A prospective study of hand preference and language development in 18‐ to 30‐month‐olds: II. relations between hand preference and language development

Abstract

Language development in relation to the establishment of handedness has long interested developmentalists. Forty‐nine children (27 boys, 22 girls) were given tests of hand preference and language expression and reception at 18, 24, and 30 months of age. The relations between handedness stability/ instability and language were examined within and between sexes. Children who did not change their handedness from 18 to 30 months were termed stable‐handers. Within‐sex analyses showed no differences in language reception or expression between stable‐ and unstable‐handers for either boys or girls. Between‐sex analyses showed that at 24 and 30 months, boys with unstable handedness had lower expressive language scores than girls with unstable handedness. Boys with stable handedness obtained lower expressive language scores than girls with stable handedness at 18 and 24 months but not at 30 months. There were no differences in language reception between stable‐handed boys and girls or between unstable‐handed boys and girls. These results indicate a relation between hand preference and language when sex and different aspects of language are examined.