Phonological Error Patterns in Subgroups of Speech Sound Disorders

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate phonological error patterns from multisyllable words in subgroups of speech sound disorders (SSDs) classified by linguistic symptomatology, and to examine whether underlying deficits of each subgroup of SSDs could be identified through phonological error patterns. Methods: The 2-5-syllable words, which a total of 120 children with SSDs from 3 years to 9 years 11 months produced, were analyzed; and phonological error patterns were determined. Phonological error patterns were categorized into whole word error patterns, segmental (consonants and vowels), and distortion error patterns, as well as into developmental and non-developmental error patterns. Statistical analyses were performed to determine whether the subgroups of SSDs show differences in the occurrence ratio of each category. Results: Children with articulation disorders showed a relatively higher ratio of distortions compared to children of other subgroups, which confirms that articulation disorders are related to deficits in motoric level. Children with inconsistent phonological disorders were characterized with higher ratio of whole word error patterns, which may indicate their sequencing difficulties. Children with consistent or inconsistent phonological disorders showed a higher ratio of non-developmental error patterns which may reflect their weakness in phonological representations. Conclusion: This study supported the position that phonological error pattern analysis could allow us to know the underlying deficits which children with SSDs show in speech processing levels and ultimately to understand subgroups of SSDs.