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Semin Speech Lang 2019; 40(02): 094-104
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1677760
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

What Do Children with Speech Sound Disorders Think about Their Talking?

Jane McCormack
1   School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
,
Sharynne McLeod
2   School of Teacher Education, Charles Sturt University, Australia
,
Kathryn Crowe
2   School of Teacher Education, Charles Sturt University, Australia
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 February 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Investigating children's feelings and attitudes toward talking assists speech–language pathologists (SLPs) to understand experiences of communication and the impact of speech sound disorders (SSD). This, in turn, can assist SLPs in identifying appropriate intervention for children with SSD that addresses the needs of children, and their communication partners. This paper draws on data from the Sound Start Study in Australia to explore the attitudes toward talking of 132 preschool-aged children with SSD and the relationship between children's attitudes, speech accuracy, and parent-reported intelligibility and participation. The study revealed most of the children with SSD had a positive attitude toward talking. There was a significant relationship between children's attitudes toward talking and speech accuracy. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between speech accuracy and parents' perceptions of intelligibility and participation. However, there was no significant relationship between children's attitudes and parents' perceptions. These results highlight similarities and differences between attitudes and experiences of preschool-aged children, their performance on clinical measures, and their parents' perceptions, indicating the need for SLPs to consider each of these areas during assessment and intervention.

Keywords

speech sound disorders - children - child attitudes - speech–language pathology - participation - ICF

Disclosures

Dr. McCormack's research reported in this article was funded with a grant from the Australian Research Council. She is a co-author of one assessment used in this study: Intelligibility in Context Scale. Dr. McCormack has no relevant nonfinancial relationships.


Dr. McLeod's research reported in this article was funded with a grant from the Australian Research Council. She is the author of two assessments used in this study: Speech Participation and Activity Assessment for Children (SPAA-C) and Intelligibility in Context Scale. She has no relevant nonfinancial relationships.


Kathryn Crowe has no relevant financial or nonfinancial relationships.