Virtual delivery of the Target Word parent-implemented language intervention: A pragmatic waitlist control study

This study, conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed to assess children’s vocabulary, grammar, communicative participation, and phonology skills targeted during the virtual parent-implemented Target Word program. Forty children between 16 and 27 months who were considered late-to-talk were assigned to immediate treatment or delayed treatment groups using a 1:2 ratio and assessed at four points. Of the 20 children in the immediate treatment group, 16 completed the entire study. Of the 20 children in the delayed treatment group, five completed entire study. Across assessment points, most scores in vocabulary (p = 0.17; p = 0.28; p = 0.40), grammar (complexity: p = 0.65; mean length of utterance: p = 0.21; p = 0. 77; p = 0.29) and communicative participation (p = 0.88; p = 0.12; p = 0.98) were not statistically different between groups. However, children made clinically meaningful gains in communicative participation during their Target Word programs (16 and 25 points of average change on the FOCUS-34). Statistically significant differences in phonology were observed during Target Word (pp = 0.02, p = 0.15). Statistically significant differences in grammar complexity were observed (pp = 0.02), but not aligned with intervention periods. Further research is needed to support interpretation of these results, including additional research to explore the most appropriate service pathways for children who are late-to-talk.