---

Back ground and aim: The present study evaluated some language characteristics include: Semantic, Syntax and phonology in children with developmental dyslexia .          

 Materials and Methods: For this cross sectional/analytical study, 40 children between 7 and 8 years old were recruited by  non randomic sampling into 2 groups: 20 children with developmental dyslexia, with mean age of 8.04 years and 20 normal children with mean age 8.11 years. Data were collected using Parents Questionnaire,Teacher Questionnair and selected texts for informal evaluation, and we use Raven test of intelligence and Test of Reading and Dyslexia (NAMA) for diagnosing dyslexic children more carefully. At the end we use Test of Language Development-P:3 for comparing the language characteristics between 2 groups. Data were analyzed using t-test and Mann-Whitney.

 Results: Children with Dyslexia differ from the normal children in some language characteristics include : Semantic, Syntax and phonology. Comparing the means of Picture vocabulary,Oral vocabulary and Relational vocabulary tests were illustrated in 3 distinct features, demonstrated meaninngful difference between 2 groups ( p<0.05 ). Comparing the means of Sentence imitation, Sentence comprehension and Sentence completation tests were illustrated in 3 distinct features, demonstrated meaninngful difference between 2 groups ( p<0.05 ). Comparing the means of Phoneme analyze and Word discrimination tests were illustrated in 2 distinct features, demonstrated meaninngful difference between 2 groups ( p<0.05 ). Only in Word speaking Test there were no significant difference between 2 groups ( p>0.05 ).

Conclusion: In regard with these findings, accurate and deep evaluation of language by speech therapist is essential for dyslexic children and also speech therapy with focus on language skills can be clinical treatment, parallel to the traditional methods, in children with dyslexia.

---

Background and Aim: In some disorders, word finding is difficult. There is different ways to assess naming process that verbal fluency is one way. So far has not been an index to verbal fluency assessment and treatment, the aim of this study was to determine normative data of semantic fluency for 18-69 -year – old adult Persian speakers.
Materials and Methods: This study was cross sectional and analytic. Participants were 540 normal adults 18-69 -year – old. They were divided in 4 age groups ( 18-30, 31-43, 44-56, 57-69) and 3 educational groups (0-8, 9-12, >12). The peoples were asked to name animals and fruits in 60 seconds, words were recorded and analyzed whit Troyer method and SPSS 16 software.
Results: The findings of this study did not show significant differences in semantic verbal fluency, clusters mean and number of switches between two genders. But significant differences were found in semantic verbal fluency (P=0.000) and number of switching (P=0.000) between educational groups. Also significant differences were found in semantic verbal fluency (P=0.014), clusters (P=0.000) mean and number of switching (P=0.000) between age groups.
Conclusion: Semantic verbal fluency and number of switching increase by promoting the education but decrease by rising of participant age. Clusters mean increase by rising of participant but the education had not significant effect. Gender had no effect on none of them. The findings of this study are consistent with other studies and difference in findings in some of studies, could cause of different in educational and age partitions.

---

Background and Aim: A Concrete and Abstract Word Synonym Test is a test which assessed semantic system in patients with acquired language disorder specifically semantic impairment. The aim of this study is to design a valid and reliable test for assessment of comprehension of concrete and abstract words in different types of aphasia.

 

Materials and Methods: The type of study is test construction and was computed as cross-sectional. First, a collection of words based on frequency were chosen in order to construct the test. These words were given to 15 experts (10 speech and language pathologists and 5 linguists) in 3 stages, in order to rate words with 0-100 scale. Then words, which had higher average than 90 score were chosen. After determining face and content validity, the test was performed on subjects. Subjects included 20 aphasic patients (12 men and 8 women) and 50 normal people (28 men and 22 women) ranging in age from 20 to 65 years. After 5 to 7 days, to determine reliability of test, test was performed on subjects again. Results of this study were analyzed by SPSS 16.

 

Results: Results showed that this test has a higher validity than %90. Coronbach alpha for internal consistency was 0.500. For investigation of test-retest reliability, mean difference of test scores in 2 stages of administration was significance (p<0.038). Pearson correlation coefficient between mean scores of patients in 2stages were 0.857 and ICC range was 0.857-0.923 that was significant (p<0.001). The cut of point of test was also 46. Comparison of mean scores of concrete and abstract word synonym test in patients and normal people and also in patient with temporal lesion showed significant difference (p<0.001).

 

Conclusion: A Concrete and Abstract Word Synonym Test is a proper tool for assessing semantic system in aphasic patients and it can indicate semantic impairment in these patients.

 

Keywords: Synonym comprehension test, Concrete and abstract words, Validity, Reliability, Aphasia, Semantic impairment.