Does accent variation affect the identification of speech sound disorders in Scottish English-speaking children?

The Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology is recommended in the UK for screening and diagnosis of Speech Sound Disorders. However, it lacks guidance on phonological features of Scottish English. This study provides a list of accent variants to consider when assessing Scottish English-speaking children and illustrates the consequences if variants are not considered. Recordings of the DEAP screen from 273 children were analysed. Percentage consonant correct was calculated twice: once counting accent variants as correct and once as errors. Observed patterns included /t/ glottalisation, ‘th’ fronting, /ŋ/ fronting and /r/ weakening. Fifty-three children were identified with speech errors, compared with 148 when accent variants were counted as errors. Percentage consonants correct was significantly higher when accent variants were counted as correct, t(272) = 13.00, p < 0.001, r = .64. Age, sex and history of speech, language and communication needs significantly predicted percentage consonant correct.