Intervention Protocols for Narrative Skills and Oral Inferential Comprehension in Children with Developmental Language Disorder: A Scoping Review

Document Type : Scoping Review

Authors
Negar Alsadat Asadi 1
Fateme Sadat Jaberifard 1
Yalda Kazemi 2
1 MSc Student, Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.48305/jrrs.2026.46944.1170
Abstract
Introduction: Developmental language disorder (DLD) is characterized by persistent difficulties in language expression and/or comprehension. Storytelling and oral inferential comprehension (OIC) are complex linguistic skills that are frequently compromised in children with DLD. The present study aimed to identify the protocols and intervention programs used to improve oral storytelling and OIC in children with DLD.
Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a scoping review. A literature search was conducted across national and international databases, in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, covering the period from 2003 to December 2022. Ultimately, 11 studies were reviewed, and the results were categorized in a dedicated table.
Results: Most studies focused on storytelling and narrative organization. Explicit instruction in narrative structure, story retelling and generation, the use of modeling and visual-verbal supports, and the simultaneous targeting of macro- and micro-structure of narratives were the most frequently reported components, with improvements noted in story grammar, narrative organization, linguistic complexity, cohesion, and vocabulary. Fewer studies addressed OIC, employing strategies such as interactive reading, guided questioning, mental imagery, and direct inference training. The strongest evidence emerged from a randomized controlled trial (RCT), which demonstrated significant improvements in inferential comprehension, as well as the maintenance and generalization of intervention effects.
Conclusion: The available evidence supports the potential effectiveness of narrative-based interventions and direct instruction of OIC in children with DLD; however, heterogeneous interventions and few rigorously designed studies limit the establishment of a standardized protocol. An integrated, explicit, and structured approach that combines narrative instruction, visual-verbal support, and lexical, syntactic, and inferential goals tailored to the child's developmental level appears to be the most promising direction for future interventions. The absence of Persian-language studies highlights the need for further research within local populations.
Keywords
Developmental language disorder
Specific language impairment
Storytelling
Narrative
Inferential comprehension
Children
Subjects
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Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 1
April 2023
Pages 162-171