Connecting Language Abilities and Social Competence in Children: A Meta‐Analytic Review

作者：Karolina Wieczorek, Megan DeGroot, Heather Ganshorn, Susan A. Graham · 发表于：Child Development · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1111/cdev.14218 · 被引用次数：23 · 研究领域：Medicine

ABSTRACT Research examining relations between language skills and social competence has yielded mixed findings. Three meta‐analyses investigated links between language skills (overall, receptive, and expressive) and social competence in 2‐ to 12‐year‐old children. Data from 130 studies representing 62,120 children (M age at language assessment = 4.70 years; 52% male), predominantly from North America and Europe, and identifying as White (33%), Black (17%), Hispanic (14%), Asian (2%), Mixed (4%), Indigenous (1%), and Other/Unspecified (29%) were analyzed. Analyses indicated significant medium‐sized associations between social competence and: overall language (r = 0.27), receptive language (r = 0.23), and expressive language (r = 0.20). Exploratory analyses indicated significant moderating effects of study design, publication status, social type, and geographic region. Results and implications are discussed.