A survey of interventions used by speech-language pathologists for children with speech sound disorders in the Middle East

Abstract

Purpose

While many examples of speech pathology intervention approaches for children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) exist in English and some other European languages, approaches with children in other languages are largely unknown. The aim was to determine current speech-language pathologists (SLPs) intervention practices with children with SSDs in the ME, and to then compare these with international practices.

Methods

Data were collected by online questionnaire using Qualtrics. One hundred and eighty-nine SLPs completed the survey. Participants were required to be Arabic first language speaking SLPs practicing in the ME (e.g. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt), working with children with SSDs.

Results

The respondents reported a frequent use of phonological awareness, traditional articulation therapy, auditory discrimination, minimal pairs, and whole language therapy approaches in the treatment of children with SSDs, like their counterparts in Australia, the USA, UK, and Portugal. Gaps between research recommendations for evidence-based practice and actual clinical practice are identified, and discussed.

Conclusions

Future research should investigate the efficacy of speech-therapy approaches to improve service delivery for Arabic-speaking children with SSDs in the ME.

Keywords:

• Speech sound disorders
• intervention
• Middle East
• Arabic
• speech pathology practice

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all speech pathologists in the Middle East that participated in and completed this survey. We also would like to thank Dr Rob Heard for statistical counsel, and Mrs Maryane Gomez for her assistance with developing the survey.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by a grant from the Kuwait Foundation of Scientific Advancement (KFAS) received by the first Author, part of interim research program.

Notes on contributors

Manal Alsaad

Manal Alsaad is an assistant professor and works at Kuwait University in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences. Her research focuses on Arabic speaking children with speech sounds disorders and working on improving assessment and intervention methods for Arabic speaking population.

Patricia McCabe

Tricia McCabe is a professor, speech pathologist and researcher. Her work at The University of Sydney and in private practice is focussed on improving treatment for people with moderate-severe speech disorders including children and adults with childhood apraxia of speech, phonological impairments and dysarthria.

Alison Purcell

Alison Purcell is an associate professor and works at the University of Sydney as an educator and researcher in paediatric lifelong speech and language disorders arising from head and neck impairments. These include motor, and anatomical disorders such as childhood apraxia of speech, hearing impairment and cleft related disorders.