Therapeutic efficacy analysis of three contrastive approach phonological models.

BACKGROUND Phonological therapy in subjects with phonological disorders. AIM To compare the efficacy of three contrastive approach models in three different severities of phonological disorder. METHOD Participants of the study were nine subjects with phonological disorders, with ages ranging between 4:2 and 6:6 years. All subjects were evaluated prior to and after phonological therapy. Three groups, with three subjects each, were determined for treatment. Each group presented one individual with severe, one with moderate-severe and one with mild-moderate phonological disorder. Each group was treated using a different therapy model--Minimal Opposition, Maximal Oppositions/Empty Set and Multiple Opposition. Results were analyzed according to the Friedman Test, considering p < 0.05; a descriptive analysis was also performed among the models. RESULTS There was no statistical difference among the models considering the severity of phonological disorder. The Minimal and Maximal Oppositions/Empty Set approaches favored a greater number of sound acquisitions in the phonetic inventory of subjects with severe and moderate-severe disorder. On the other hand, the Multiple Oppositions approach favored a better performance of sound acquisition in the phonological system and a decrease in the impaired distinctive features in severe and moderate-severe disorder. CONCLUSION The models of therapy were effective in the treatment of different severities of phonological disorders observing the best performance in children with severe and moderate-severe disorder.