Application of a Brazilian test of expressive vocabulary in European Portuguese children

Cáceres-Assenço, Ana Manhani; Ferreira, Sandra Cristina Araújo; Santos, Anabela Cruz; Befi-Lopes, Debora Maria

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Sumário

Original Article • CoDAS 30 (2) • 2018 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-1782/20182017113 copy

Application of a Brazilian test of expressive vocabulary in European Portuguese children

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective

to investigate the performance of European Portuguese children in a Brazilian test of expressive vocabulary, seeking to identify differences between age groups and gender, and to verify its applicability in this population.

Methods

the sample consisted of 150 typical developed children, of both genders, between the ages of 5 and 6. All children attended public schools in the north area of Portugal. To assess the semantic performance, the expressive vocabulary sub-test of the language test (ABFW) was used, considering the percentage of usual verbal assignments and the classification (adequate/inadequate) according to the Brazilian reference values.

Results

the performance of the European Portuguese children indicated that at age 6 they have a higher percentage of correct answers in expressive vocabulary. As for the gender, there were only occasional differences: the girls showed a greater dominance in the semantic fields of clothing (both ages) and furniture and utensils (at age 5), whereas the boys showed more dominance in the semantic field means of transportation (6 years). Regarding classification, there was no difference between age groups in overall performance. Only the semantic field shapes and colors had more individuals of 6 years with inadequate performance.

Conclusion

the reference values adopted in the Brazilian population for semantic performance indicated that more than 80% of the children of each age group could have their performance classified as adequate. Such evidence suggests that this tool shows potential as an instrument of quantitative vocabulary’s assessment of 5 and 6-years old children in European Portuguese.

Keywords
Vocabulary; Language; Language Tests; Language Development; Child

Semantic field	Age group	Mean	SD	p
Total	5 years old	71.8	8.60	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Total	6 years old	76.8	7.29	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Clothing	5 years old	68.4	17.40	0.153
Clothing	6 years old	72.1	14.27	0.153
Animals	5 years old	83.6	11.67	0.024 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Animals	6 years old	87.6	9.76	0.024 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Food	5 years old	73.7	11.28	0.040 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Food	6 years old	77.5	11.27	0.040 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Means of transportation	5 years old	76.5	11.29	0.038*
Means of transportation	6 years old	80.7	13.45	0.038*
Furniture and utensils	5 years old	73.8	10.63	0.220
Furniture and utensils	6 years old	75.7	8.59	0.220
Professions	5 years old	58.5	19.01	0.042 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Professions	6 years old	64.7	17.50	0.042 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Places	5 years old	38.7	16.93	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Places	6 years old	55.8	15.25	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Shapes and colors	5 years old	87.5	11.98	0.506
Shapes and colors	6 years old	88.8	12.52	0.506
Toys and musical instruments	5 years old	80.8	13.83	0.004 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Toys and musical instruments	6 years old	86.4	9.26	0.004 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test

Semantic field	Genre	Mean	SD	p
Clothing	Female	75.1	13.52	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Clothing	Male	59.4	18.13	<0.001 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Animals	Female	83.1	11.11	0.698
Animals	Male	84.2	12.53	0.698
Food	Female	75.8	9.65	0.058
Food	Male	70.8	12.76	0.058
Means of transportation	Female	75.3	11.10	0.281
Means of transportation	Male	78.1	11.51	0.281
Furniture and utensils	Female	75.9	9.34	0.047 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Furniture and utensils	Male	71.0	11.71	0.047 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Professions	Female	60.2	19.82	0.373
Professions	Male	56.3	17.92	0.373
Places	Female	39.7	16.35	0.532
Places	Male	37.2	17.83	0.532
Shapes and colors	Female	87.2	12.60	0.831
Shapes and colors	Male	87.8	11.28	0.831
Toys and musical instruments	Female	81.8	14.44	0.485
Toys and musical instruments	Male	79.5	13.06	0.485

Semantic field	Genre	Mean	DP	p
Clothing	Female	77.2	12.10	0.002 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Clothing	Male	67.4	14.64	0.002 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Animals	Female	85.7	10.83	0.123
Animals	Male	89.2	8.46	0.123
Food	Female	77.6	10.71	0.953
Food	Male	77.4	11.91	0.953
Means of transportation	Female	77.5	13.66	0.047 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Means of transportation	Male	83.7	12.72	0.047 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – T- test
Furniture and utensils	Female	76.7	7.87	0.330
Furniture and utensils	Male	74.8	9.22	0.330
Professions	Female	66.9	18.33	0.282
Professions	Male	62.6	16.66	0.282
Places	Female	55.1	16.09	0.711
Places	Male	56.4	14.62	0.711
Shapes and colors	Female	89.2	14.02	0.809
Shapes and colors	Male	88.5	11.13	0.809
Toys and musical instruments	Female	86.4	9.35	0.957
Toys and musical instruments	Male	86.5	9.30	0.957

Semantic field	Age group	Classification of performance					p
		Adequate		Below expected		Total
		n	%	n	%	Total
Total	5 years old	65	86.7	10	13.3	75	0.505
Total	6 years old	61	81.3	14	18.7	75	0.505
Clothing	5 years old	47	62.7	28	37.3	75	0.100
Clothing	6 years old	36	48.0	39	52.0	75	0.100
Animals	5 years old	72	96.0	3	4.0	75	1.000
Animals	6 years old	72	96.0	3	4.0	75	1.000
Food	5 years old	32	42.7	43	57.3	75	0.313
Food	6 years old	25	33.3	50	66.7	75	0.313
Means of transportation	5 years old	65	86.7	10	13.3	75	1.000
Means of transportation	6 years old	66	88.0	9	12.0	75	1.000
Furniture and utensils	5 years old	65	86.7	10	13.3	75	0.428
Furniture and utensils	6 years old	69	92.0	6	8.0	75	0.428
Professions	5 years old	67	89.3	8	10.7	75	0.802
Professions	6 years old	65	86.7	10	13.3	75	0.802
Places	5 years old	6	8.0	69	92.0	75	0.303
Places	6 years old	11	14.7	64	85.3	75	0.303
Shapes and colors	5 years old	69	92.0	6	8.0	75	0.013 ^* * statistical difference (p≤0.05) – Fisher exact test
Shapes and colors	6 years old	57	76.0	18	24.0	75
Toys and musical instruments	5 years old	69	92.0	6	8.0	75	0.494
Toys and musical instruments	6 years old	72	96.0	3	4.0	75	0.494

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[1] Conflict of interests: nothing to declare.