Investigation of the effect of problematic media use on early literacy skills in preschool children with and without speech sound disorder

Speech Sound Disorder is a speech disorder caused by incorrect production of speech sounds' place, time, speed, and pressure. Excessive media usage, inappropriate content, and insufficient parental control affect children's developmental processes. Our study aims to compare problematic media use and early literacy skills of children with and without speech sound disorders and also to examine the relationship between problematic media use and early literacy skills. Twenty-five children with speech-sound disorders aged 60 to 83 months comprised the study group, whereas the control group comprised twenty-five children with typical development within the same age range in our study. In assessing all children, the Problematic Media Use Scale, Early Language Development Test: Turkish, Ankara Articulation Test, and Early Literacy Test were utilized. Both groups were compared for problematic media usage, language development, articulation, and early literacy skills. According to the findings, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of expressive language vocabulary, general naming, phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and Early Literacy Test total scores, which are among the early literacy skills (p<0.05). The scores of the group with speech sound disorder on the problematic media use scale were statistically higher than those of typical developing children (p<0.05). A significant negative relationship was obtained between the listening comprehension subtest of the Early Literacy Test and problematic media use in children with speech sound disorders (p<0.05), but no significant difference was found between the two scales in typical developing children. Children with speech-sound disorders showed poorer performance in early literacy skills such as expressive language vocabulary, general naming, phonological awareness, and letter knowledge. Furthermore, it has been observed that these children's problematic media usage habits negatively affect their listening comprehension skills. It is thought that problematic media usage habits and early literacy skills should be included in the assessment and intervention plans for children with speech sound disorders.