Abstract
To compare children with typical language development (TLD) and evolutional phonological disorder (EPD) regarding the phonemic discrimination and the linguistic performance of language levels (morphological, syntactic, semantic, and perceptual and productive vocabulary). The sample comprised 36 children, aged between 5 years and 7 years and 11 months, with TLD and EPD. Children with EPD were awaiting care in the speech units of two higher education institutions and children with TLD were screened in public schools. For inclusion in the study, the criteria were the following: being authorized by the informed consent and being within the required age group. After the inclusion of children, all subjects underwent the phonemic discrimination test with figures, to the average phrase value test, which assesses the morphosyntactic and semantic/lexical aspects, and the expressive vocabulary test. For statistical evaluation of the influence of variables, Spearman's nonparametric correlation coefficient was used, and for comparison between the groups regarding evaluation performance, Mann-Whitney test was used. Only children with EPD showed influence of phonemic discrimination in other linguistic levels. In addition, a significant difference was observed between the performances of both groups in relation to the phonemic discrimination, vocabulary, and all levels assessed in the questions and description modality. The comparison between both groups showed a statistically significant difference in phonemic discrimination and morphosyntactic and lexical/semantic development, with better performance in the TLD group.
Highlights
Phonemic discrimination is a process of differentiation of acoustically similar sounds with different frequency, duration, and/or intensity when the information carried by the sound depends on these differences[1]
Children with evolutional phonological disorder (EPD) were awaiting care in the speech departments of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology services linked to two higher education institutions, and children with typical language development (TLD) were screened in public schools that authorized this research
Spearman’s correlation coefficient indicated that there are differences regarding the influence of phonemic discrimination in other linguistic levels between both groups studied, as only the group with EPD presented significant correlations in these aspects
Summary
Phonemic discrimination is a process of differentiation of acoustically similar sounds with different frequency, duration, and/or intensity when the information carried by the sound depends on these differences[1] It is the individual’s ability to perceive minimum acoustic differences present in the discourse[2,3], and it is considered as a key aspect for the correct production of speech sounds — the mental representation and storage of linguistic stimuli are established through reception, analysis, and organization of information by auditory processing[1-5]. For the acquisition of speech sounds, it is essential that the ability to perceive minor differences between the distinctive features that occur by binary oppositions is established. Conditions are necessary so that these sounds are discriminated[6], such as the integrity of organic structures involved in the detection, reception, and conduction of sound, as well as interpretation processes, so that the sound is perceived[7]
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