Phonological processing skills in children with speech sound disorder: A multiple case study approach

Area of Science:

• Child Language and Literacy Research
• Developmental Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Children with speech sound disorder (SSD) have an increased risk of reading difficulties.
• Phonological processing skills are crucial for reading development.
• The specific phonological processing deficits in children with SSD are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate phonological processing abilities in children with SSD, with and without reading difficulties.
• To identify if specific phonological deficits or a general deficit characterize children with both SSD and reading challenges.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 157 school-aged children with SSD receiving speech therapy was assessed.
• Children were categorized as poor or good readers based on word decoding.
• Phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, and verbal short-term memory were measured.

Main Results:

• Children with SSD showed varied phonological processing difficulties, especially in verbal short-term memory.
• No single phonological skill distinguished poor readers from good readers within the SSD group.
• Poor readers with SSD exhibited more extensive phonological processing deficits, even when controlling for language ability.

Conclusions:

• Results align with a cumulative risk model, suggesting children with SSD and reading difficulties have general phonological processing weaknesses.
• Assessing multiple phonological processing areas is vital for identifying reading risks in children with SSD.
• Clinical decisions for children with SSD should consider a range of phonological skills beyond speech sound production.