment Analysis
• Meaningful Differences Hart & Risley (1995)
– 42 families, 1,300 recorded hours, 7 years
– Correlation between early language exposure
and later academic success, IQ
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Presentation Outline
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LENA technology overview
Online parent program
Experimental study design
Study results
Q&A
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
3 Easy Steps
Place the DLP in the custom
LENA Clothing pocket
Record as you go about
your day—up to 16 hours
At the end of the day
connect the DLP to your PC
and transfer data
Review the softwaregenerated data
Leave to process
Copyright © 2010, LENA Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
LENA System Algorithms
Male Adult
Female Adult
Key Child
Other Child
Overlap
Noise
TV/Electronic
Silence
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Where it all Starts: an Audio File
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Where it all Starts: an Audio File
MAN
Male Adult Near & Clear (3)
OLN
Overlap Near & Strong (2)
CHN
Key Child Near & Clear (4)
SIL
Silence (1)
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Where it all Starts: an Audio File
Human Speech
Non-human
KEY CHILD
Noise
ADULT MALE
Silence
ADULT FEMALE
TV/electronic media
Other Child
Overlap
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
1. Adult Word Count
Adult Male
+ Adult Female
Adult words spoken to and near child
2. Child Vocalizations
Key Child
Frequency count of child vocalizations
3. Conversational Turns
Key Child
+
Adult
Adult-child interactions
4. TV/electronic sounds
TV/Electronic
Amount of TV/electronic sounds exposure
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
LENA Home Reports
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Reports Time Resolutions
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Monthly
Daily
Hourly
5-Minute
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Reports Time Resolutions
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•
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Monthly
Daily
Hourly
5-Minute
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Presentation Outline
•
•
•
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LENA technology overview
Online parent program
Experimental study design
Study results
Q&A
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
12-Week Online Intervention
• Basic steps
Parent receives LENA Home and website login
Parent installs LENA
Parent records, processes data, views reports
Parent accesses internet to pass summary
information
– Phone meeting with LENA coach to set goals
– Parent visits program website weekly to view
resources and participate in various activities
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–
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Parent Resources Website
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Talking Tips
Book Lists
Videos
Webinars
Parent Forums
Live Chat
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Coaching
• Full time research assistant is coach
– Provides language enrichment strategies and
encouragement for parents
• Phone meeting once per month
– To interpret results and set monthly goals
• Private live chat
– To answer questions on the spot
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Pass data via
internet
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Presentation Outline
•
•
•
•
•
LENA technology overview
Online parent program
Experimental study design
Study results
Q&A
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
LENA Online Study
• N = 82; <24 months
• Random assignment to Treatment and Control groups
– Treatment: Begin using LENA Home immediately, SHBO website
– Control: Record with LENA but no feedback
(Control becomes “delayed treatment” after 3 months)
• Treatment Phase Recordings
– Month 1-2: Once per week
– Month 3: Every other week
• Follow-up Phase Recordings
– Month 4-6: Every other week
– Months 7-12: Once per month
• LENA Developmental Snapshot, MacArthur and CDI
– At baseline, post treatment, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month follow-up
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Month
Date
Treatment
Recordings
Control
Assessments
Recordings
1
June, 2012
4
1
2
July, 2012
4
1
3
August, 2012
2
1
4
Sept, 2012
2
4
5
Oct, 2012
2
4
6
Nov, 2012
2
2
7
Dec, 2012
1
2
8
Jan, 2013
1
2
9
Feb, 2013
1
2
10
March, 2013
1
1
11
April, 2013
1
1
12
May, 2013
1
1
Snapshot, CDI, MacArthur
Snapshot, CDI, MacArthur
Snapshot, CDI, MacArthur
Snapshot, CDI, MacArthur
Snapshot, CDI, MacArthur
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Recruitment
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Babycenter.com
Required computer, internet connection
9-22 months of age
Demographic questionnaire
LENA Developmental Snapshot
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Participant Selection
• Within normal limits on Snapshot (1.5 SD
of mean)
• Screened: delay diagnosis, sibling with
delay, caregiver native language English
• Even age range 9-22 months
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Participant Demographics
• N=82 (34 Female, 48 Male)
• Age Mean = 9-22 mo. (mean 14 mo.)
• Mother’s Education
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80% College and beyond
11% Some college
9% High school diploma, GED
0% <High school diploma
• Baseline Snapshot scores
– Mean = 98.9
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Completer Demographics
• N=44 (20 Female, 24 Male)
• Age Mean = 13.8 months (SD=3.2)
• Mother’s Education
– 91% College and beyond
– 4.5% Some college
– 4.5% High school diploma, GED
– 0% <High school diploma
• Baseline Snapshot scores
– Mean = 99.4
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Presentation Outline
•
•
•
•
•
LENA technology overview
Online parent program
Experimental study design
Study results
Q&A
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Were there differences between the
Treatment and Control groups at 12 weeks?
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Changes in Parent Behavior
During Intervention
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Changes in Snapshot
During Intervention
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Do program participants show significant
increases in talk and interaction?
Do these changes hold over time?
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Behavior Trends: AWC & Turns
Time
AWC
Count
Percentile
Turns
Count
Percentile
Baseline
13,818
61
Baseline
428
61
Month 3
15,138*
72*
Month 3
511†
67†
Month 6
15,053*
72*
Month 6
578*
70*
Month 9
15,228*
74*
Month 9
631†
72†
Month 12
14,203
66
Month 12
611
63
Time
*p ≤ .05; †p=.08
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Behavior Trends: Language Scores
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Behavior Trends: Lower 50%
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Behavior Trends: Lower 50%
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Program Components
• Please rank the following components in
the order that they influenced behavioral
change for you:
– Automated Reports
– Coaching Sessions
– Webinars
– Videos
– Parent Forum
– Written website information
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Program Components
• Please rank the following components in
the order that they influenced behavioral
change for you: (% Ranked #1)
– Automated Reports –
76%
– Videos 10%
– Coaching Sessions 8%
– Webinars 3%
– Written website info 3%
– Parent Forum 0%
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Is there a relationship between
enhanced language environment and
child language skills?
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Behavior
Trends:
Change
from
Baseline to
Month 12
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Summary
• Significant elevations in adult talk and
interaction after online intervention
– Elevations held longitudinally for parents
who we below 50th percentile at baseline
• Child language skills are accelerated 9
months after online intervention
• Relationship between increased parentchild interaction and child language skills
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Limitations
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High SES sample
TD children
Limited age range (all under 2 at start)
Large attrition rate
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Thank You!
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Terry and Judi Paul, Founders
Scientific advisory board members
LENA children and parents
LRF employees past and present
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved
Q&A
• Jill Gilkerson, Ph.D.
jillgilkerson@lenafoundation.org
• Jeffrey A Richards, M.A.
jeffrichards@lenafoundation.org
• Dongxin Xu, Ph.D.
dongxinxu@lenafoundation.org
Copyright © 2013 LENA Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organization. All Rights Reserved