Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Stacey Wood

Reader 2

Jose Arreola

Abstract

Although research on bilingualism has expanded rapidly in recent years, the majority focuses on cognitive advantages or receptive vocabulary, or the words children understand. Far less attention has been given to how expressive language, the words children produce, and its potential role as the mechanism linking bilingual exposure to socio-emotional development. Although dual-language learners sometimes appear to have relatively limited expressive vocabularies in one language, these differences tend to reflect patterns of language use and input quality rather than true developmental delays. Even so, temporary differences in expressive skills can be especially meaningful during children’s formative years, when they rely heavily on language to communicate feelings, handle frustration, and form relationships. The present study will include 100 parents of monolingual and bilingual five-year-olds, who will complete standardized measures of expressive and pragmatic language, socio-emotional functioning, and emotion regulation, along with control questions about language exposure and input at home. Using a cross-sectional, correlational design with a mediation analysis through multiple regression, the study will test three predictions: (1) bilingual children will show slightly lower expressive language scores in the majority language compared to monolingual peers, (2) stronger expressive language skills will predict better emotion regulation and socio-emotional outcomes, and (3) expressive language will mediate the relationship between bilingual exposure and socio-emotional outcomes. By focusing on expressive language and shifting views on bilingualism toward context-based rather than deficit-based approaches, this project aims to clarify how differences in children’s expressive skills shape their emotional regulation, confidence, and peer relationships. These findings may offer guidance for parents, educators, and clinicians to support bilingual children in home and school settings.

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