Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

To determine the effect of different treatment times on intelligibility in dysarthria, which statistical analysis would be most beneficial?

1. A Cochran Q test

2. An analysis of variance (ANOVA)

3. A t test

4. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)

The correct answer is: A t test

To analyze the effect of different treatment times on intelligibility in individuals with dysarthria, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) is the most suitable statistical method. ANOVA is specifically designed to compare means across three or more independent groups, making it ideal for situations where multiple treatment times are being assessed for their impact on a dependent variable, in this case, intelligibility. Using ANOVA allows researchers to determine whether there are any statistically significant differences in intelligibility scores due to variations in treatment times. This method accounts for the variability within and between the groups, providing a comprehensive assessment of treatment effects. The other statistical tests, while useful in other contexts, do not align as well with the requirements of this analysis. For instance, a t-test is typically used for comparing means between two groups, which wouldn't suffice if there are multiple treatment times to compare. A Cochran Q test is suited for binary response data and would not be appropriate for measuring intelligibility scores, which are likely continuous. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) would apply if there were multiple dependent variables to evaluate simultaneously, but in this scenario, the focus is on the single dependent variable of intelligibility.