Children with speech sound disorder: comparing a non-linguistic auditory approach with a phonological intervention approach to improve phonological skills

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effects of a non-linguistic auditory intervention approach with a phonological intervention approach on the phonological skills of children with speech sound disorder (SSD). A total of 17 children, aged 7–12 years, with SSD were randomly allocated to either the non-linguistic auditory temporal intervention group (n = 10, average age 7.7 ± 1.2) or phonological intervention group (n = 7, average age 8.6 ± 1.2). The intervention outcomes included auditory-sensory measures (auditory temporal processing skills) and cognitive measures (attention, short-term memory, speech production, and phonological awareness skills). The auditory approach focused on non-linguistic auditory training (e.g., backward masking and frequency discrimination), whereas the phonological approach focused on speech sound training (e.g., phonological organization and awareness). Both interventions consisted of 12 45-min sessions delivered twice per week, for a total of 9 h. Intra-group analysis demonstrated that the auditory intervention group showed significant gains in both auditory and cognitive measures, whereas no significant gain was observed in the phonological intervention group. No significant improvement on phonological skills was observed in any of the groups. Inter-group analysis demonstrated significant differences between the improvement following training for both groups, with a more pronounced gain for the non-linguistic auditory temporal intervention in one of the visual attention measures and both auditory measures. Therefore, both analyses suggest that although the non-linguistic auditory intervention approach appeared to be the most effective intervention approach, it was not sufficient to promote the enhancement of phonological skills.

Efeitos do treinamento auditivo computadorizado em crianças com distúrbio do processamento auditivo e sistema fonológico típico e atípico

“…A significant improvement was observed in the auditory abilities of non-verbal sounds recognition in directed listening and figure-ground for such sounds (NVDT test) and temporal resolution (RGDT), after CAT, in both groups (Table 1). These findings agree with a recent study in which the researchers verified significant changes in hearing abilities, particularly in sustained attention, and cognitive, after CAT, with non-verbal auditory stimulation and phonological approach in children with speech alteration (22) . Regarding the improvement in temporal resolution ability, it was verified that the use of other software were also effective to adapt such skill in the presence of APD (13,14) .…”

Evidências de validade e fidedignidade de um instrumento de avaliação fonológica

“…The AFC (12) and ABFW-Fonologia (13) evaluate phonology in Brazilian Portuguese and are the most widely used instruments in Brazilian research (7,(27)(28)(29) . However, the validity and reliability of these instruments has not been evaluated.…”

Desempenho no treinamento auditivo computadorizado Performance in computerized auditory training

“…Studies have shown the effects of the Computer-Based Auditory Training (CBAT) in different populations: people with hearing loss (1)(2)(3) , people with normal hearing and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) (4,5) , people with normal hearing, auditory processing disorder and language (6,7) or speech disorder (5,8) , and others.…”