Stability and validity of automated vocal indices (Markfeld et al., 2023)

<b>Purpose:</b> This study evaluates the extent to which automated indices of vocal development are stable and valid for predicting language in infants at increased familial likelihood for autism and/or language impairment and relatively lower likelihood infants.<b>Method:</b> A group of infants with autistic siblings (Sibs-autism; 20 infants) and a comparison group of infants with non-autistic siblings (Sibs-NA; 20 infants) wore Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) recording devices for 16 hr on 2 days within a 1-week period. Extant software was used to derive several putative indices of vocal development from these recordings. Stability of these variables was examined across and within groups. Expressive and receptive language aggregates were calculated for each participant. Multiple regression analyses were used to (a) evaluate zero-order correlations for variables derived from LENA recordings with concurrent and future language and (b) test whether those associations were moderated by group status.<b>Results:</b> Both stability and validity differed by variable and group status. All variables reached acceptable stability in the Sibs-autism group within two to three observations, whereas stability of most variables was attenuated in the Sibs-NA group. No variables were associated with concurrent language in the theoretically motivated direction across groups, but two variables were strongly associated with concurrent expressive language in only the Sibs-NA group. Additionally, two variables were associated with later expressive language, though these correlations were again stronger in the Sibs-NA versus Sibs-autism group.<b>Conclusions:</b> Although selected automated indices of vocal development were stable in Sibs-autism and/or valid for predicting expressive language within Sibs-NA, no scores showed strong, theoretically motivated associations with language within the Sibs-autism group. Automated indices of vocal development may, thus, have limited validity or clinical utility for predicting language development in infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism.<b>Supplemental Material S1. </b>Concurrent validity by automated index and sibling group, covarying maternal education.<b>Supplemental Material S2. </b>Predictive validity by automated index and sibling group, covarying maternal education.Markfeld, J. E., Feldman, J. I., Daly, C., Santapuram, P., Bowman, S. M., Dunham-Carr, K., Suzman, E., Keçeli-Kaysılı, B., &amp; Woynaroski, T. G. (2023). The stability and validity of automated indices of vocal development in infants with autistic and non-autistic siblings. <i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i>, <i>66</i>(12), 4934–4948. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00069

研究目的：本研究旨在评估自动化语音发育指标的稳定性，以及其在自闭症和/或语言障碍家族高风险婴儿与家族风险相对较低婴儿中预测语言能力的有效性。
研究方法：本研究招募20名携带自闭症同胞的婴儿（自闭症同胞组；Sibs-autism），以及20名携带非自闭症同胞的婴儿作为对照（非自闭症同胞组；Sibs-NA）。所有婴儿在1周内的2个时段中，每日佩戴语言环境分析（Language ENvironment Analysis, LENA）设备进行16小时的录音。采用现有软件从上述录音中提取多项假设性语音发育指标。随后检验两组内及两组间各变量的稳定性。同时为每名受试者计算表达性与接受性语言综合得分。本研究采用多元回归分析完成两项任务：(a) 分析LENA录音提取变量与当前及未来语言能力的零阶相关；(b) 检验上述关联是否受分组状态的调节。
研究结果：变量的稳定性与有效性因指标类型及分组状态而异。自闭症同胞组中，所有变量在2至3次观测内即可达到可接受的稳定性；而非自闭症同胞组中多数变量的稳定性有所衰减。两组中均无变量在理论预期方向上与当前语言能力存在关联，但仅在非自闭症同胞组中，有两项指标与当前表达性语言能力呈强相关。此外，另有两项指标与后续表达性语言能力存在关联，不过这类相关在非自闭症同胞组中仍强于自闭症同胞组。
研究结论：尽管部分自动化语音发育指标在自闭症同胞组中具备稳定性，且/或在非自闭症同胞组中可有效预测表达性语言能力，但自闭症同胞组中未出现任何指标与语言能力存在符合理论预期的强关联。由此可见，自动化语音发育指标在自闭症家族高风险婴儿的语言发育预测中，其有效性或临床应用价值可能较为有限。
补充材料S1：校正母亲教育程度后，各自动化指标与当前语言能力的关联情况（按同胞分组）。
补充材料S2：校正母亲教育程度后，各自动化指标对语言能力的预测效度情况（按同胞分组）。
Markfeld, J. E., Feldman, J. I., Daly, C., Santapuram, P., Bowman, S. M., Dunham-Carr, K., Suzman, E., Keçeli-Kaysılı, B., & Woynaroski, T. G. (2023). 自闭症与非自闭症同胞婴儿的自动化语音发育指标稳定性与有效性. 《言语、语言与听力研究期刊》(Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research), 66(12), 4934–4948. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00069