A Quantitative Analysis of Phonological Processes

Abstract

No published phonological process analysis procedure has included quantitative criteria that ensures sufficient evidence is collected before a process is coded as present or absent. The purpose of this study was to apply nonquantitative criteria and two types of quantitative criteria to data obtained from a phonological process analysis, comparing the number of processes recorded under each condition. The subjects were six, 4;0 year-old children with articulation deficits. Standard tests were administered and a speech sample collected for the phonological process analysis. The application of both types of quantitative criteria significantly reduced the number of processes recorded (F = 91.25; df = 2,10; p<.001). However, no significant difference existed between the number of processes recorded under each type of quantitative criteria (p<.05). When quantitative criteria were applied, all of the subjects were found to use 10 of the processes, another 10 processes were used by some subjects, while 8 processes were never used. The use of quantitative criteria, refinement of process definitions, modification of phonological process analysis procedures and limitations of the criteria are discussed.