Review Article Application of Digital Games for Speech Therapy in Children

Authors and Affiliations

  • Soheila Saeedi, Department of Health Information Management and Medical Informatics, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

  • Hamid Bouraghi, Department of Health Information Technology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

  • Mohammad-Sadegh Seifpanahi, Department of Speech and Language Pathology, Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

  • Marjan Ghazisaeedi, Correspondence: ghazimar@tums.ac.ir

Publication Details

  • Received: 8 October 2021

  • Revised: 22 February 2022

  • Accepted: 2 March 2022

  • Published: 25 April 2022

  • Journal: Journal of Healthcare Engineering

  • Copyright: Open access under Creative Commons Attribution License

Introduction

  • Importance of Speech Therapy: Treatment of speech disorders in childhood is critical; effective intervention can prevent academic, social, and psychological issues later in life.

  • Use of Technology in Therapy: Digital games are explored as tools for Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) to enhance speech skill practice.

Study Goal

  • Aims: To systematically investigate digital games designed to address speech disorders in children and identify their features and challenges.

Methods

Search Strategy

  • Databases Searched: Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore.

  • Criteria: Articles focused on digital games for treating speech disorders specifically in children published by July 14, 2021.

  • Key Search Terms: Combined MeSH terms and free-text keywords related to speech, children, and games.

  • Inclusion Criteria:

    • Peer-reviewed studies.

    • Reports on digital games for speech disorders.

    • English language articles.

    • Games providing feedback during play.

  • Exclusion Criteria:

    • Studies on language disorders only.

    • Games for teens/adults.

    • Non-interactive applications.

    • Non-English articles, review studies, and low-quality articles per the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist.

Quality Assessment

  • Assessment Tool: Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist to evaluate methodological quality, with scores indicating low, medium, or high quality.

Data Extraction

  • Process: Articles reviewed for inclusion, interrater reliability checked, and data collected on various features of the games (e.g., target group, type of speech skill, evaluation results).

Data Analysis

  • Output: Narrative synthesis of findings; descriptive statistics using Excel for frequency and percentage of attributes.

Results

Literature Search Findings

  • Total Identified Articles: 1541, with 27 selected for the systematic review based on set criteria.

  • Language Distribution: 59.25% of games were developed in English.

  • Target Groups: Predominantly children with hearing impairments and autism spectrum disorders.

  • Speech Recognition Technology: Most commonly used technologies included Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) and PocketSphinx.

  • Parent Involvement: 48.15% of games were designed for practice with parental help.

  • Evaluation Results: Games generally improved children's motivation, satisfaction, and attention during therapy sessions.

Challenges Identified

  • Reported challenges in using games included:

    • Frustration and low self-esteem due to game failures.

    • Environmental noise affecting performance.

    • Misalignment between game difficulty and children’s needs.

Discussion

  • Effectiveness of Games: Games enhance motivation and engagement but face challenges, especially regarding suitable feedback and recognition accuracy.

  • Critical Speech Recognition Tools: PocketSphinx is useful but has language limitations, impacting broader application.

  • Design Considerations: Game mechanics must align with children’s emotional states to ensure effective learning without discouragement.

Conclusion

  • Potential of Digital Games: They can function as adjunct tools for SLPs, helping reduce workloads by allowing children to practice in their home environments. However, careful attention to design challenges is essential to maximize their effectiveness.

Ethical Considerations

  • The study was ethically approved by the Ethics Committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Approval No: IR.TUMS.SPH.REC.1400.189).

Acknowledgments

  • This research was supported by a grant from Tehran University of Medical Sciences Research Council (ID 54958).

References

  • A comprehensive list of studies and articles cited within this article is included for further reading and validation of the information presented.