Investigating the effectiveness of the improved practical therapy program for improving executive functions and complex syntactic skills in children with speech sounds disorder

In addition to language and speech problems, children with speech sound disorders (SSD) may experience various additional problems. In this study, it was aimed to learn more about the co-occurring problems of SSD and to develop a new therapy program in the light of the information obtained. In the assessment phase of the study, 34 children with speech sound disorders (12F, 22M) who are between the ages of 4-6 and 34 children (14F, 20M) with normal development were included. At this stage, language and speech evaluations were evaluated with "Test of Early Language Development", "Turkish Articulation and Phonology Test", "Stimulability Assessment Form", syntax skills assessed through "Complex Syntax Comprehension Skills Assessment Tool" and lastly executive function skills were evaluated through "The Dimensional Change Card Sorting task". In the intervention stage of the study, 14 children were randomly selected among the children with speech sound disorders and children were grouped into two. In the first group, Turkish Stimulability Therapy (TUT) was applied and in the second group Practical Therapy (UYTE) was given targeting to improve executive function and syntax skills of children As a result of the study, it was found that syntax and executive functioning skills of children with SSD were significantly lower than the skills of normally developing peers (p <.001). After the therapy sessions, a significant increase was observed in the executive function skills and syntax skills of the children included in the UYTE program, while this increase was not observed in TUT. It was observed that speech and language skills of both groups were increased, but the increase in the UYTE group was significantly higher than the TUT group. Key words: speech sound disorders, executive function, syntax skills, turkish stimulability therapy, practical therapy