Structural analysis of a speech disorder of children with a mild mental retardation

• Main Author: Franc Smole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Psychologists' Association 2004-05-01
• Series: Psihološka Obzorja
• Subjects: speech disorders; linguistic disorders; children; mild mental retardation; structural analysis; cognitive abilities; motor skills
• Online Access: http://psiholoska-obzorja.si/arhiv_clanki/2004_1/smole.pdf

The aim of this research was to define the structure of speech disorder of children with a mild mental retardation. 100 subjects were chosen among pupils from the 1st to the 4th grade of elementary school who were under logopaedic treatment. To determine speech comprehension Reynell's developmental scales were used and for evaluation of speech articulation the Three-position test for articulation evaluation. With the Bender test we determined a child's mental age as well as defined the signs of psychological disfunction of organic nature. For the field of phonological consciousness a Test of reading and writing disturbances was applied. Speech fluency was evaluated by the Riley test. Evaluation scales were adapted for determining speech-language levels and motor skills of speech organs and hands. Data on results in psychological test and on the family was summed up from the diagnostic treatment guidance documents. Social behaviour in school was evaluated by their teachers. Six factors which hierarchicallydefine the structure of speech disorder were determined by the factor analysis. We found out that signs of a child's brain lesion are the factor which has the most influence on a child's mental age. The results of this research might be helpful to logopaedists in determining a logopaedic treatment for children with a mild mental retardation.