Smartphone-Based Speech Therapy for Poststroke Dysarthria: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Efficacy and...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Dysarthria is a common poststroke speech disorder impacting communication and psychological well-being.
• Traditional speech therapy faces accessibility and adherence challenges.
• Smartphone-based therapies present a potential alternative for poststroke dysarthria treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy and feasibility of smartphone-based speech therapy for improving speech intelligibility in acute and early subacute poststroke dysarthria.
• To explore the intervention's impact on psychological well-being, user experience, and clinical feasibility.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, evaluator-blinded trial involving 40 patients with poststroke dysarthria.
• Intervention group: 4 weeks of daily smartphone app use (1 hour/day, 5 days/week) plus standard care.
• Control group: Standard stroke care and rehabilitation.
• Outcome measures: Speech intelligibility, psychological well-being, quality of life, user acceptance (ANOVA).

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significant improvements in speech intelligibility (P=.02) and articulation (percentage of correct consonants, P=.03).
• Significant reductions in dysarthria severity (P=.03) and improvements in quality of life (EQ-5D-3L, P<.001; EQ-VAS, P=.009) were observed.
• High app usability (System Usability Score 80.78) and adherence (64%) were reported, with increased self-efficacy in the intervention group (P=.003).

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based speech therapy effectively improved speech intelligibility, articulation, and quality of life in patients with poststroke dysarthria.
• This digital approach serves as a valuable assistive tool for managing poststroke dysarthria, especially in acute and early subacute stages.