Retrogaming as visual feedback for speech therapy

Purpose The aim of this study was to explore how the frequency with which ultrasound visual feedback (UVF) is provided during speech therapy affects speech sound learning. Method Twelve children with residual speech errors affecting /ɹ/ participated in a multiple-baseline across-subjects design with 2 treatment conditions. One condition featured 8 hr of high-frequency UVF (HF; feedback on 89% of trials), whereas the other included 8 hr of lower-frequency UVF (LF; 44% of trials). The order of treatment conditions was counterbalanced across participants. All participants were treated on vocalic /ɹ/. Progress was tracked by measuring generalization on /ɹ/ in untreated words. Results After the 1st treatment phase, participants who received the HF condition outperformed those who received LF. At the end of the 2-phase treatment, within-participant comparisons showed variability across individual outcomes in both HF and LF conditions. However, a group level analysis of this small sample suggested that participants whose treatment order was HF–LF made larger gains than those whose treatment order was LF–HF. Conclusions The order HF–LF may represent a preferred order for UVF in speech therapy. This is consistent with empirical work and theoretical arguments suggesting that visual feedback may be particularly beneficial in the early stages of acquiring new speech targets.

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Treating Speech Movement Hypokinesia in Parkinson's Disease: Does Movement Size Matter?

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2018_jslhr-s-17-0439 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (11) ◽

pp. 2703-2721 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elaine Kearney ◽

Brandon Haworth ◽

Jordan Scholl ◽

Petros Faloutsos ◽

Melanie Baljko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Visual Feedback ◽

Speech Intelligibility ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Primary Outcome Measure ◽

Single Subject ◽

Working Space ◽

Tongue Movements ◽

Size Matter

PurposeThis study evaluates the effects of a novel speech therapy program that uses a verbal cue and gamified augmented visual feedback regarding tongue movements to address articulatory hypokinesia during speech in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).MethodFive participants with PD participated in an ABA single-subject design study. The treatment aimed to increase tongue movement size using a combination of a verbal cue and augmented visual feedback and was conducted in 10 45-min sessions over 5 weeks. The presence of visual feedback was manipulated during treatment. Articulatory working space of the tongue was the primary outcome measure and was examined during treatment and in cued and uncued sentences pre- and posttreatment. Changes in speech intelligibility in response to a verbal cue pre- and posttreatment were also examined.ResultsDuring treatment, 4/5 participants showed a beneficial effect of visual feedback on tongue articulatory working space. At the end of the treatment, they used larger tongue movements when cued, relative to their pretreatment performance. None of the participants, however, generalized the effect to the uncued sentences. Speech intelligibility of cued sentences was judged as superior posttreatment only in a single participant.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that using an augmented visual feedback approach is beneficial, beyond a verbal cue alone, in addressing articulatory hypokinesia in individuals with PD. An optimal degree of articulatory expansion might, however, be required to elicit a speech intelligibility benefit.

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Do Participants Report Any Undesired Effects in Ultrasound Speech Therapy?

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2017_ajslp-17-0121 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 813-818 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan L. Preston ◽

Gabriela Holliman-Lopez ◽

Megan C. Leece

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Clinical Research ◽

Visual Feedback ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Research And Practice ◽

Potential Benefits

Purpose Ultrasound visual feedback of the tongue is increasingly used as a component of speech therapy in clinical research and practice. The purpose is to offer a preliminary summary of the nature of participant-reported undesired effects related to ultrasound visual feedback. Method Sixty-two participants across 3 sites (mean age = 11.9 years) and 38 parents responded to a 2-item verbal questionnaire following 14–16 hr of treatment regarding any aspects of the treatment they did not like. Responses were thematically categorized. Results The 62 participants provided 65 distinct responses, which were categorized as follows: 31% no concerns, 40% gel-related (e.g., cold, sticky), 21% positioning of the probe (e.g., uncomfortable, annoying), 3% chin hurting (qualified as being minor in nature), and 5% other (i.e., unrelated to the use of the ultrasound). Responses from all parents suggested no concerns about the use of ultrasound; however, 8% expressed concerns unrelated to ultrasound use (e.g., fatigue). Conclusion These data inform clinicians and researchers about participant's experience and highlight the type of comments most likely to be encountered with ultrasound in speech therapy. Although the reported adverse effects can be considered minor, they should be weighed against the potential benefits of visual feedback in treatment.

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Speech Therapy Services in a Large School System: A Six-Year Overview

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/0161-1461.0704.207 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 207-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Constance P. DesRoches

Keyword(s):

School System ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Case Load ◽

Number Of Children ◽

School Population ◽

System A ◽

Therapy Services ◽

And Shifts ◽

Selection Factors

A statistical review provides analysis of four years of speech therapy services of a suburban school system which can be used for comparison with other school system programs. Included are data on the percentages of the school population enrolled in therapy, the categories of disabilities and the number of children in each category, the sex and grade-level distribution of those in therapy, and shifts in case-load selection. Factors affecting changes in case-load profiles are identified and discussed.

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Adolescent Students Who Stutter: A Qualitative Exploration of School Experiences

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_persp-19-00085 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 1327-1336

Author(s):

Tiffany R. Cobb ◽

Derek E. Daniels ◽

James Panico

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Middle School ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

School Setting ◽

Image Data ◽

School Experiences ◽

Adolescent Students ◽

Therapy Decision ◽

Qualitative Phenomenological

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which adolescent students who stutter perceive their school experiences. Method This study used a qualitative, phenomenological research design. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 adolescent students who stutter (3 in middle school and 4 in high school). Participants were interviewed about their school experiences, including the effects of stuttering on academics, learning, teacher relationships, peer relationships, speech therapy experiences, and self-image. Data analysis consisted of transcribing interviews and analyzing them for emerging themes. Results Findings revealed that participants described a variety of experiences around the school setting. Participants reported less favorable middle school experiences. Middle school participants reflected more on teasing, bullying, and feelings of embarrassment, whereas high school participants revealed that teachers, staff, and peers were receptive and accepting of them and their stuttering. All participants reported that their speech therapy helped with classroom participation. Conclusions As a result of the participants' varied experiences, it is important to listen to and incorporate the voices of students who stutter into school, classroom, and therapy decision-making practices.

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Reading Risk in Children With Speech Sound Disorder: Prevalence, Persistence, and Predictors

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2020_jslhr-20-00108 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (11) ◽

pp. 3714-3726

Author(s):

Sherine R. Tambyraja ◽

Kelly Farquharson ◽

Laura Justice

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Sound Production ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Speech Sound ◽

Reading Difficulties ◽

School Age Children ◽

Speech Sound Disorder ◽

Word Decoding ◽

School Year ◽

School Based

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which school-age children with speech sound disorder (SSD) exhibit concomitant reading difficulties and examine the extent to which phonological processing and speech production abilities are associated with increased likelihood of reading risks. Method Data were obtained from 120 kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade children who were in receipt of school-based speech therapy services. Children were categorized as being “at risk” for reading difficulties if standardized scores on a word decoding measure were 1 SD or more from the mean. The selected predictors of reading risk included children's rapid automatized naming ability, phonological awareness (PA), and accuracy of speech sound production. Results Descriptive results indicated that just over 25% of children receiving school-based speech therapy for an SSD exhibited concomitant deficits in word decoding and that those exhibiting risk at the beginning of the school year were likely to continue to be at risk at the end of the school year. Results from a hierarchical logistic regression suggested that, after accounting for children's age, general language abilities, and socioeconomic status, both PA and speech sound production abilities were significantly associated with the likelihood of being classified as at risk. Conclusions School-age children with SSD are at increased risk for reading difficulties that are likely to persist throughout an academic year. The severity of phonological deficits, reflected by PA and speech output, may be important indicators of subsequent reading problems.

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Facilitating Parental Involvement in Speech Therapy for Children With Speech Sound Disorders: A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Practices, Perspectives, and Strategies

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2020_ajslp-19-00071 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 1987-1996

Author(s):

Sherine R. Tambyraja

Keyword(s):

Parental Involvement ◽

Online Survey ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Speech Sound ◽

Speech Sound Disorders ◽

Speech Sound Disorder ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

School Based ◽

Homework Completion

Purpose This study investigated the extent to which speech-language pathologists (SLPs) facilitate parents' completion of homework activities for children with speech sound disorder (SSD). In addition, this study explored factors related to more consistent communication about homework completion and strategies considered particularly effective for supporting this element of parental involvement. Method Licensed SLPs serving at least one child with SSD were invited to participate in an online survey. Questions relevant to this study gathered information regarding (a) frequency of communication about homework distribution and follow-up, (b) demographic and workplace characteristics, and (c) an open-ended question about the specific strategies used to support parental involvement and completion of homework activities. Results Descriptive results indicated considerable variability with respect to how frequently SLPs engaged in communication about homework completion, but that school-based SLPs were significantly less likely to engage in this type of follow-up. Strategies considered effective, however, were similar across therapy contexts. Conclusion These results suggest potentially important differences between school-based services and therapy in other contexts with respect to this particular aspect of service provision for children with SSD.

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Clinical Success Using the Audio-Visual Feedback Training for Cluttering

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_pers-sig17-2019-0018 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 1589-1594

Author(s):

Yvonne van Zaalen ◽

Isabella Reichel

Keyword(s):

Visual Feedback ◽

Clinical Success ◽

Pause Duration ◽

Digital Audio ◽

Male Adolescents ◽

Feedback Training ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Speech Monitoring ◽

Adolescents And Adults

Purpose Among the best strategies to address inadequate speech monitoring skills and other parameters of communication in people with cluttering (PWC) is the relatively new but very promising auditory–visual feedback (AVF) training ( van Zaalen & Reichel, 2015 ). This study examines the effects of AVF training on articulatory accuracy, pause duration, frequency, and type of disfluencies of PWC, as well as on the emotional and cognitive aspects that may be present in clients with this communication disorder ( Reichel, 2010 ; van Zaalen & Reichel, 2015 ). Methods In this study, 12 male adolescents and adults—6 with phonological and 6 with syntactic cluttering—were provided with weekly AVF training for 12 weeks, with a 3-month follow-up. Data was gathered on baseline (T0), Week 6 (T1), Week 12 (T2), and after follow-up (T3). Spontaneous speech was recorded and analyzed by using digital audio-recording and speech analysis software known as Praat ( Boersma & Weenink, 2017 ). Results The results of this study indicated that PWC demonstrated significant improvements in articulatory rate measurements and in pause duration following the AVF training. In addition, the PWC in the study reported positive effects on their ability to retell a story and to speak in more complete sentences. PWC felt better about formulating their ideas and were more satisfied with their interactions with people around them. Conclusions The AVF training was found to be an effective approach for improving monitoring skills of PWC with both quantitative and qualitative benefits in the behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social domains of communication.

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