Nonword Repetition as a Behavioural Marker for Inherited Language Impairment: Evidence From a Twin Study

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Abstract
The Children's Nonword Repetition Test (CNRep) was given to 39 children with persistent language impairment (LI), 13 with a history of having received speech‐language therapy (resolved LI), and 79 controls, all aged from 7 to 9 years. The children with LI were twins who had participated in a previous genetic study. Children with resolved LI, as well as those with persistent LI. were significantly impaired on the CNRep. Comparisons of MZ and DZ twins indicated significant heritability of a CNRep deficit. It is concluded that CNRep provides a marker of the phenotype of heritable forms of developmental language impairment.