Speech Sound Disorders Research Articles

Multiple oppositions intervention: effective phonological treatment of two children with cleft lip and palate and severe speech sound disorder

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate if multiple oppositions intervention (MOI) generated widespread change in the phonological systems of two children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and severe speech sound disorders (SSD). We treated two children (ages 5;4 and 5;6) with CLP and severe SSD using MOI for 24 and 29 sessions. We measured the percentage consonants correct (PCC) for target consonants and untreated consonants in non-treatment single words, as well as PCC for connected speech. Data points were collected in the baseline, intervention, and maintenance phase with post-tests conducted immediately after intervention and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Two speech and language therapists (SLTs) unfamiliar with the children performed phonetic transcriptions, and we calculated intra- and inter-rater agreement. We graphed the data, and used permutation tests to analyse the probability that the observed increases in PCC were due to random chance. Both children experienced considerable improvements in PCC across all measures at the first post-test, supporting the impact of MOI on their entire phonological system. The PCC continued to increase during the maintenance phase. By the final post-test, the PCC in connected speech exceeded 90% for both children, reducing their SSD classification to mild. Our findings support that a phonological, contrastive intervention approach targeting multiple consonants simultaneously can create system-wide phonological change for children with CLP and severe SSD. Further research with more participants is needed to strengthen these findings.

Usefulness of Automatic Speech Recognition Assessment of Children with Speech Sound Disorders: A Validation Study (Preprint)

Usefulness of Automatic Speech Recognition Assessment of Children with Speech Sound Disorders: A Validation Study (Preprint)

Impaired speech input and output processing abilities in children with cleft palate speech disorder.

Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common oral and maxillofacial deformities associated with a variety of functional disorders. Cleft palate speech disorder (CPSD) occurs the most frequently and manifests a series of characteristic speech features, which are called cleft speech characteristics. Some scholars believe that children with CPSD and poor speech outcomes may also have weaknesses in speech input processing ability, but evidence is still lacking so far. (1) To explore whether children with CPSD and speech output disorders also have defects in speech input processing abilities; (2) to explore the correlation between speech input and output processing abilities. Children in the experimental group were enrolled from Beijing Stomatological Hospital, Capital Medical University, and healthy volunteers were recruited as controls. Then three tasks containing real and pseudo words were performed sequentially. Reaction time, accuracy and other indicators in three tasks were collected and then analysed. The indicators in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group. There was a strong correlation between speech input and output processing tasks. The performance of both groups when processing pseudo words in the three tasks was worse than that when dealing with real words. Compared with normal controls, children with CPSD have deficits in both speech input and output processing, and there is a strong correlation between speech input and output speech processing abilities. In addition, the pseudo words task was more challenging than the real word task for both groups. What is already known on the subject Children with cleft lip and palate often have speech sound disorders known as cleft palate speech disorder (CPSD). CPSD is characterised by consonant errors called cleft speech characteristics, which can persist even after surgery. Some studies suggest that poor speech outcomes in children with CPSD may be associated with deficits in processing speech input. However, this has not been validated in mainland China. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The results of our study indicate that children with CPSD exhibit poorer performance in three tasks assessing speech input and output abilities compared to healthy controls, suggesting their deficits in both speech input and output processing. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between speech input and output processing abilities. Additionally, both groups demonstrated greater difficulty in processing pseudo words compared to real words, as evidenced by their worse performance in dealing with pseudo words. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The pseudo word tasks designed and implemented in our study can be employed in future research and assessment of speech input and output abilities in Chinese Mandarin children with CPSD. Additionally, our findings revealed the significance of considering both speech output processing abilities and potential existence of speech input processing ability for speech and language therapists when evaluating and developing treatment options for children with CPSD as these abilities are also important for the development of literacy development.

Analysis of language and influencing factors of children with speech disorder in Beijing

Objective: To investigate the features and influencing factors of language in children with various types of speech disorders. Methods: A case-control study was carried out, 262 children with speech disorder had been diagnosed at the language-speech clinic of the Center of Children's Healthcare, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2021 to November 2023, the children with speech sound disorder as the speech sound disorder group, the children with developmental stuttering as the stuttering group. There were 100 typically-developed children who underwent physical checkups at the Center of Healthcare during the same period as the healthy group. All children experienced a standardized evaluation of language with diagnostic receptive and expressive assessment of mandarin-comprehensive(DREAM-C) and questionnaire, One-way ANOVA and LSD test were conducted to compare the differences in overall language, receptive language, expressive language, semantics, and syntax scores among 3 groups of children. According to the results of DREAM-C, the children with speech disorder were divided into language normal group and language delay group. Chi-square test and multivariate Logistic regression were implemented to analyze the association between the linguistic development of children with speech disorder and potential influential factors. Results: There were 145 children in the speech sound disorder group, including 110 males and 35 females respectively, with an age of (5.9±1.0) years; 117 children in the stuttering group, including 91 males and 26 females, with an age of (5.8±1.0) years; 100 children in the healthy group, including 75 males and 25 females, with an age of (5.7±1.2) years. The variations in overall language, expressive language, and syntax scores among 3 groups of children were statistically significant (92±18 vs.96±11 vs. 98±11, 81±18 vs. 84±14 vs. 88±13, 87±16 vs. 89±11 vs. 91±10, F=5.46, 4.69, 3.68, all P<0.05). Pairwise comparison revealed that the speech sound disorder group had lower scores in overall language, expressive language, and syntactic compared to the healthy group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.01) and the overall language score was lower than that of children with stuttering (P<0.05). In terms of overall language and expressive language, there was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of language delay among the three groups of children (15.9% (23/145) vs. 20.5% (24/117) vs. 7.0% (7/100), 46.2% (67/145) vs. 39.3% (46/117) vs. 26.0% (26/100); χ2=7.93, 10.28; both P<0.05). In terms of overall language, the stuttering group took up the highest proportion. In terms of expressive language, the speech sound disorder group accounted for the highest amount. The incidence of language delay in children with speech disorder was 44.3% (116/262). Non-parent-child reading, daily screen time ≥1 hour and screen exposure before 1.5 years of age are risk factors for the development of language in children with speech disorder (OR=1.87, 2.18, 2.01; 95%CI 1.07-3.27, 1.23-3.86, 1.17-3.45; all P<0.01). Negative family history are protective factors for the progress of language ability (OR=0.37, 95%CI 0.17-0.81, P<0.05). Conclusions: Children with speech disorder tend to have easy access to language delay, especially in expressive language and syntax. The occurrence of language delay in children with speech disorder is tightly connected with factors such as the family medical history, parent-child reading, screen time, etc. Attention should be paid to the development of language in children who suffer from speech disorder.

Acoustic Analyses of Tone Productions in Sequencing Contexts Among Cantonese-Speaking Preschool Children With and Without Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Pitch variations (tone productions) have been reported as a measure to differentiate Cantonese-speaking children with and without childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). This study aims to examine fundamental frequency (F0) changes within syllables and the effects of syllable structure, lexical status, and syllable positions on F0 in Cantonese-speaking preschool children with and without CAS. Six children with CAS, six children with non-CAS speech sound disorder plus language disorder (S&LD), 22 children with speech sound disorder only (SSD), and 63 children with typical speech-language development (TD) performed the tone sequencing task (TST). Growth curve analysis was employed to analyze and compare the F0 values within syllables with three Cantonese tones (high level, high rising, and low falling). The analysis considered the effects of syllable structure (vowel and consonant-vowel), lexical status (word and nonword), and syllable position (initial, medial, and final) on F0, as well as comparisons within and between groups. Within each group, the effects of syllable structure and position on F0 values were found with different patterns. Between-group comparisons showed that the CAS group had reduced F0 contrasts. The CAS group could be differentiated from the control groups based on interactions of F0 with syllable structure and position, but not lexical status. The dissimilarity of F0 values detected between the CAS and SSD/TD groups was more prominent than that observed between the CAS and S&LD groups. This study demonstrated that Cantonese-speaking children with CAS had difficulty in varying F0 within syllables as compared to those without CAS, suggesting pitch variation difficulty and language-specific impairment profiles in CAS. Future investigations of objective measures for identifying Cantonese speakers with CAS and cross-linguistic investigations using growth curve analysis and the TST are suggested.

Telepractice Parent Training of Enhanced Milieu Teaching With Phonological Emphasis (EMT+PE) For Persian-Speaking Toddlers With Nonsyndromic Cleft Palate: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Children born with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip (CP/L) are at increased risk for delayed language development and speech sound disorders. Enhanced Milieu Teaching with Phonological Emphasis (EMT+PE) is a recommended naturalistic intervention for toddlers with CP/L. The parents' role in providing naturalistic interventions is critical and they need training based on learning principles to implement these interventions. Telepractice is an appropriate method for training parents and children with various speech-related disorders. This study aims to determine and compare the effectiveness of telepractice and the parent-implemented EMT+PE intervention on language and speech measures in toddlers with CP/L with usual interventions and determine the effectiveness maintenance of the intervention. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will assess the efficacy of telepractice and the parent-implemented EMT+PE intervention in enhancing speech and language measures in toddlers with CP/L. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: the conventional intervention group and the EMT+PE intervention group. Participants' speech and language measures will be evaluated remotely by trained raters before and after the intervention and 2 months after the intervention. Parents of participants in the intervention group will receive 3 months of training in speech and language supportive strategies from trained therapists using telehealth fidelity scales. Parents of participants in the control group will receive the conventional speech and language intervention by cleft team therapists. Study outcomes will include language variables (mean length of utterance) and speech production variables (percent correct consonants). The protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in February 2022. The selection process of participants, as well as training therapists and raters, commenced in January 2022, the therapy and follow-up period ended in June 2023, and pre- and postintervention assessments have been conducted. Data analysis is ongoing, and we expect to publish our results by the summer of 2024. Funding is yet to be received. The results of this study may help us develop a speech and language intervention with a different delivery model for toddlers with CP/L, and the cleft team care can use these results in service delivery. Consistent with our hypothesis, speech and language measures are expected to improve. DERR1-10.2196/54426.

The Relationship between Speech Sound Disorder and Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential

Plain Language SummarySpeech sound disorders (SSDs) are a language disorder prevalent in children and are featured by difficulties in the perception, production, and organization of speech sounds. This disorder can be associated with some deficits in the sound process. Thus, this study used a speech stimulus to measure the relationship between age and SSD severity, measured by the percentage of correct consonants, with cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs). The latency of P1, N1, P2, N2, and P3 components and P1-N1, P2-N2, and P3 amplitudes were analyzed in both ears. No interference of severity, age, and ear was found in the latency of P1 and N1 components. The P2 latency was longer than the one proposed in the literature, and younger children with more severe SSD had lower mean latency values for this component. No interaction was found between the N2 latency and SSD severity. As for P3 latency, all children in this study had values within the normal limits for the age group. No SSD severity, age, and ear interference were observed in the P1-N1 amplitude. However, it was observed that the amplitude of this complex increases with age and decreases with SSD severity in the right ear. Finally, there was no SSD severity, age, and ear interference in P2-N2 and P3 amplitudes. CAEP analysis showed important aspects of the auditory path of children with SSD, suggesting difficulty in directing attention and discriminating the stimuli used, which can interfere with the phonological representation of speech sounds.

Print-Rich Speech Sound Therapy Sessions: The Theory Behind It and Plans for Implementation

Purpose: Print knowledge is a powerful predictor of later reading abilities, which are crucial to children's academic success. Children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) are at risk for literacy difficulties. Speech sound therapy is an opportune time to address not only speech sound production but also the connections between speech sounds and their associated letters and letter patterns. This tutorial aims to provide a rich source of evidence to support the use of print and print-referencing in speech sound therapy sessions. We include feasible suggestions for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to facilitate print-rich experiences for children with SSDs. Incorporating orthography into therapy sessions, through activities such as shared book reading, allows SLPs to address speech sound errors while supporting children's literacy development. Conclusions: This tutorial provides an overview of the risk of literacy deficits in children with SSDs and describes the theoretical underpinnings of why incorporating print is a powerful learning tool. We expand on the research behind print referencing in preschool classrooms. Finally, we provide detailed examples, including book lists and therapy ideas for a variety of ages, to help SLPs add print referencing to their therapy toolkit.

Speech Sound Disorders of Children With Mental Delays

This study aimed to investigate the speech sounds processes of children diagnosed with mental delays. Additionally, we explored all the sounds of the Albanian language, in level of articulation. We recruited 50 children, including 25 boys and 25 girls, with a mean age of 7.68 years. The results support the hypothesis that children diagnosed with mental delays are prone to speech sounds difficulties. Therefore, emphasizing the importance of possible risks in communication level is needed in order to address the needs of children with mental delays. Finally, this study is one of the first that investigated the phenomena of speech sounds difficulties in children with mental delays in Kosovar context.

Speech-Language Outcomes in the COVID-19 Milieu for Multilingual Jamaican Preschoolers and Considerations for Telepractice Assessments.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the communicative participation and functional speech intelligibility (i.e., how children use communication and how well they are understood across everyday life) of typically developing (TD) bilingual Jamaican preschoolers and those with functionally defined speech sound disorders (fSSDs) in the COVID-19 milieu. Findings were also compared to an existing corpus of baseline data to document and explore differences in children's speech-language outcomes secondary to pandemic-related social restrictions. Thirty bilingual Jamaican preschoolers, 21 TD and nine with fSSDs, were assessed during the pandemic via telepractice. Association and univariate mean testing were completed to characterize children's communicative participation and functional speech intelligibility. Data were then compared to an existing corpus of baseline data (collected in person between 2013 and 2019), which included direct child assessment and parent reports and consisted of TD (n = 226) Jamaican Creole-English-speaking preschoolers and those with fSSDs (n = 39) to compare performance profiles across data sets. All participants attended schools in Kingston, Jamaica. Measures of communicative participation remained stable in the context of the COVID-19 milieu for children in the TD and fSSD groups, but functional speech intelligibility outcomes for children with fSSDs deviated between in-person findings collected from children pre-pandemic. Between-groups differences were also found on measures of speech production accuracy but were no longer significant when considering telepractice as a covariate. Findings from this investigation serve to characterize the communicative participation and functional speech intelligibility of TD bilingual Jamaican preschoolers and those with fSSDs in the COVID-19 milieu. By extension, the results comparing data from preschoolers collected during the pandemic to an existing corpus of baseline data from a different group of preschoolers provide critical insights about multilingual children's speech-language outcomes in the context of acutely changing environmental circumstances. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25461505.

Outcome measures for children with speech sound disorder: an umbrella review

ObjectiveSpeech sound disorder (SSD) describes a ‘persistent difficulty with speech sound production that interferes with speech intelligibility or prevents verbal communication’. There is a need to establish which care pathways...

Impact of Bilingualism on Speech Sound Disorder/ Articulatory and Phonological Disorders

Impact of Bilingualism on Speech Sound Disorder/ Articulatory and Phonological Disorders

Treatment Approaches to Speech Sound Disorders: A Scoping Review

Objective: The objective was to highlight and review different therapeutic approaches to cater to speech sound disorders in Pakistan. Methodology: To find the different therapeutic approaches, a literature search for related articles/ publications was conducted using the Keywords “speech sound disorders, phonological disorders, articulation disorder and a combination of words using search engines like Google &amp; and databases like PubMed and other websites. Around 130 publications, reports, and articles were downloaded, of which 25 were used for literature review. Results: There are many treatments used to cater for speech sound disorders including contextual utilisation, phonological contrast, complexity, core vocabulary, cycles phonological pattern, distinctive feature therapy, metaphor therapy, naturalist speech intelligibility, non-speech oral-motor therapy, speech sound perception training and bilingual or cross-lingual approach. However, novel trends like the use of hybrid treatment, speech motor learning- phonetic placement approach, blocked practice versus serial practice schedule &amp; interventions using biofeedback need to be utilized. Conclusion: Treatment approaches in use include contextual utilisation, phonological contrast, complexity, core vocabulary, cycles phonological pattern, distinctive feature therapy, metaphor therapy, naturalist speech intelligibility, non-speech oral-motor therapy, speech sound perception training and bilingual or cross-lingual approach, however, novel treatments need to be utilised. Keywords: Articulation disorders, Phonological disorders, Phonological Representations

DILLo: an Italian lexical database for speech-language pathologists

AbstractA novel lexical resource for treating speech impairments from childhood to senility: DILLo—Database Italiano del Lessico per Logopedisti (i.e., Italian Database for Speech-Language Pathologists) is presented. DILLo is a free online web application that allows extraction of filtered wordlists for flexible rehabilitative purposes. Its major aim is to provide Italian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with a resource that takes advantage of Information and Communication Technologies for language in a healthcare setting. DILLo’s design adopts an integrated approach that envisages fruitful cooperation between clinical and linguistic professionals. The 7690 Italian words in the database have been selected based on phonological, phonotactic, and morphological properties, and their frequency of use. These linguistic features are encoded in the tool, which includes the orthographic and phonological transcriptions, and the phonotactic structure of each word. Moreover, most of the entries are associated with their respective ARASAAC pictogram, providing an additional and inclusive tool for treating speech impairments. The user-friendly interface is structured to allow for different and adaptable search options. DILLo allows Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to obtain a rich, tailored, and varied selection of suitable linguistic stimuli. It can be used to customize the treatment of many impairments, e.g., Speech Sound Disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Specific Learning Disabilities, aphasia, dysarthria, dysphonia, and the auditory training that follows cochlear implantations.

Speech and Language Development, Hearing, and Feeding in Patients With Genetically Confirmed Crouzon Syndrome With Acanthosis Nigricans: A 36-Year Longitudinal Retrospective Review of Patients at the Oxford Craniofacial Unit.

Crouzon syndrome with acanthosis nigricans (CAN) is caused by the specific mutation c.1172C>A (p.Ala391Glu) in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene, and has an estimated prevalence of 1:1,000,000 births. Most cases occur de novo; however, autosomal dominant inheritance may occur. The clinical presentation typically includes craniosynostosis, midface and maxillary hypoplasia, choanal atresia/stenosis, hydrocephalus, and intracranial hypertension. Patients develop acanthosis nigricans, a hyperkeratotic skin disorder. The authors present the first known study to investigate the speech, language, hearing, and feeding of patients with CAN. A retrospective case-note review of patients with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of CAN attending the Oxford Craniofacial Unit during a 36-year period (1987-2023) was undertaken. Participants were 6 patients with genetically-confirmed CAN (5 females, 1 male), all cases arose de novo. All patients had craniosynostosis (n = 5/6 multisuture synostosis, n = 1/6 left unicoronal synostosis). Hydrocephalus was managed through ventriculoperitoneal shunt in 67% (n = 4/6) of patients, and 67% (n = 4/6) had a Chiari 1 malformation. Patients had a complex, multifactorial feeding history complicated by choanal atresia/stenosis (100%; n = 6/6), and significant midface hypoplasia. All patients required airway management through tracheostomy (83%; n = 5/6); and/or continuous positive airway pressure (67%; n = 4/6). All patients underwent adenotonsillectomy (100%; n = 6/6). Initial failure to thrive, low weight, and/or height were seen in 100% (n = 6/6) patients; 80% (n = 4/5) had reflux; 100% (n = 6/6) had nasogastric, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy based feeding during their treatment journey. All patients had hearing loss (100%; n = 6/6). Early communication difficulties were common: receptive language disorder (50%; n = 3/6); expressive language disorder (50%; n = 3/6); and speech sound disorder in 50% (n = 3/6)-necessitating the use of Makaton in 80% of patients (n = 3/5). Patients with CAN experience significant respiratory, neurological, and structural obstacles to hearing, speech, language, and feeding. The authors present a recommended pathway for management to support patients in these domains.

Auditory Processing and Speech-Sound Disorders.

Speech-sound disorders (SSD) have been linked to auditory processing difficulties, and auditory processing disorders (APD) have been related to phonological awareness and literacy development. To this date, there has not been a systematic literature review investigating the results of psychophysiology and language assessments related to SSD and APD in children. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Medline EBSCO, and Scopus to identify studies with children diagnosed/suspected of having APDs and SSDs. The quality of methodology in the selected articles was evaluated with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Seven out of 378 relevant studies met the selection criteria. The findings were summarized for children with SSD and APD based on (a) metalinguistic and literacy skills, (b) cognitive abilities, and (c) temporal processing abilities. Three articles indicated that children with APD and SSD exhibit lower temporal task accuracy and reaction time. In two studies, children with SSD exhibited lower scores in discrimination, sequencing, and recall of brief stimuli in rapid succession. This review revealed associations between SSD severity and APD that may underline low performance in metalinguistic skills. Diagnostic assessments have been proposed based on the review to adequately identify children with SSD and APD and provide useful information for more suitable intervention.

Clinical practice guideline: Interventions for Developmental Language Delay and Disorders.

Approximately 9.9 % of children present with difficulties in language development (DLD), 7.6 % without serious additional impairments and 2.3 % associated with languagerelevant comorbidities, e.g., hearing loss. Notably, in a consensus statement by experts in German-speaking countries, in the guideline presented here, and further in this article, all of these disorders are referred to as "developmental language disorders" (DLD), whereas the international consortium CATALISE only refers to those without comorbidities as DLD. DLDs are among the most commonly treated childhood disorders and, if persistent, often reduce educational and socio-economic outcome. Children in their third year of life with developmental language delay (late talkers, LT) are at risk of a later DLD. This German interdisciplinary clinical practice guideline reflects current knowledge regarding evidence-based interventions for developmental language delay and disorders. A systematic literature review was conducted on the effectiveness of interventions for DLD. The guideline recommends parent training (Hedges g = 0.38 to 0.82) for LTs with expressive language delay, language therapy (Cohen's d = -0.20 to 0.90) for LTs with additional receptive language delay or further DLD risk factors, phonological or integrated phonological treatment methods (Cohen's d = 0.89 to 1.04) for phonological speech sound disorders (SSDs), a motor approach for isolated phonetic SSDs (non-DLD), and for lexical-semantic and morpho-syntactic impairments combinations of implicit and explicit intervention approaches (including input enrichment, modeling techniques, elicitation methods, creation of production opportunities, metalinguistic- approaches, visualizations; Cohen's d = 0.89-1.04). Recom mendations were also made for DLD associated with pragmatic-communicative impairment, bi-/ multilingualism, hearing loss, intellectual disability, autism-spectrum disorders, selective mutism, language- relevant syndromes or multiple disabilities, and for intensive inpatient language rehabilitation. Early parent- and child-centered speech and language intervention implementing evidence-based intervention approaches, frequency, and settings, combined with educational language support, can improve the effectiveness of management of developmental language delay and disorders.

Investigation of machine-learning-based stimuli for the remediation of children’s speech errors

Children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) demonstrate difficulty producing phonemes correctly and may exhibit poor speech perception compared to their age-matched peers; however, group differences in speech perception skills remain largely unexplained. Developmental models of speech production posit that children’s ability to discriminate correct and incorrect productions in their own speech may be critical for developing accurate speech production. Historically, when children regularly mispronounce a phoneme, it has been essentially impossible to assess whether they perceive correct versus errors productions in their own speech, thus creating a clinical conundrum. How can we assess a child’s ability to perceive the accuracy of their own phoneme production when they cannot produce a correct production? Recent technological developments allow for acoustic alteration of children’s speech that digitally corrects speech sound errors while preserving natural characteristics of the child’s voice. This machine-learning-based stimuli may then be used as training and feedback tokens for remediation when treating children with speech sound disorders. Such acoustic alteration is possible within an accessible, user-friendly environment that is clinically feasible for speech-language pathologists with little acoustic training. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the acoustic and perceptual accuracy of acoustically-altered child-speech compared to natural speech tokens.

Development of the Digital Speech Assessment Instrument.

This study aimed to develop a Digital Speech Assessment Instrument to evaluate the phonological and motor speech skills of Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children and adolescents through six tasks: (a) word naming, (b) word imitation, (c) pseudoword imitation, (d) word repetition, (e) pseudoword repetition, and (f) diadochokinesis. The assessment instrument was developed and validated in a seven-step process, beginning with stimulus selection and ending with Pilot Study 1 (involving children and adolescents with typical speech development) and Pilot Study 2 (involving children and adolescents with speech sound disorders [SSDs]). Participants of the study included expert and nonexpert judges, children, and adolescents. The Digital Speech Assessment Instrument contains 91 real words (61 in the naming task, 51 in the imitation task, and five in the repetition task), 26 pseudowords (26 in the imitation task and four in the repetition task), and six stimuli for diadochokinesis. The test contains stimuli in the form of images as well as audio and video recordings and allows for the analysis and storage of participant data in a virtual database. This study described the development of the Digital Speech Assessment Instrument, available in Brazilian Portuguese for the evaluation of several aspects of speech production (including word and pseudoword naming, imitation, and repetition and diadochokinesis). The test was developed for children aged 2;0 (years;months) to 17;11 and is administered fully online. In the future, the instrument can be used to provide a timely and accurate diagnosis of SSDs.

Comparing online versus laboratory measures of speech perception in older children and adolescents.

Given the increasing prevalence of online data collection, it is important to know how behavioral data obtained online compare to samples collected in the laboratory. This study compares online and in-person measurement of speech perception in older children and adolescents. Speech perception is important for assessment and treatment planning in speech-language pathology; we focus on the American English /ɹ/ sound because of its frequency as a clinical target. Two speech perception tasks were adapted for web presentation using Gorilla: identification of items along a synthetic continuum from rake to wake, and category goodness judgment of English /ɹ/ sounds in words produced by various talkers with and without speech sound disorder. Fifty typical children aged 9-15 completed these tasks online using a standard headset. These data were compared to a previous sample of 98 typical children aged 9-15 who completed the same tasks in the lab setting. For the identification task, participants exhibited smaller boundary widths (suggestive of more acute perception) in the in-person setting relative to the online setting. For the category goodness judgment task, there was no statistically significant effect of modality. The correlation between scores on the two tasks was significant in the online setting but not in the in-person setting, but the difference in correlation strength was not statistically significant. Overall, our findings agree with previous research in suggesting that online and in-person data collection do not yield identical results, but the two contexts tend to support the same broad conclusions. In addition, these results suggest that online data collection can make it easier for researchers connect with a more representative sample of participants.