National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

Which disorder would MOST require the incorporation of phonetics in rehabilitation for speech and language deficits?

1. Broca's aphasia

2. Dysarthria

3. Verbal apraxia

4. Dysphagia

The correct answer is: Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that affects the physical production of speech, which can include the production of phonemes. In rehabilitation for individuals with dysarthria, incorporating phonetics is crucial because it provides techniques to improve the clarity and intelligibility of speech. Therapists may focus on sound production, the accuracy of articulation, and the necessary motor skills to produce distinct phonetic sounds effectively. In contrast, while Broca's aphasia involves language processing difficulties and may require different therapies focusing more on language structure and word retrieval rather than phonetics, verbal apraxia specifically deals with difficulty in planning and coordinating the movements necessary for speech but may not always involve phonetic clarity. Dysphagia, which refers to difficulty swallowing, primarily relates to issues with the swallowing mechanism rather than speech production itself. Thus, dysarthria is the disorder that most directly requires phonetic strategies to address speech deficits during rehabilitation.