Development and clinical application of Korean-version nonword intervention to improve speech motor programming*

Abstract

This study is to develop a Korean version of nonword intervention by modifying and supplementing a Rapid syllable transition treatment (ReST) and to determine its effect by applying it to children with CAS. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether nonword interventions are effective for nonword production ability and generalization of real words. Single-subject research using the ABA design was performed for a child aged five years and six months with diagnostic features of CAS. The nonwords used in the interventions were made suitable for the individual child. The intervention was provided in one-hour sessions, twice a week for six weeks. In all cases, performance of the treated three-syllable nonwords improved, and untreated three-syllable words, four-syllable words, and nonwords showed a generalization effect. However, the generalization of treatment effects to words was smaller than for nonwords. The nonword intervention was effective in improving the subject's speech motor programming skills. As a result, transition errors due to impaired speech motor programming were greatly reduced, and the ability to produce untreated nonwords was greatly increased. However, there was a limit to the full improvement of strongly habitable word errors, which would be expected if a more intensive and repetitive intervention schedule was provided.