POSSIBLE ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS REPORTED BY PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH PHONOLOGICAL DISORDER

Abstract

Introduction: Most four-year-old children present a well-developed phonological system, thus producing speech sounds properly. However, this does not always occur and some children end up developing speech disorders that remain beyond this age, which is known as phonological disorder. This is partially characterized by the speaker’s difficulty in mentally representing the phonological rule and, consequently, inefficient production of sounds. It is worth noting that this change has no well-defined cause, therefore, its etiology is still quite unknown. Objective: To investigate the possible etiological factors of phonological disorders in children, according to what was reported by their parents. Methodology: This study was carried out on eight children who are in therapy for phonological disorder at the Centro Universitario de Joao Pessoa in October 2018. The data collection took place upon an interview with the parents, which was guided towards the probable cause of the phonological disorder. Regarding ethical considerations, this study is part of a larger project approved under the number 2.117.018. Results: Based on the quantitative analysis of the responses of the parents who participated in the study, 3 reported that they believed that the cause was linked to the genetic factor, 2 reported that the cause may be linked to overprotection, 2 linked to the emotional factors and 1 to lack of motivation. Conclusion: It is suggested that there might be more in-depth studies aimed at investigating and defining the etiological factors of phonological disorders.