ABSTRACT

Purpose: When assessing phonological development, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may use connected-speech samples and informal analyses. If the analyses’ results are inconsistent, SLPs may misidentify children’s abilities leading to inappropriate treatment decisions. Thus, use of reliable measures in the diagnostic process is paramount. The present exploratory investigation of short-term test/re-test stability included several informal phonological analyses with a clinically-significant population, late talkers. Methods: Three male participants (24- to 31-months-of-age) identified as late talkers were video-recorded twice engaging in play-based parent-child interactions one week apart under near-identical circumstances. The samples were transcribed using broad transcription of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Following transcription, four informal analyses were completed and compared across data collection sessions: phonetic inventory and word shape analysis (independent analyses) and place-manner-voice analysis and percent consonant correct-revised (relational analyses). Results: Results showed at least one inconsistent outcome across participants for each analysis. More particularly, one participant demonstrated inconsistent outcomes for phonetic inventory in initial and final position consonants, two participants produced inconsistent results for the word shape analysis, two participants indicated substantive differences across sessions on the articulatory substitution error categories (e.g., place, manner, and/or voice errors) on the place-manner-voice anayslis, and variations in accurate consonant productions so substantive that it resulted in changes in severity rating for two participants as calculated using the percent consonant correct-revised. Conclusions: These single case study findings, although limited, indicate potentially unreliable information associated with informal phonological measures. The present study findings provide important information warranting continued examination of this area of study.