Comparison of Traditional Articulation Therapy and Picture Articulation Test in Children with Articulation Disorders

Background: Articulation disorders in children can impede communication and social interaction. Traditional Articulation Therapy (TAT) and the Picture Articulation Test (PAT) are two contrasting approaches employed to address these disorders. While TAT is a conventional method focusing on sensory-perceptual training and sound stabilization, PAT uses visual aids to assess and encourage correct speech sound production. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of TAT and PAT in treating substitution errors in children with articulation disorders. Methods: Employing a randomized sampling technique, the study included 10 children with functional articulation disorders, aged 8 to 18 years, from both genders. Exclusion criteria included organic articulation disorders. Participants were divided into two groups at REX Medical Center, Lahore, and treated over a six-month period, with two sessions per week lasting 30-40 minutes. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted using the Articulation Assessment Test and the Articulation Severity Rating Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24, with paired and independent sample t-tests. Results: TAT showed a significant reduction in substitution error scores from pre- to post-intervention across all error types (initial, middle, and final), with significant p-values indicating improvement (p ≤ 0.05). PAT did not demonstrate a significant reduction in error scores, with p-values exceeding the threshold of significance. Conclusion: TAT was found to be more effective than PAT in decreasing substitution errors in children with articulation disorders. The findings advocate for the application of TAT in clinical settings, while recognizing the potential for integrating traditional methods with newer technologies to optimize treatment outcomes.