School-Aged Children's Phonological Accuracy in Multisyllabic Words on a Whole-Word Metric

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in phonological accuracy in multisyllabic words (MSWs) on a whole-word metric, longitudinally and cross-sectionally, for elementary school–aged children with typical development (TD) and with history of protracted phonological development (PPD).

Method

Three mismatch subtotals, Lexical influence, Word Structure, and segmental Features (forming a Whole Word total), were evaluated in 3 multivariate analyses: (a) a longitudinal comparison (n = 22), at age 5 and 8 years; (b) a cross-sectional comparison of 8- to 10-year-olds (n = 12 per group) with TD and with history of PPD; and (c) a comparison of the group with history of PPD (n = 12) with a larger 5-year-old group (n = 62).

Results

Significant effect sizes (η_p ²) found for mismatch totals were as follows: (a) moderate (Lexical, Structure) and large (Features) between ages 5 and 8 to 10 years, mismatch frequency decreasing developmentally, and (b) large between 8- to 10-year-olds with TD and with history of PPD (Structure, Features; minimal lexical influences), in favor of participants with TD. Mismatch frequencies were equivalent for 8- to 10-year-olds with history of PPD and 5-year-olds with TD. Classification accuracy in original subgroupings was 100% and 91% for 8- to 10-year-olds with TD and with history of PPD, respectively, and 86% for 5-year-olds with TD.

Conclusion

Phonological accuracy in MSW production was differentiated for elementary school–aged children with TD and PPD, using a whole-word metric. To assist with the identification of children with ongoing PPD, the metric has the ability to detect weaknesses and track progress in global MSW phonological production.

from Speech via a.sfakia on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2ra3VOA