The Role of Parental Psychological Factors in the Effectiveness of Parent-Led Speech-Language Intervention in Children with Developmental Language Disorder Aged 3 to 6 Years: A Review

Abstract

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects approximately 7.5% of preschool-aged children and is increasingly understood as a multifactorial condition in which family dynamics play a central role. This narrative review aims to identify and synthesize the parental psychological variables associated with DLD outcomes in children aged 3–6, with particular focus on their relevance to parent-led speech-language therapy (SLT). The search was conducted in five databases (2015–2025). Eligible studies focused on children aged 3–6 with DLD or language delay and examined parental psychological variables relevant to language outcomes or SLT effectiveness. Six core parental psychological constructs were identified: (1) parental reflective functioning (PRF) and mentalization, predicting parental sensitivity and interaction quality; (2) parental stress, undermining emotional availability and therapeutic adherence; (3) parental self-efficacy (PSE), supporting implementation of language-stimulation strategies; (4) technoference, disrupting joint attention and contingent responsiveness; (5) parental motivation and related cognitions, governing engagement in intervention; and (6) parental sensitivity and responsiveness, functioning as the primary behavioral pathway to child language outcomes. Marital satisfaction and differential paternal involvement were identified as emerging factors. Our conclusions focus on the idea that parental psychological variables should be treated as active levers of therapeutic change rather than as background covariates.