CARE Model Therapy for Stuttering

Overseen By Geoffrey A Coalson, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin

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

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 11 weeks

3000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how various speech, language, and social factors affect stuttering in individuals who speak one or more languages. It also tests a new treatment method, the Blank Center CARE Model, which uses online therapy to address fluency disorders. The trial seeks children and adults who stutter, regardless of official diagnosis, and who frequently experience stuttering disruptions in their speech. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could enhance future treatment options for stuttering.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the CARE Model is safe for individuals who stutter?

Research has shown that the Blank Center CARE Model for treating stuttering is safe and well-tolerated. Studies have found that it offers a supportive and empowering experience for children, teens, and adults who stutter. For instance, one study found that ten adults who completed the treatment reported positive changes in their communication without any negative effects. This non-invasive method focuses on speech therapy, making it a gentle option for participants. As this trial involves therapy sessions instead of medication, it generally poses minimal risk to participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The Blank Center CARE Model™ for stuttering is unique because it combines Communication, Advocacy, Resilience, and Education into a comprehensive approach. Unlike traditional speech therapy, which often focuses solely on improving fluency, this model emphasizes building a supportive environment and empowering individuals. Researchers are excited about this approach because it not only targets speech patterns but also strengthens personal and social resilience, which could lead to more lasting improvements in communication skills for those who stutter.

What evidence suggests that the Blank Center CARE Model is effective for stuttering?

Research has shown that the Blank Center CARE Model for stuttering holds promise in helping people who stutter. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the CARE Model, which emphasizes communication, advocacy, resilience, and education to support individuals in managing their stuttering. Participants in previous studies reported positive outcomes, such as improved speech fluency and increased confidence in social situations. This model takes a well-rounded approach, addressing both speech and the emotional aspects of stuttering. Overall, previous findings suggest that the CARE Model enhances communication skills and quality of life for people who stutter. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Courtney T Byrd, PhD

Principal Investigator

The University of Texas at Austin

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for children (2-17 years) and adults (18+ years) who stutter. Eligible participants are those recognized by caregivers or self-reported as individuals who stutter, have been diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist, or show a certain level of disfluency in their speech.

Inclusion Criteria

My child, aged 2-17, shows signs of stuttering and meets the study's criteria.

Exclusion Criteria

There are no exclusion criteria for persons who stutter.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo interdisciplinary, telehealth, and speech-language pathology treatment methods specific to fluency disorders

11 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• The Blank Center CARE Model(TM) for Individuals who Stutter

Trial Overview The study is examining the Blank Center CARE Model(TM), focusing on how it can help people who stutter. It looks at contributions to stuttering and evaluates telehealth treatments and training methods for fluency disorders.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Blank Center CARE Model (Communication, Advocacy, Resilience, Education) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Texas at Austin

Lead Sponsor

Trials

387

Recruited

86,100+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Stuttering is common in young children, but many recover naturally, making it difficult to predict who will need treatment; however, therapy during childhood is crucial for preventing chronic stuttering.

This review highlights evidence-based treatment options for stuttering in children and adolescents, while also addressing the clinical challenges faced in treating different developmental stages.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Management options for pediatric patients who stutter: current challenges and future directions. Donaghy, MA., Smith, KA.[2020]

Speech restructuring interventions, such as the Camperdown Program, significantly reduced stuttering frequency in adults by 50-57%, although they did not achieve fluency levels comparable to those of individuals who do not stutter.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) showed a smaller reduction in stuttering frequency (22-27%), and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was found to be an effective addition to speech restructuring, but the overall evidence for tDCS and psychological treatments remains limited.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of interventions for adults who stutter. Brignell, A., Krahe, M., Downes, M., et al.[2020]

Children and adolescents who stutter experience a moderate negative impact on their quality of life, as assessed by the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering--School-Age (OASES-S).

There is a positive correlation between the severity of stuttering and its impact on quality of life, suggesting that more severe stuttering may lead to greater challenges in daily living, which can inform the development of targeted treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of stuttering on quality of life of children and adolescents. Chun, RY., Mendes, CD., Yaruss, JS., et al.[2019]

The Lidcombe Program for early stuttering showed promising effectiveness in community clinics, with children achieving a mean stuttering percentage of only 1.7% after 9 months of treatment.

Children treated by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who received formal Lidcombe Program training had significantly better outcomes, achieving lower stuttering scores despite requiring more sessions, indicating the importance of proper training for effective treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of the Lidcombe Program for early stuttering in Australian community clinics. O'Brian, S., Iverach, L., Jones, M., et al.[2013]

The Culturally Competent Community Care (CCCC) model was developed to provide community health nurses with specific guidelines for delivering culturally competent care, which is essential for addressing health disparities among ethnic populations.

The model identifies key dimensions of culturally competent care—caring, cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills—and emphasizes their relationship with health outcomes, helping nurses better meet the health needs of diverse communities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A model for the delivery of culturally competent community care. Kim-Godwin, YS., Clarke, PN., Barton, L.[2019]

Implementing a sustainable patient-centered care (PCC) model is essential for improving healthcare in America, despite historical challenges and resistance from healthcare professionals who may view it as merely an economic tool.

The article emphasizes the importance of fostering strong relationships between healthcare providers and patients, suggesting that a cultural transformation is necessary to prioritize the needs of both parties in the healthcare system.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why not person-centered care? The challenges of implementation. Hagenow, NR.[2019]

Three core measures of treatment outcome for stuttering—stuttering rate, speech rate, and speech naturalness—are recommended for clinicians based on clinical trial data, emphasizing the need for direct speech measures in practice.

Severity ratings of stuttering are highlighted as valuable tools for clinicians, allowing for flexible and tailored outcome measurements that can enhance the assessment of treatment effectiveness in various settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Connecting stuttering management and measurement: I. Core speech measures of clinical process and outcome. Shenker, RC.[2016]

The treatment center model aims to create a high-tech environment that attracts patients to academic medical centers, enhancing patient care and experience.

This model also focuses on retaining top clinicians by revising traditional academic structures and establishing appropriate goals and incentives for both the hospital and professional groups involved.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The treatment center: a model for competitive clinical practice. Nochomovitz, ML.[2000]

Specialized diabetes care (SDC) centers provide a comprehensive 'one-stop' approach to diabetes management, integrating medical care, education, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching, which leads to better patient outcomes.

The multidisciplinary team approach at SDC centers not only improves health results for patients but also helps reduce overall healthcare costs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Traditional or centralized models of diabetes care: the multidisciplinary diabetes team approach. Bratcher, CR., Bello, E.[2012]

The South Calgary Health Centre (SCHC) has demonstrated high levels of staff and client satisfaction, indicating that it is functioning well as an integrated health service delivery model.

While the SCHC has not fully achieved its goal of complete clinical integration, the evaluation framework used to assess its performance has proven effective and may serve as a standard for future health center evaluations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Measuring key integration outcomes: a case study of a large urban health center. Suter, E., Hyman, M., Oelke, N.[2022]

Citations

1. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1488328/full

CARE Model of Treatment for stuttering: Theory ... The purpose of this article is to present a theory of therapy for stuttering, its related assumptions, and findings from associated empirical studies.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11667897/

CARE Model of Treatment for stuttering: Theory, assumptions ... The purpose of this article is to present a theory of therapy for stuttering, its related assumptions, and findings from associated empirical studies.

3. blankcenterforstuttering.org blankcenterforstuttering.org/assessment/

Blank Center CARE Model Assessment The Blank Center CARE Model offers a distinct, non-ableist approach to stuttering treatment that empowers children, teens, and adults to Dream. Speak. Live.

4. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.19.24315802v1.full.pdf

Social Validation of Post-Treatment Outcomes of Adults ... Conclusions: Present findings provide further social validation of the Blank Center CARE Model ... Blank Center for Stuttering Education ...

5. blankcenterforstuttering.org blankcenterforstuttering.org/manual/

Blank Center CARE Model Manual Every section contains functional outcomes, short-term goals, sample therapy activities that support whole-person CARE, critical reflections, and more.

6. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-stuttering-4-2015-43daf

CARE Model Therapy for Stuttering This trial is testing online therapy sessions and specialized training for speech therapists to help people who stutter. It focuses on both monolingual and ...

7. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.19.24315802v1

Social Validation of Post-Treatment Outcomes of Adults ... Ten adults who stutter provided communication samples one week before and after completing the Blank Center CARE Model treatment. A total of ...