INFERENTIAL STATISTICS AND TREATMENT EFFICACY STUDIES IN COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

A reconsideration of the dependence on inferential statistical analyse s in treatment efficacy studies in communication disorders is suggeste d. The argument is developed that inferential statistical analyses as part of group research designs do not provide the kinds of data that a re useful in determining the efficacy of clinical intervention. Furthe rmore, misinterpretations of the principles that underlie inferential statistics contribute to the difficulties in building a research base that can be applied to clinical issues. The view is taken that replica tion studies provide a more fruitful approach to ascertaining the effi cacy of clinical intervention.