Pragmatic Language Impairment: A Scientometric Review

Abstract

Pragmatic language impairment (PLI) is a complex and wide-ranging condition affecting numerous individuals worldwide, yet its exact prevalence and scope remain uncertain due to its interconnections with other conditions and symptoms, such as neurodevelopmental disorders, learning disabilities, developmental dysphasia, and aphasia. This study presents a comprehensive review of PLI, tracing its historical, current, and future trajectories through the lens of both bibliometric and scientometric indicators. The study analysed a substantial corpus of 3852 documents related to PLI, including sources from Scopus, Web of Science, and Lens, spanning the period from 1977 to 2022. This investigation utilised advanced software tools such as CiteSpace 5.8.R3 and VOSviewer 1.6.18 to detect patterns, connections, and bursts in scholarly works related to PLI. Key findings of this review include the identification of major clusters in the PLI literature, which include social communication disorder, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, and inferential meaning. These clusters represent significant sub-themes within the PLI research body, with repetitive mentions of autism spectrum disorder suggesting its critical overlap with PLI. Other noteworthy clusters included Asperger’s syndrome, behavioural problems, belief reports, and diagnostic observation schedule scores, all of which contribute to the nuanced understanding of PLI. The study provides a comprehensive overview of PLI development, drawing on theoretical, historical, and empirical evidence.