Public Speaking Coaching for Adult Special Olympics Athletes

Author(s):  
Mary K. Fagan ◽  
Patil M. Malatian

Purpose Individuals with intellectual disabilities often face communication challenges that can impact verbal communication, social interactions, and public speaking effectiveness. These challenges include decreased speech intelligibility, eye contact, and storytelling organization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefit of a 4.5-month public speaking coaching program for adult Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities. Method Using a pre–post design, four athletes and their parents or caregivers completed questionnaires that rated the athletes' public speaking skills in 10 areas relevant for effective public speaking before and after the 4.5-month program. Graduate students in communication sciences and disorders worked with the adults on individualized goals identified from a preliminary speech and the self-report questionnaires. Differences in pre- and post-program response ratings and pre- and post-program speech behaviors were evaluated. Results Participation in the program resulted in positive changes in the athletes' public speaking ratings and behaviors, as measured by the athletes' and familiar-listeners' pre- and post-program questionnaires and the athletes' observed public speaking performance. Conclusions The results support the benefit of individualized coaching in public speaking programs. Because public speaking skills are important for communicating effectively in community interactions more broadly, the program also has potential relevance for use in clinical settings and education programs for adults and adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities.

Biofeedback ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Jonathon Sikorski ◽  
Olivia Hernandez-Gonzalez

Young patients often encounter behavioral and communication challenges when interacting with adults. Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience similar difficulties. There is a need to develop strategies that teach young patients and adults with intellectual disabilities practical and applicable mindfulness skills to either augment or support other behavioral or medical interventions. Biofeedback is a useful tool to teach these populations ways to increase their internal awareness of how emotions influence physiological sensations, while mindfulness helps them to focus on the present moment to control their emotions. This article presents the cases of Max and Robin to illustrate how mindfulness and biofeedback interventions can be adapted for younger patients and adults with ID in clinical settings. Clinicians used tangible visuals and overemphasized gestures to facilitate the understanding of our patients. Following these strategies, patients were able to understand changes in their physiological and emotional responses using biofeedback and mindfulness.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Gallego ◽  
Louise McHugh ◽  
Markku Penttonen ◽  
Raimo Lappalainen

Self-reports are typically used to assess public speaking anxiety. In this study, we examined whether self-report, observer report, and behavioral and physiological reactivity were associated with each other during a speech challenge task. A total of 95 university students completed a self-reported measure of public speaking anxiety before and after the speech challenge. Speech duration (i.e., behavioral measure), physiological reactivity, as well as speech performance evaluated by the participants and observers were also recorded. The results suggest that self-reported public speaking anxiety predicts speech duration, as well as speech quality as rated by the participants themselves and the observers. However, the physiological measures were not associated with self-reported anxiety during the speech task. Additionally, we observed that socially anxious participants underrate their speech performance in comparison to their observers’ evaluations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie S. Werner ◽  
Stefan Duschek ◽  
Michael Mattern ◽  
Rainer Schandry

This study explored the relationship between interoceptive sensitivity and the experience of public-speaking anxiety. We compared participants with high and low interoceptive sensitivity concerning self-report and behavioral measures of anxiety and concerning physiological variables before, during, and after a public-speaking task. Participants with high interoceptive sensitivity reported significantly less state anxiety before and after performing a public speech as well as less habitual public-speaking anxiety. No significant differences in behavioral or physiological measures were observed. We assume that individuals with high interoceptive sensitivity, to whom physiological signals are more easily accessible, experience less uncertainty during public speaking and can thus adjust their emotional processes more adequately. This finding appears in line with Damasio’s somatic marker hypothesis, which suggests that reasoning, decision-making, and social behavior are optimized by body-related signals in complex situations.


2021 ◽  
pp. 014544552199430
Author(s):  
Ana Gallego ◽  
Louise McHugh ◽  
Markku Penttonen ◽  
Raimo Lappalainen

Self-reports are typically used to assess public speaking anxiety. In this study, we examined whether self-report, observer report, and behavioral and physiological reactivity were associated with each other during a speech challenge task. A total of 95 university students completed a self-report measure of public speaking anxiety before and after the speech challenge. Speech duration (i.e., behavioral measure), physiological reactivity, as well as speech performance evaluated by the participants and observers were also recorded. The results suggest that self-reported public speaking anxiety predicts speech duration, as well as speech quality, as rated by the participants themselves and observers. However, the physiological measures were not associated with self-reported anxiety during the speech task. Additionally, we observed that socially anxious participants underrate their speech performance in comparison to their observers’ evaluations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-428
Author(s):  
Jasleen Singh ◽  
Karen A. Doherty

Purpose The aim of the study was to assess how the use of a mild-gain hearing aid can affect hearing handicap, motivation, and attitudes toward hearing aids for middle-age, normal-hearing adults who do and do not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. Method A total of 20 participants (45–60 years of age) with clinically normal-hearing thresholds (< 25 dB HL) were enrolled in this study. Ten self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise, and 10 did not self-report difficulty hearing in background noise. All participants were fit with mild-gain hearing aids, bilaterally, and were asked to wear them for 2 weeks. Hearing handicap, attitudes toward hearing aids and hearing loss, and motivation to address hearing problems were evaluated before and after participants wore the hearing aids. Participants were also asked if they would consider purchasing a hearing aid before and after 2 weeks of hearing aid use. Results After wearing the hearing aids for 2 weeks, hearing handicap scores decreased for the participants who self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise. No changes in hearing handicap scores were observed for the participants who did not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. The participants who self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise also reported greater personal distress from their hearing problems, were more motivated to address their hearing problems, and had higher levels of hearing handicap compared to the participants who did not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. Only 20% (2/10) of the participants who self-reported trouble hearing in background noise reported that they would consider purchasing a hearing aid after 2 weeks of hearing aid use. Conclusions The use of mild-gain hearing aids has the potential to reduce hearing handicap for normal-hearing, middle-age adults who self-report difficulty hearing in background noise. However, this may not be the most appropriate treatment option for their current hearing problems given that only 20% of these participants would consider purchasing a hearing aid after wearing hearing aids for 2 weeks.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
pp. 3311-3325
Author(s):  
Brittany L. Perrine ◽  
Ronald C. Scherer

Purpose The goal of this study was to determine if differences in stress system activation lead to changes in speaking fundamental frequency, average oral airflow, and estimated subglottal pressure before and after an acute, psychosocial stressor. Method Eighteen vocally healthy adult females experienced the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to activate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. The TSST includes public speaking and performing mental arithmetic in front of an audience. At seven time points, three before the stressor and four after the stressor, the participants produced /pa/ repetitions, read the Rainbow Passage, and provided a saliva sample. Measures included (a) salivary cortisol level, (b) oral airflow, (c) estimated subglottal pressure, and (d) speaking fundamental frequency from the second sentence of the Rainbow Passage. Results Ten of the 18 participants experienced a hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis response to stress as indicated by a 2.5-nmol/L increase in salivary cortisol from before the TSST to after the TSST. Those who experienced a response to stress had a significantly higher speaking fundamental frequency before and immediately after the stressor than later after the stressor. No other variable varied significantly due to the stressor. Conclusions This study suggests that the idiosyncratic and inconsistent voice changes reported in the literature may be explained by differences in stress system activation. In addition, laryngeal aerodynamic measures appear resilient to changes due to acute stress. Further work is needed to examine the influence of other stress systems and if these findings hold for dysphonic individuals.


Author(s):  
Talles Dias Orsi ◽  
Ana Lucia Ribeiro Valadares ◽  
Paula Miranda Esteves Orsi ◽  
Isabella Miranda Esteves Orsi ◽  
Alexandre Sampaio Moura

Abstract Objective To evaluate factors associated with anxiety and the effect of simulation-based training (SBT) on student anxiety, self-confidence and learning satisfaction in relation to pelvic and breast examination. Methods A longitudinal study was conducted with 4th year medical students at the Universidade José do Rosário Vellano. A 12-item, self-report questionnaire on student anxiety at performing gynecological examinations was applied before and after SBT, with answers being given on a Likert-type scale. After training, the self-confidence levels and satisfaction of the students related to the learning process were also evaluated. Results Eighty students with a mean age of 24.1 ± 4.2 years were included in the study. Of these, 62.5% were women. Pre-SBT evaluation showed that students were more anxious at performing a pelvic examination than a breast examination (2.4 ± 1.0 versus 1.7 ± 0.8, respectively; p < 0.001). The primary reason for anxiety regarding both pelvic and breast examination was fear of hurting the patient. SBT significantly reduced student anxiety (2.0 ± 0.8 versus 1.5 ± 0.5, respectively; p < 0.001). The satisfaction and self-confidence of the students were found to be high (6.8 ± 0.3 and 6.0 ± 0.9, respectively), with no difference between genders. Conclusion The use of SBT in teaching students to perform pelvic and breast examinations resulted in reduced anxiety and increased self-confidence in a group of medical students of both genders, with high levels of satisfaction in relation to the training.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A140-A141
Author(s):  
Emma Zhao ◽  
Afik Faerman ◽  
David Spiegel

Abstract Introduction Hypnosis-based interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on several dimensions of sleep health. However, current evidence is limited as only a paucity of studies included populations with sleep complaints. Here we present a pilot data set to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment for subjective sleep complaints. Methods Eleven adults (42% female; mean age 45±16.87 years) who sought treatment at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center or Center for Integrative Medicine for subjective sleep complaints received hypnosis as adjunctive treatment. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess the weekly frequency of subjective sleep disturbances experienced before and after treatment, as well as 5-point Likert scale ratings of perceived qualitative improvement in symptom severity and overall sleep quality. Results Five participants (45%) reported a reduction in symptom frequency and severity after hypnosis treatment. All five participants attributed at least some of the improvement to hypnosis treatment. Most participants (63%) observed post-treatment improvements in their overall sleep quality. No participants reported adverse effects of hypnosis. Conclusion Results suggest hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment may be effective for alleviating subjective sleep disturbances. The findings serve as preliminary support for further randomly controlled trials in larger samples. Support (if any):


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