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Abstract
This study evaluated changes in motor speech control and inter-gestural coordination for children with speech sound disorders (SSD) subsequent to Prompts for Restructuring Oral and Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT) intervention. We measured the distribution patterns of voice onset time (VOT) for a voiceless stop (/p/) to examine the changes in inter-gestural coordination. Two standardized tests were used (Verbal Motor Production Assessment for Children (VMPAC), GFTA-2) to assess the changes in motor speech skills and articulation. Data showed positive changes in patterns of VOT with a lower pattern of variability. All children showed significantly higher scores for VMPAC, but only some children showed higher scores for GFTA-2. Results suggest that the proprioceptive feedback provided through PROMPT had a positive influence on speech motor control and inter-gestural coordination in voicing behavior. This set of VOT data for children with SSD adds to our understanding of the speech characteristics underlying speech motor control. Directions for future studies are discussed.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Matt MacDonald and Gordon Hua for acquiring the speech data as part of the neuroimaging study. The authors would like to thank Nina Jobanputra and Rene Jahnke who performed the speech assessments. Thanks to all the parents and children who participated.
Notes
1S6’s GFTA-2 was at the 12th percentile. Given the variability inherent in the data of young children, we calculated the 68% confidence interval (CI) for this subject’s score. Even at the upper limits of this CI, the score was well below the 16th percentile cut-off which was part of our inclusion criterion.
2These data were recorded as part of a larger neuroimaging study where brain regions involved in production of these stimuli were also measured.