Robin J. Webb

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of involving parents as evaluators using an objective screening test for their children who are 36 to 42 months of age. A more available and nonthreatening assessor is needed as physicians, dentists and other allied health professionals who are typically used to screen children for speech, language and hearing have not been effective with this age group. This is partially due to the limited contacts they have with these children and the environmental limitations for eliciting an adequate speech and language sample (Behrens, 1978; Webb, 197B; Hirsch, 1981).

An objective-type screening instrument has been designed specifically for parent administration. Commonly used screening items were selected and analyzed to determine which were the best discriminators for a pass/fail score, thus reducing scoring error and interpretation difficulties.

Parents were found to be capable evaluators when giving the Easily Administered Recognition of Linguistically-Handicapped Youngsters (EARLY). The EARLY also had a high correlation with the Preschool Language Scale (PLS) (Zimmerman, Steiner, and Evatt, 1979). By using the EARLY, parents will be alerted to speech and language problems and will be able to seek professional intervention at an early age. With this early identification, the speech language pathologist will be able to take advantage of the critical language-learning time period which occurs between the ages of 24 and 48 months (Eisenson, 1972; Bzoch and League, 1971).

LLU Discipline

Speech Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Melvin S. Cohen

Second Advisor

E. Evelyn Britt

Third Advisor

Kay Kuzma

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1982

Date (Title Page)

8-1982

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Children -- Language; Speech disorders in children.

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iv; 119

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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