Speech mechanism screening test for children: An evaluation of performance in 3- to 12-year-old normal developing children

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish standardized scores for the Speech Mechanism Screening Test for Children (SMST-C). Methods: Two hundred thirty-six normal developing children (111 boys and 125 girls) from 3 to 12 years of age were included in the study. They were examined with the SMST-C, which yields a total score from three sub-systems: structure/function, phonation/voice/articulation, and diadochokinesis (DDK)/maximum phonation time (MPT)/speech rate/DDK rate. DDK rate consists of alternative motion rates (AMR) of 5 syllables (/pΛ/, /tΛ/, /kΛ/, /lΛ/, and /kΛη/) and sequential motion rate (SMR) of /pΛtΛkΛ/. Results: The total score of SMST-C was not significantly different according to age or gender. MPT and speech rate significantly increased with age. DDK rates in all syllables for AMR and SMR also increased with age. In addition, AMR of /tΛ/ (alveolar sound) was the fastest syllable among all mono-syllables and AMR of /kΛη/ (velar sound) was the slowest. Conclusion: The results of this study provided normative data for speech mechanisms of children using SMST-C. SMST-C would be helpful for speech-language pathologists and other related professionals to screen for children with abnormal speech mechanisms.