A systematic review and classification of interventions for speech-sound disorder in preschool children

Wren, Yvonne; Harding, Sam; Goldbart, Juliet; Roulstone, Sue

Abstract

© 2018 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Background: Multiple interventions have been developed to address speech sound disorder (SSD) in children. Many of these have been evaluated but the evidence for these has not been considered within a model which categorizes types of intervention. The opportunity to carry out a systematic review of interventions for SSD arose as part of a larger scale study of interventions for primary speech and language impairment in preschool children. Aims: To review systematically the evidence for interventions for SSD in preschool children and to categorize them within a classification of interventions for SSD. Methods & Procedures: Relevant search terms were used to identify intervention studies published up to 2012, with the following inclusion criteria: participants were aged between 2 years and 5 years, 11 months; they exhibited speech, language and communication needs; and a primary outcome measure of speech was used. Studies that met inclusion criteria were quality appraised using the single case experimental design (SCED) or PEDro-P, depending on their methodology. Those judged to be high quality were classified according to the primary focus of intervention. Outcomes & Results: The final review included 26 studies. Case series was the most common research design. Categorization to the classification system for interventions showed that cognitive–linguistic and production approaches to intervention were the most frequently reported. The highest graded evidence was for three studies within the auditory–perceptual and integrated categories. Conclusions & Implications: The evidence for intervention for preschool children with SSD is focused on seven out of 11 subcategories of interventions. Although all the studies included in the review were good quality as defined by quality appraisal checklists, they mostly represented lower-graded evidence. Higher-graded studies are needed to understand clearly the strength of evidence for different interventions.

Citation

Wren, Y., Harding, S., Goldbart, J., & Roulstone, S. (2018). A systematic review and classification of interventions for speech-sound disorder in preschool children. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 53(3), 446-467. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12371

• Journal Article Type: Review
• Acceptance Date: Dec 8, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jan 16, 2018
• Publication Date: May 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 12, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 16, 2019
• Journal: International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders
• Print ISSN: 1368-2822
• Electronic ISSN: 1460-6984
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 446-467
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12371
• Keywords: speech sound disorder, systematic review, Child Talk, intervention
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/876603
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12371
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Wren, Y., Harding, S., Goldbart, J. and Roulstone, S. (2018) A systematic review and classification of interventions for speech sound disorder in preschool children. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12371. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.