[Comparative analyses of the effectiveness of three different phonological therapy models].

BACKGROUND

phonological therapy in children with phonological disorders.

AIM: to verify changes in the phonological system of children with phonological disorders, based on the comparison of number of acquired phonemes, number of sounds in the phonetic inventory and altered distinctive features, before and after therapy, and to verify differences between therapy models: Modified Cycles, Maximal Oppositions and ABAB--Withdrawal and Multiple Probes.

METHOD: the research group was composed of 21 subjects, 15 male and 6 female, with phonological disorders, who had already completed speech-language treatment. The initial and final phonological assessments were compared taking into consideration the number of phonemes in the phonological systems, the number of sounds in the phonetic inventory and the altered distinctive features. Phonological changes that resulted from the application of the three therapeutic models were also compared.

RESULTS

statistically significant differences were observed between the initial and final assessments in all of the three therapeutic models considering the number of acquired phonemes and the altered distinctive features, whereas in the phonetic inventory a statistically significant difference was observed only between the ABAB--Withdrawal and Multiple Probes and the Maximal Oppositions model. No statistical difference was observed between the therapy models.

CONCLUSION

the three therapy models were effective in the treatment of children with phonological disorders, once all of the children presented improvement of their phonological system, phonetic inventory and altered distinctive features. No significant statistical difference was found between the models