Tagalog Sentence Repetition Test: Content validation and Pilot testing with Metro Manila speakers aged 7-21

Abstract

Background: Speech sound disorders (SSD) refer to difficulties in perceiving, mentally representing, and/or articulating speech sounds. In 2018, the Tagalog Sentence Repetition Test (SRT) was developed due to the lack of a commercially available local assessment tool for children with suspected SSDs. The SRT had not been validated or piloted yet.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the SRT’s content validity (comprehensiveness, relevance, comprehensibility), ability to successfully elicit the target sounds, and logistical feasibility and flaws.

Methodology: All procedures were conducted online. Three linguists evaluated the comprehensiveness of the sounds covered, while 31 Manila Tagalog-speaking children (7 to 21 years old) participated in pilot testing. Post-testing, the children answered a questionnaire to evaluate their familiarity with the sentences’ words (relevance) and the comprehensibility of the test instructions. Content validity was assessed by computing the Content Validity Index (CVI). To see how well the test elicits the target sounds, the number of participants who produced each sound were computed.

Results: A CVI of 1.0 was obtained for all aspects of content validity. All targets were produced by almost all the participants, except for the final glottal stop (18/31, 58%). The test administration seemed feasible as participants from all age groups successfully executed the task.

Conclusion: Although the SRT exhibited good content validity, some sentences need to be revised to address sound production issues noted during the pilot. This new version should be re-piloted to 7 to 11-year-olds in-person and via teleconferencing. A manual should also be created to facilitate administration.