Characterizing Speech Sound Productions in Saudi Arabic and English Bilingual Children: Culturally Informed and Sensitive Instrumental Methods

Abstract

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) encounter challenges when assessing speech sound disorders (SSDs) in multilingual children, particularly with Arabic-speaking children in majority English-speaking nations, where distinguishing communication differences from disorders is vital. The global increase in Arabic speakers, especially in countries like the United States of America and Canada, underscores the need for culturally sensitive tools to diagnose SSDs effectively across diverse linguistic backgrounds, including Saudi Arabic and English. This dissertation addresses this necessity through two studies, focusing on innovative approaches to characterize the speech productions of Saudi Arabian children. Study one examines functional speech intelligibility, showcasing the psychometric properties of a screening tool and its cultural and linguistic sensitivity to Saudi Arabic dialects. Study two investigates voice onset time (VOT) development in typically developing bilingual children, with a focus on the /t/-/k/ contrast, revealing differences in VOT values and variability in English and Saudi Arabic. Study two also delves into VOT patterns in bilingual children with and without SSDs, shedding light on developmental speech patterns and offering culturally responsive assessment methods for clinicians and researchers. These findings contribute significantly to enhancing the understanding of speech productions and VOT patterns in bilingual children, facilitating improved speech diagnostic assessment and the development of normative data in this understudied bilingual population.