Content coverage of single-word tests used to assess common phonological error patterns

This review evaluated whether 9 single-word tests of phonological error patterns provide adequate content coverage to accurately identify error patterns that are active in a child's speech.

Tests in the current study were considered to display sufficient opportunities to assess common phonological error patterns if they provided at least 4 opportunities for each of 11 error patterns. The target phonemes for these error patterns had to occur as singletons (except for final consonant deletion and cluster reduction) and in stressed syllables (except for weak syllable deletion). Error patterns for which positional asymmetries have been documented (velar fronting, stopping of fricatives and affricates, and cluster reduction) required 4 opportunities in both word-initial and word-final position to meet the study's criterion.

None of the tests provided 4 opportunities for every error pattern, the criterion level used in this study. Error patterns that tended to be underrepresented across tests included weak syllable deletion, reduction of word-final clusters, fronting of velars, gliding of liquids, and deaffrication.

This review will allow clinicians to gain a deeper understanding of the methods used to assess phonological error patterns in single-word tests.