Automated phonological analysis and treatment target selection using AutoPATT

Automated analyses of speech samples can offer improved accuracy and timesaving advantages that streamline clinical assessment for children with a suspected speech sound disorder. In this paper, we introduce AutoPATT, an automated tool for clinical analysis of speech samples. This free, open-source tool was developed as a plug-in for Phon and follows the procedures of the Phonological Analysis and Treatment Target Selection protocol, including extraction of a phonetic inventory, phonemic inventory with corresponding minimal pairs, and initial consonant cluster inventory. AutoPATT also provides suggestions for complex treatment targets using evidence-based guidelines. Automated analyses and target suggestions were compared to manual analyses of 25 speech samples from children with phonological disorder. Results indicate that AutoPATT inventory analyses are more accurate than manual analyses. However, treatment targets generated by AutoPATT should be viewed as suggestions and not used to substitute necessary clinical judgement in the target selection process.

Expansion Points Intervention in Young Children with Speech Sound Disorders: A Multiple Baseline Design

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of expansion points (EXP) intervention with a modified criterion for preschool children with speech sound disorders (SSD). Three preschool-aged children were enrolled in a single-subject multiple baseline intervention study. Intervention took place over 16 sessions. Pre- and post-intervention data are provided. Three outcome measures (generalization to probe words and gains in percent consonants correct, PCC, in words and in conversation) were evaluated to measure the effectiveness of the EXP intervention. All three of the participants demonstrated gains by the end of the intervention phase when measuring PCC in single words. Two of the three participants demonstrated gains in PCC in conversational speech. Progress on individual phonemes was variable across participants. Utilizing the EXP approach, two of the three children showed gains in all three outcome measures. One child showed variable performance in one outcome measure, improvement in one, and a decrease in one. Findings suggest that EXP should be further explored to evaluate intervention efficacy.

Speech sound articulation abilities of preschool-age children who stutter

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between speech sound articulation and childhood stuttering in a relatively large sample of preschool-age children who do and do not stutter, using the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 (GFTA-2; Goldman & Fristoe, 2000).

METHOD

Participants included 277 preschool-age children who do (CWS; n=128, 101 males) and do not stutter (CWNS; n=149, 76 males). Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were performed to assess between-group (CWS versus CWNS) differences on the GFTA-2. Additionally, within-group correlations were performed to explore the relation between CWS' speech sound articulation abilities and their stuttering frequency and severity, as well as their sound prolongation index (SPI; Schwartz & Conture, 1988).

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between the articulation scores of preschool-age CWS and CWNS. However, there was a small gender effect for the 5-year-old age group, with girls generally exhibiting better articulation scores than boys. Additional findings indicated no relation between CWS' speech sound articulation abilities and their stuttering frequency, severity, or SPI.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest no apparent association between speech sound articulation-as measured by one standardized assessment (GFTA-2)-and childhood stuttering for this sample of preschool-age children (N=277).

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

After reading this article, the reader will be able to: (1) discuss salient issues in the articulation literature relative to children who stutter; (2) compare/contrast the present study's methodologies and main findings to those of previous studies that investigated the association between childhood stuttering and speech sound articulation; (3) identify future research needs relative to the association between childhood stuttering and speech sound development; (4) replicate the present study's methodology to expand this body of knowledge.

Speech-language pathologists' assessment practices for children with suspected speech sound disorders: results of a national survey

PURPOSE

This study examined assessment procedures used by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when assessing children suspected of having speech sound disorders (SSD). This national survey also determined the information participants obtained from clients' speech samples, evaluation of non-native English speakers, and time spent on assessment.

METHOD

One thousand surveys were mailed to a randomly selected group of SLPs, self-identified as having worked with children with SSD. A total of 333 (33%) surveys were returned.

RESULTS

The assessment tasks most frequently used included administering a commercial test, estimating intelligibility, assessing stimulability, and conducting a hearing screening. The amount of time dedicated to assessment activities (e.g., administering formal tests, contacting parents) varied across participants and was significantly related to years of experience but not caseload size. Most participants reported using informal assessment procedures, or English-only standardized tests, when evaluating non-native English speakers.

CONCLUSIONS

Most participants provided assessments that met federal guidelines to qualify children for special education services; however, additional assessment may be needed to create comprehensive treatment plans for their clients. These results provide a unique perspective on the assessment of children suspected of having SSD and should be helpful to SLPs as they examine their own assessment practices.

A Meme’s Eye View of Speech-Language Pathology

In this article, the reason why certain terms, labels, and ideas prevail, whereas others fail to gain acceptance, will be considered. Borrowing the concept of "meme" from the study of evolution of ideas, it will be clear why language-based and phonological disorders have less widespread appeal than, for example, auditory processing and sensory integration disorders. Discussion will also center on why most speech-language pathologists refer to themselves as speech therapists or speech pathologists, and why it is more desirable to have dyslexia than to have a reading disability. In a meme’s eye view, science and logic do not always win out because selection favors ideas (memes) that are easy to understand, remember, and copy. An unfortunate consequence of these selection forces is that successful memes typically provide superficially plausible answers for complex questions.

Treatment efficacy: functional phonological disorders in children

This report addresses the efficacy of treatment for functional phonological disorders in children. The definition of phonological disorders and their incidence and prevalence are first presented. The impact of this disorder on the lives of children and the role that speech-language pathologists play in treating this disorder are then discussed. Evidence of the positive outcome of phonological treatment is reviewed, with particular emphasis on treatment procedures that have been deemed effective, the specific effects of these treatments on improving intelligibility, and comparisons between treatments in facilitating improved sound production.

Facilitating [s] production in young children: an experimental evaluation of motoric and conceptual treatment approaches

Eighteen phonologically disordered children were assigned to one of two experimental treatment programmes. Half of the children received a motoric treatment, which focused on establishing sound production in isolation, words, and phrases. The remaining children received a conceptual treatment, which sought to establish the phonemic nature of /s/ without providing motor practice. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by analysing [s] production during administration of a generalization probe. The motoric treatment was more effective overall; although some subjects, whose phonetic inventory included [s] prior to treatment, generalized correct production following the introduction of the conceptual treatment.

Description of phonological patterns for nineteen elementary-age children with hearing losses

The speech productions of 19 hard of hearing children between 5 and 12 years of age were examined for errors related to phonological process categories. For comparison, the subjects were divided into groups of 9 with Profound and 10 with Moderate to Severe hearing losses. There was a significant relationship between hearing loss and phonological errors. Seven phonological processes were evident in at least 33% of obligatory contexts. Prevalent processes included final consonant deletion and cluster reduction. The most prevalent deficiencies included /r/ and /l/ phonemes. Subjects with Profound hearing losses produced more errors over-all as well as more errors in each phonological process category. Subjects with Profound hearing losses frequently deleted entire consonant clusters, whereas subjects with Moderate to Severe hearing losses did not. Results are also discussed in relation to normal development.

A phonologically based analysis of misspellings by third graders with disordered-phonology histories

Misspellings evidenced in written responses of third graders during administration of a battery containing 25 true words and 20 nonsense syllable items were analyzed phonologically. Children with histories of disordered phonologies evidenced more phonologically based deviations in their written misspellings than did their peers who had experienced normal phonological development. In addition, the children with disordered-phonology histories relied more on less productive spelling strategies and evidenced poorer phonological awareness skills than their peers with normal-phonology histories.

Articulation and Phonology

In this addendum to my lead article for this forum, I will resist the temptation to reply to each point of disagreement raised by my colleagues in their commentaries or to emphasize crucial points of agreement. Instead, I will update and clarify my comments on the application of phonological principles to the treatment of children with phonological disorders, responding to their comments only where appropriate to reach these objectives.