Development and Validation of a Brief Assessment of Preschoolers’ Articulation

Abstract

Objective: The Houston Sentence Repetition Test of Articulation (HSRTA) was developed as a screener and brief outcome measure of articulation abilities of 3- to 5-year-old children. The HSRTA employs a sentence repetition task, which theoretically combines all of the advantages of the traditional citation method of assessing articulation with many of the advantages of the continuous speech method. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the new measure. Methods: A sample of 175 children was assessed twice, with approximately five months between assessment waves. The sample was ethnically diverse and ranged in age from 2 years and 11 months to 5 years and 4 months (mean age=4 years 6 months, SD=5 months). At each wave, children were administered the HSRTA and standardized tests of speech, language, and memory. Results: The HSRTA demonstrated good internal consistency at both assessment waves (alphas=.84 and .86, respectively). Similarly, factor analysis clearly indicated it indexed a single latent ability. The HSRTA demonstrated moderate stability across the five month time span (r=.57, p<.0001). The new measure demonstrated convergent validity with a standardized articulation test (rs=.71 and .68, ps<.0001) and discriminant validity with standardized vocabulary and auditory memory tests (rs from -.32 to -.47). The HSRTA demonstrated internal consistencies and test-retest reliabilities that were equivalent to those of a standardized, norm referenced test of articulation, but the HSRTA was more sensitive to the effects of time (F[1,160]=11.26, p<.01). Conclusion: Psychometric analyses indicated that the new measure is a reliable, valid, and sensitive tool for assessing individual differences in articulation skills among 3- to 5-year-old children. Collectively, results indicate the HSRTA surpasses minimum standards for a screener and brief outcome measure. Potential uses for researchers and practitioners are discussed.