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Phonation interval modification and speech performance quality during fluency-inducing conditions by adults who
Roger J Ingham1, Anne K Bothe, Yuedong Wang
1University of California, Santa Barbara, United States. rjingham@speech.ucsb.edu
Journal of Communication Disorders
|February 28, 2012
Summary
Chorus reading was the only fluency-inducing condition that improved all aspects of speech for people who stutter (PWS). Other conditions reduced stuttering but negatively impacted speech naturalness or effort.
Area of Science:
- Speech and Language Pathology
- Phonetics
- Neurolinguistics
Background:
- Stuttering is a complex speech disorder affecting fluency.
- Fluency-inducing (FI) conditions are known to temporarily reduce stuttering.
- The impact of FI conditions on specific speech characteristics requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how four fluency-inducing conditions affect phonatory behavior in persons who stutter (PWS) and controls.
- To relate changes in speech fluency characteristics to phonatory changes during oral reading.
- To identify optimal conditions for improving speech fluency in PWS.
Main Methods:
- Twelve PWS and 12 controls participated in 4 ABA experiments.
- Four fluency-inducing conditions were tested: auditory masking, chorus reading, whispering, and rhythmic stimulation.
- Dependent variables included phonated interval durations, speech effort, stuttering frequency, speech rate, and naturalness.
Main Results:
- All FI conditions reduced stuttering and short phonated intervals compared to baseline.
- Chorus reading was the only condition to improve all four characteristics of normally fluent speech.
- Increased long phonated intervals correlated with reduced stuttering but also with decreased naturalness and/or increased effort.
Conclusions:
- Measuring speech characteristics comprehensively is crucial for understanding stuttering.
- Focusing on reducing short phonated intervals may aid in explaining stuttering.
- Optimizing fluency-inducing conditions can enhance treatment outcomes for adults who stutter.
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