Conversational-Communicative Experience and Theory of Mind: A Study of Diverse Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

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Title: Conversational-Communicative Experience and Theory of Mind: A Study of Diverse Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
Language: English
Authors: Chi-Lin Yu (ORCID 0000-0002-4381-7163), Christopher M. Stanzione, Lee Branum-Martin (ORCID 0000-0003-0389-5121), Amy R. Lederberg (ORCID 0000-0001-6401-5867)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2025 68(9):4506-4517.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R324C120001
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Deafness, Hard of Hearing, Children, Theory of Mind, Child Development, Cognitive Development, Experience, English, Sign Language, Foreign Countries, Speech Communication
Geographic Terms: United States, Canada
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00781
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children's language development and delays are well documented, yet less is known about their delays in theory of mind (ToM) development. Importantly, conversational-communicative experiences, language competence, and teacher/parent influences loom large. The present study examined ToM development and the potential factors underlying such delays in DHH children varying in the nature of their conversational-communicative experiences, particularly their hearing and signing experiences. Method: Three groups of 5- to 9-year-old DHH children were tested between 2012 and 2014 (N = 210; 59% White; 58% female) for their language and ToM: children acquiring only spoken English (n = 59), children acquiring only sign (n = 97), and bimodal children acquiring both (n = 54). Results: For children acquiring only spoken English, more accumulated hearing experience, indexed by the length of using advanced hearing devices, improved their ToM. For children acquiring only sign, more signing experience, indexed by having a signing DHH parent, improved their ToM. For bimodal children acquiring both, accumulated hearing and signing experiences are influential. Language competence mediated this relationship for all groups. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the importance of communicative-conversational experience, in the form of both signing and hearing, for ToM development generally and for diverse DHH children specifically.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1483753
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
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  Data: Conversational-Communicative Experience and Theory of Mind: A Study of Diverse Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chi-Lin+Yu%22">Chi-Lin Yu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4381-7163">0000-0002-4381-7163</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Christopher+M%2E+Stanzione%22">Christopher M. Stanzione</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee+Branum-Martin%22">Lee Branum-Martin</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0389-5121">0000-0003-0389-5121</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+R%2E+Lederberg%22">Amy R. Lederberg</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6401-5867">0000-0001-6401-5867</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 68(9):4506-4517.
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  Label: Availability
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
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  Label: Contract Number
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  Data: R324C120001
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness%22">Deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hard+of+Hearing%22">Hard of Hearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+of+Mind%22">Theory of Mind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Development%22">Cognitive Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experience%22">Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English%22">English</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sign+Language%22">Sign Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Communication%22">Speech Communication</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00781
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children's language development and delays are well documented, yet less is known about their delays in theory of mind (ToM) development. Importantly, conversational-communicative experiences, language competence, and teacher/parent influences loom large. The present study examined ToM development and the potential factors underlying such delays in DHH children varying in the nature of their conversational-communicative experiences, particularly their hearing and signing experiences. Method: Three groups of 5- to 9-year-old DHH children were tested between 2012 and 2014 (N = 210; 59% White; 58% female) for their language and ToM: children acquiring only spoken English (n = 59), children acquiring only sign (n = 97), and bimodal children acquiring both (n = 54). Results: For children acquiring only spoken English, more accumulated hearing experience, indexed by the length of using advanced hearing devices, improved their ToM. For children acquiring only sign, more signing experience, indexed by having a signing DHH parent, improved their ToM. For bimodal children acquiring both, accumulated hearing and signing experiences are influential. Language competence mediated this relationship for all groups. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the importance of communicative-conversational experience, in the form of both signing and hearing, for ToM development generally and for diverse DHH children specifically.
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  Data: As Provided
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– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
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  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1483753
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00781
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 4506
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Deafness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hard of Hearing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theory of Mind
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      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Development
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      – SubjectFull: Experience
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      – SubjectFull: English
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sign Language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech Communication
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      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Conversational-Communicative Experience and Theory of Mind: A Study of Diverse Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
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