Abstract

This descriptive study compared minimal pair therapy to a modeling imitative method of phonological remediation. The s-cluster was targeted for remediation. Four phonologically impaired children, ages 3-2 to 3-11, served as subjects. In the minimal pair procedure, minimal pairs were used to contrast the meaning of correctly produced target words and incorrectly produced target words. In the non-minimal pair approach, correct productions were modeled and cued for the subjects to imitate/produce. Generalization to untrained words was insufficient to assess the effectiveness of the two procedures used. Other measures made during the course of the study produced some interesting findings. Imitative responses were compared to spontaneous picture naming. Correct pronunciations were given much more frequently in responses to pictures than when imitating. Scores on post session tests of treatment target words were compared with scores on generalization probe testing which was given at the conclusion of every other treatment session. Of the subjects who showed some generalization, it took from four to nine sessions to produce correct targets on the post session tests and from six to ten sessions before correct productions were generalized to probe items. Correct productions on post session tests always proceeded correct productions on probes by at least one session. Complete generalization was not shown by any subject during the course of the study. It was clinically observed that in general, the subjects in the non-minimal pair approach seemed less frustrated throughout therapy than the minimal pair subjects. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

LLU Discipline

Speech Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Jean B. Lowry

Second Advisor

Ann E. Ratcliff

Third Advisor

Cheryl J. Simpson

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1991

Date (Title Page)

6-1991

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Speech Disorders; Speech Therapy; Phonetics

Type

Thesis

Page Count

2 v; 46

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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