Comparative analysis of speech assessment tools for individuals with dysarthria in Chile and worldwide

Abstract

Introduction: dysarthria assessment tools should be tailored to the speech characteristics and impairments. Currently, there are many different tools in clinical practice, mainly perceptual and motor. However, this speech impairment is associated with loss of functionality, limitations in activities of daily living, and restriction in social and occupational participation. This research compares the assessment procedures of several speech assessment tools commonly used in clinical practice for individuals with dysarthria in Chile and worldwide. Methods: a cross-sectional documentary analysis was conducted on various speech assessment tools for individuals with dysarthria. A purposive sampling was used based on the research conducted by Altaher et al.(1) Results: the content analysis shows that all tools have procedures for assessing speech subsystems and non-speech tasks. However, the assessment of the functional characteristics of speech, mainly considering intelligibility, is scarcely addressed. Some tools incorporate tasks that assess different aspects of speech, highlighting that this complementary information can be relevant to the diagnostic process. Conclusions: there is a lack of a standardized speech assessment and the need to incorporate tasks that allow for functional assessment to understand the performance of subsystems and the needs of individuals and their interlocutors to set baselines