Duet 2.0 Starting the Conversation: A New Intervention Model to Stimulate Language Growth in Underserved Populations

Summary

Caregiver-child language interactions in the first three years of life predict early language development, school readiness, and academic achievement. Despite the importance of these factors, there are disparities in the frequency and quality of children's early language interactions. Although there is within-group variability, children from low-income families, on average, have fewer and lower-quality language experiences than their middle- or high-income peers. The current study addresses a need in the community for an early language intervention accessible to low-income families who speak Spanish. This study will build upon research conducted in a previous study, "Enhancing the Communication Foundation-The Duet Project", by piloting the English and Spanish modules with families through a light-touch, remote intervention delivery model. Temple University Health System's Department of Pediatrics will aid in identifying participants. Baseline and follow-up measures will be used to evaluate caregiver knowledge of child development, psychosocial perceptions, demographics, caregiver-child language interaction quality, and child language skills. It is hypothesized that dyads who receive the intervention will make greater gains in early interaction quality, knowledge of child development, and child language skills than the delayed-access control group. This work has the potential to shape early intervention design and implementation for people in underserved communities across the country.

Conditions

• Language Development
• Language, Child
• Early Intervention

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Duet Language Intervention Modules

The Duet 2.0 intervention modules promote the following guiding principles that help build effective communication. Below are the 5 principles covered in the six Duet modules: 1) General Awareness: Awareness and knowledge of child development 2) Creating Opportunities: Opportunities for communication during everyday activities 3) Conversational Duets: Rhythmic and reciprocal early language interactions 4) Scaffolding: Providing just enough help to support child independence 5) Harmonizing: Using the strategies together. These modules, which include behavioral strategies, real-life and animated examples of high-quality early language interactions, and interactive scenarios. The modules were informed and narrated by community members and carefully designed to address specific needs of high-risk communities. The modules have also been translated into Spanish, making sure to encompass specific cultural and dialect needs. Translation accuracy was verified by a qualified Spanish translator.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• William Penn Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• Temple University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-12-18

Primary Completion

2023-06-01

Completion

2023-06-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations