PURPOSE: To characterize the phonological disorder regarding severity, phonological awareness and articulatory praxis, and to investigate the existence of correlations among these variables in a group of preschoolers. METHODS: Participants were 56 preschoolers of both genders with ages between 4 years and 6 years and 11 months, split into Research Group (RG) and Comparison Group (CG), according to the presence or absence of speech alterations. The following tests were carried out: Child Language Assessment - ABFW: Phonology; Phonological Awareness: Instrument of Sequential Assessment - CONFIAS; and Articulatory and Buccofacial Praxis Assessment Protocol. The Percentage of Correct Consonants - PCC was calculated to classify the severity of the phonological disorder. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The preschoolers with phonological disorder performed worse in phonological awareness and articulatory praxis tasks when compared to CG subjects. The severity was correlated with phonological awareness and articulatory praxis, and the latest was correlated with phonological awareness in these preschoolers. Both groups showed correlation between total phonological awareness, phonological awareness at syllable level and phonological awareness at phoneme level. CONCLUSION: The RG was characterized by worse performance in phonological awareness and articulatory praxis, and by the presence of correlation between severity of the disorder, phonological awareness and articulatory praxis.
Speech disorders; Preschool; Evaluation; Severity of illness index; Articulation disorders
