The diagnosis of a speech sound disorder (SSD) in childhood may affect a child’s academic, social, and emotional development. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with children diagnosed with SSD must select treatment methods that are effective (Gierut, 1998). A phonological approach to treatment of SSDs addresses a child’s underlying phonological system (Bauman-Waengler, 2008; Fey, 1985). This investigation examined Treatment of the Empty Set and its effect on consonant production in children with moderate to severe SSDs. Previous research has demonstrated that treatment of the empty set is an effective contrast treatment for children with SSDs (Gierut, 1992). In this approach, the child is presented with sounds differing in voice, place, and manner, or in place and manner (Gierut, 1989). The sounds contrasted are never produced correctly in the child’s phonetic or phonemic inventory (Gierut, 1989). A multiple baseline across participants design was selected for this investigation and included three participants ranging from 4-years, 9-months to 6-years, 2-months. Following a stable baseline, Participant One entered into treatment of the empty set. Participants Two and Three began intervention at staggered intervals. The intervention took place two times per week over four weeks. Each participant received eight total 30-45 minute sessions of treatment of the empty set. Visual analysis of the data was conducted to determine the effect of the intervention on the production of two target consonants. Visual analysis of the data revealed no change in untreated words containing the target sound for two participants. One participant demonstrated a significant change in the production of one target sound between the baseline and intervention phase.
Keywords: Contrast Treatment, Maximal Opposition, Treatment of Empty Set
