Speech perception in the Specific Learning Disorder with and without Persistent Speech Sound Disorder.
Mariana Martins Appezzato, Clara Regina Brandão de Avila
PMID 39383356WHAT IT FOUND
Children with specific learning disorders and persistent speech sound disorder scored lower on a pseudoword perception task than those with learning disorders alone or typical development.
A score below 30.5 hits flagged this group, suggesting a need to assess speech perception when speech sounds persist.
Key findings
01Students with specific learning disorders and persistent speech sound disorder had significantly lower scores on the pseudoword perception task compared to the control group.
02A cutoff score of 30.5 hits on the pseudoword task identified students with both specific learning disorders and persistent speech sound disorder with 58.82% sensitivity and 71.43% specificity.
03Students with specific learning disorders but without persistent speech sound disorder did not differ from typical development controls on the pseudoword perception task.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a purposeful sample, not a random one, which may limit how well the results apply to all children with SLD. The cutoff score for identifying PSSD had moderate accuracy (AUC 0.698), meaning it misses some children with the disorder and flags others who do not have it. The groups were small, particularly the SLD-only group (n=15), which reduces the stability of the findings. The study design is cross-sectional, so it cannot determine whether speech perception deficits cause the learning disorders or result from them.
Declared interests
The study was financed in part by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil), a Brazilian government agency supporting graduate training and research. No commercial conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use the 30.5 hit cutoff as a definitive diagnostic test for persistent speech sound disorder. With 58.82% sensitivity, it fails to identify nearly half of the children with the condition, and with 71.43% specificity, it incorrectly flags about 29% of children who do not have it. Treat it as a screening indicator that warrants further clinical assessment, not a standalone diagnosis.