The impact of Singing Speech on Pre-schoolers with speech difficulties
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The impact of the Singing Speech group intervention on preschool-aged children with speech sound difficulties
IRAS ID
228088
Contact name
Sophie Sampford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leeds Beckett University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 7 days
Research summary
Background
Speech sound difficulties (SSDs) form the majority of Speech and language therapy (SLT) referrals in the UK.
NHS SLTs report increasing demand and decreasing capacity to see children for direct therapy.
Successful group interventions for SSDs are one method to decrease waiting times and to ease SLT caseloads. This study aims to test the efficacy of a particular group intervention, Singing Speech, currently run in the Harrogate area. Because Singing Speech is delivered by Family Outreach Support Workers (FOSWs), in Children's Centres, it is a possible alternative to children being on an NHS SLT waiting list without support and for long periods.
Aim
To test whether attending Singing Speech improves 1) speech intelligibility and 2) phonological awareness of preschool children with SSDs. A secondary aim to assess whether Singing Speech improves parental confidence to support their children’s speech development at home.
Research Questions
1. Does attendance at Singing Speech affect the speech intelligibility of preschool children with SSDs?
2. Does attendance at Singing Speech affect the phonological awareness of preschool children with SSDs?
3. Does attendance at Singing Speech affect parents confidence to support their child's speech development at home?
4. Does attendance at Singing Speech affect the confidence of preschool children with SSDs to speak to others?
5. What are parents' and children's experiences of Singing Speech?Methodology
The study will use an experimental design. Children will be randomly allocated to a treatment or control group. Clinical outcomes for each group will be compared.
Speech and Phonological Awareness (PA) skills will be assessed before and after treatment/no treatment (control). Changes will be measured and compared between groups. A secondary comparison will be made between post-treatment follow-up in order to measure maintenance of outcome measures following active treatment.
This study forms a PhD research project and is funded by Harrogate and District Foundation Trust NHS.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/YH/0094
Date of REC Opinion
28 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion