Mobile App Rehabilitation for Speech Disorders

Overseen By Yunjung Kim

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Florida State University

Disqualifiers: Severe speech impairment, Neurological disorders, Severe mental disorders, Illiteracy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 10

36 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines the effectiveness of a smartphone app in assisting people with speech problems after a stroke. The researchers aim to determine if using this app at home matches the effectiveness of traditional care. Participants will either use the app, which provides exercises and feedback to improve speech, or be placed on a waitlist. The trial is suitable for English speakers who have experienced a stroke, can use a smartphone, and do not have other serious neurological or mental health issues. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative research that could enhance recovery options for stroke survivors.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this smartphone-based speech rehabilitation is safe?

Research has shown that a smartphone app for speech therapy is effective and safe for individuals with speech difficulties following a stroke. Studies have found that this app significantly improves speech clarity and enhances overall quality of life. No serious side effects have been reported, indicating it is generally well-tolerated. The therapy's availability through a mobile app makes it convenient for home use. It remains important to consult a healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the mobile app-based rehabilitation for speech disorders because it offers a new, self-driven approach to speech therapy. Traditional treatments for post-stroke dysarthria typically involve in-person sessions with a speech therapist, which can be limited by availability and scheduling. This mobile app allows patients to practice intensive speech exercises independently, anytime and anywhere, making therapy more accessible. Additionally, the app's real-time feedback system helps patients monitor their progress instantly, potentially leading to more effective and engaging rehabilitation.

What evidence suggests that this mobile app is effective for speech disorders?

Research has shown that a smartphone app for speech therapy can greatly enhance the speech and comprehension of individuals with post-stroke speech problems. In this trial, participants in the intervention group will use this app, which includes exercises targeting various aspects of speech, such as breathing, sound production, and clarity. Studies have found that using this app can also improve the quality of life for these patients. The app offers instant feedback, enabling users to track their progress, making it an effective option for home-based speech therapy. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jinwoo Kim, PhD

Principal Investigator

Haii Corp.

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals who have speech difficulties due to conditions like dysarthria or stroke. Participants should be able to use a smartphone and commit to self-driven speech therapy at home.

Inclusion Criteria

Patients must be able to use a smartphone-based speech therapy application, as determined by self-reporting cognitive abilities

Speaks English as a native language

Exclusion Criteria

Unable to use smartphone application or conduct speech assessment due to severe speech impairment

Illiterate patients

I have a progressive neurological disorder that affects my speech.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment Phase 1

Participants receive smartphone-based speech therapy for 4 weeks

4 weeks

5 sessions per week (home-based)

Treatment Phase 2

Participants continue with the crossover design, receiving the alternative intervention for 4 weeks

4 weeks

5 sessions per week (home-based)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

8 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Smart-phone based, self-driven speech rehabilitation

Trial Overview The study tests if using a smartphone app for speech rehabilitation at home is as effective as the standard care people usually receive. Participants are randomly placed into either the treatment group or put on a waitlist (control group).

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in the intervention group will use a speech therapy application, a software designed for post-stroke dysarthria speech therapy and provided in the form of a mobile application. The application provides intensive speech treatment, including respiration, phonation, resonance, prosody, and articulation exercises. The system analyzes patients' voices collected while using the application and delivers the results through real-time visual and summary feedback, increasing patients' ability to self-monitor.

Group II: Waitlist control Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Florida State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

234

Recruited

41,100+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Q-Voz application, designed for voice therapy, received positive feedback from seven speech therapists, who found it useful for helping patients with dysphonia improve their voice-related habits.

All evaluators agreed that the app could facilitate easier changes in voice behavior for patients, suggesting it can be an effective auxiliary tool in voice rehabilitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prototype app for voice therapy: a peer review. Lavaissiéri, P., Melo, PE.[2022]

The E-learning-based speech therapy (EST) application allows patients with dysarthria to engage in intensive speech training at home, complementing traditional face-to-face therapy and enabling independent maintenance of speech quality after therapy ends.

Therapists can remotely create personalized training programs and monitor patient progress, while the EST system also collects valuable data on dysarthric speech for future research.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

E-learning-based speech therapy: a web application for speech training. Beijer, LJ., Rietveld, TC., van Beers, MM., et al.[2010]

The iPad-based speech therapy app using automatic speech recognition (ASR) showed an 80% agreement with human judgment on speech accuracy, indicating reliable feedback for users.

Participants with apraxia of speech and aphasia demonstrated significant improvements in word production accuracy over a 4-week therapy program, with gains maintained one month after treatment, suggesting the app's effectiveness as a therapeutic tool.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Feasibility of Automatic Speech Recognition for Providing Feedback During Tablet-Based Treatment for Apraxia of Speech Plus Aphasia. Ballard, KJ., Etter, NM., Shen, S., et al.[2020]

A wearable biofeedback device was developed to help patients with Parkinsonism improve their speech intensity outside of clinical settings, addressing a common challenge in speech therapy.

The study showed that patients were able to transfer significant improvements in their speech from the clinic to everyday situations while using the device, indicating its potential effectiveness for ongoing treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A microcomputer-based wearable biofeedback device to improve transfer of treatment in parkinsonian dysarthria. Rubow, R., Swift, E.[2019]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11082729/

Smartphone-Based Speech Therapy for Poststroke ... The smartphone-based speech therapy app significantly improved speech intelligibility, articulation, and quality of life in patients with poststroke dysarthria.

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06592183

Speech Rehabilitation Based on Mobile Applications This study evaluates the efficacy of smartphone-based speech therapy administered at home compared with usual care. Participants will be randomized into the ...

3. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/303027/speech-rehabilitation-based-on-mobile-applications/

Speech Rehabilitation Based on Mobile Applications Overview. This study evaluates the efficacy of smartphone-based speech therapy administered at home compared with usual care.

4. clinicaltrial.be clinicaltrial.be/en/details/450420?per_page=100&only_recruiting=1&only_eligible=0

Speech Rehabilitation Based on Mobile Applications - Clin... This study aimed to determine whether the condition of patients with stroke can be improved through the use of smartphone-based interventions.

5. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509662/

Smartphone-Based Speech Therapy for Poststroke ... The smartphone-based speech therapy app significantly improved speech intelligibility, articulation, and quality of life in patients with poststroke dysarthria.