Comparing the Neural and Behavioral Outcomes of Fine and Gross Motor Language Intervention in Children with DLD: An Exploratory Study
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) often present with atypical neural responses during language processing when compared with children of typical language development (TLD), yet the influence of therapy style on these patterns remains underexplored. This study examined EEG-based neural signatures and behavioral outcomes associated with fine-motor and gross-motor intervention approaches. DLD (6 participants) and TLD (14 participants) children each completed tasks involving the retrieval of familiar words and the encoding and retrieval of novel words. EEG signals were segmented into four regional groupings and analyzed across delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. Power spectral density estimates were computed, and mel-frequency cepstral coefficients were extracted to capture spectral-temporal features. Machine learning classifiers, including SVM, KNN, and an ensemble model, were used to assess separability across groups, tasks, and therapy styles. Results revealed distinct spectral patterns between groups, with DLD participants showing elevated delta and theta power and reduced alpha and beta activity across tasks. Classifier performance varied by therapy style and task, with certain models achieving accuracy above 0.80 in discriminating between groups or task conditions.
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7201856752