Phonological Awareness in Urdu-Speaking Children with Down Syndrome: Relationship with Rapid Naming Response Time

This quasi-experimental study of 48 Urdu-speaking children with Down syndrome (ages 4-12) examined whether response time on rapid naming tasks correlated with phonological awareness performance. Findings showed processing speed and phonological accuracy are independent cognitive constructs, with initial phoneme recognition significantly higher than final phoneme recognition, suggesting clinicians should prioritize accuracy-based assessments and targeted interventions for end-phoneme awareness.