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Biomedical subjects

D A Dinnsen

Publications and source records attributed to D A Dinnsen.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Consonant clusters in disordered speech: constraints and correspondence patterns.

Comparison of patterns of cluster realization from 47 children ranging in age from 3;4 to 6;8 with functional (non-organic) speech disorders with those reported in the literature for normal acquisition reveals that these patterns are essentially the same for both groups. Using a two-level generative phonology for children's independent systems, further analysis of cluster realizations by means of feature geometry and underspecification theory reveals that there are systematic and principled relationships between adult representations of clusters and children's underlying representations and between children's underlying representations and their phonetic representations. With special emphasis on coalescence phenomena, it is suggested that the apparent diversity in children's cluster realizations can be reduced to four constraints on the form of underlying and phonetic representations.

Child↗
PubMed1991

Stimulability as a factor in the phonological generalization of misarticulating preschool children.

The relationship among six functionally misarticulating preschool children's phoneme-specific stimulability skills, the choice of treatment targets (i.e., stimulable or nonstimulable sounds), and generalization of correct sound production was explored in this prospective study. Each subject [age range of 4:11 (years:months) to 5:6] was taught to produce [r] and one other sound that was absent from his or her phonetic inventory using a contrasting-minimal-pairs production approach. A multiple baseline across behaviors single-subject research design provided experimental control. For 86% of the 28 monitored sounds, generalization was consistent with pretreatment stimulability skills; production of stimulable sounds tended to improve regardless of treatment target. These results suggest that nonstimulable sounds are likely to require direct treatment; thus, generalization probe responses may be maximized by treating nonstimulable sounds rather than stimulable sounds.

Articulation Disorders↗
PubMed1990

Generalization to conversational speech.

Although changes in children's phonological systems due to treatment have been documented in single-word testing, changes in conversational speech are less well known. Single-word and conversation samples were analyzed for 10 phonologically disordered children, before and after treatment and 3 months later. Results suggest that for most of the children, there were system changes in both single words and in conversational speech. It appears that many phonologically disordered children are able to extend their correct production to conversation without direct treatment on spontaneous speech.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Some constraints on functionally disordered phonologies: phonetic inventories and phonotactics.

The phonological systems of 40 functional misarticulators, ages 40 to 80 months were examined in terms of the nature and variation of phonetic inventories and phonotactic constraints. It was found that these properties of disordered systems were governed by severe constraints that yielded a typological characterization of such systems along with associated implicational laws. The principles governing disordered systems were also found to parallel closely the principles governing normal first language acquisition. The evidence suggests that at least these properties of disordered systems represent delays in the normal acquisition process and are not otherwise deviant. The assessment and treatment of functional disorders along with the projection of learning patterns can thus appeal to principles governing such phonological systems.

Articulation Disorders↗
PubMed1987

A functional analysis of phonological knowledge and generalization learning in misarticulating children.

It has been suggested that a child's productive phonological knowledge may be one factor that potentially accounts for individual differences in generalization learning observed among phonologically disordered children (Dinnsen & Elbert, 1984; Elbert, Dinnsen, & Powell, 1984). This paper evaluates the hypothesis that productive phonological knowledge influences generalization. Three related studies involving 6 functionally misarticulating children were conducted. In the first study, a description of each child's phonological system was developed using procedures of standard generative analysis. Based upon these descriptions, each child's productive phonological knowledge of his or her own sound system was determined and then ranked on a continuum ranging from "most" to "least" knowledge relative to the adult target. The second study implemented an experimental treatment program based upon each child's productive phonological knowledge, with treatment sounds selected directly from each child's continuum of knowledge. The third study reassessed each child's productive phonological knowledge following treatment. The results of these three studies indicated that a child's productive phonological knowledge of the sound system influenced the overall amount of generalization learning. However, the extent of generalization learning was associated with the point on the knowledge continuum at which treatment was initiated. These findings are discussed with reference to individual differences in generalization learning.

Articulation Disorders↗
PubMed1984

On the prediction of phonologic generalization learning patterns.

The purpose of this study was to obtain information on six children's misarticulation of consonant clusters in order to illustrate how certain factors influence generalization learning patterns. While all subjects evidenced generalization, individual differences in learning patterns did emerge. These patterns were explained in terms of the following three factors: (1) information about the children's unique knowledge about the phonologic system, (2) the linguistic relationships among sounds, and (3) the interaction of these factors with the treatment target. The implications of this explanation are discussed as they relate to the selection of treatment targets that will facilitate generalization.

Articulation Disorders↗