Efficacy of a parent-delivered intervention for speech problems in children

The aim of this study is to determine if intervention for speech problems in preschool-aged children is effective when delivered by parents and a speech pathologist. Specifically, this study will determine if “multiple oppositions” intervention, an approach established as effective when delivered intensively by a speech pathologist, is still effective when modified and delivered by parents in conjunction with a speech pathologist, with children who have a speech sound disorder. The multiple oppositions approach is an evidence-based treatment for childhood speech sound disorders. It was developed from linguistic and behavioural principles, and is known to be effective when treating children with moderate to severe speech sound disorders. Children and one of their parents will attend 1 one-to-one session lasting 60 minutes per week for 9 weeks. At this session, one of the researchers (who is also a speech pathologist) will deliver the multiple oppositions approach to the child and will train parents in how to deliver the multiple oppositions approach to their child. Parents will then provide the treatment at home (“home practice”) for up to 30 minutes twice per week. The outline of the study is as follows: *Eligibility assessment to determine if the child/parent meet the inclusion criteria for the study *3 – 6 weeks of baseline data collection (children will be randomised to receive either 3, 4 , 5 or 6 baseline probes, in which a speech sample is collected from a child once per week monitor their speech) *9 weeks of treatment in the clinic where the intervention is delivered by the researcher/speech pathologist and parents are trained. Sessions lasting 1 hour will be delivered once per week. During the 9 weeks, parents will be asked to do home practice for up to 30 minutes on two days. *Immediate follow-up assessment lasting 60 minutes to monitor changes to the child’s speech *Final follow-up assessment of child’s speech, four weeks after the immediate follow-up. At this session, parents will be interviewed about their experience of delivering the intervention at home. In total, this session will last 90 minutes. Adherence will be monitored through parent self-report of home practice.