Speech Intervention Outcomes Associated With Word Lexicality and Intervention Intensity

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Childhood Communication Disorders
• Phonological Intervention

Background:

• Children with speech sound disorders (SSD) benefit from targeted phonological interventions.
• Understanding factors like word type and intervention intensity is crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of word lexicality (academic vocabulary, nonwords, high-frequency words) on phonological acquisition and generalization in children with SSD.
• To examine how intervention intensity (number of sessions) affects phonological outcomes in this population.

Main Methods:

• A single-subject multiple baseline design was employed with 24 children (ages 3;6 to 6;10) diagnosed with SSD.
• Children were assigned to intervention groups targeting specific phonemes using academic words, nonwords, or high-frequency words.
• Intervention intensity varied between 11 and 19 sessions, with outcomes measured by production accuracy and percent consonants correct.

Main Results:

• All tested word types (academic vocabulary, nonwords, high-frequency words) facilitated phonological change.
• Children receiving 19 intervention sessions showed significantly greater gains in treated sound accuracy compared to those receiving 11 sessions.
• Nonword and high-frequency word groups showed similar mean gains, but nonwords yielded more consistent progress.

Conclusions:

• Word lexicality did not significantly influence the effectiveness of phonological intervention for children with SSD.
• Increased intervention intensity, indicated by a higher number of sessions, resulted in more substantial phonological improvements.
• Intervention intensity is a critical factor to consider when developing speech therapy schedules and best practices.