Speech Processing Tasks for Stuttering

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Emily Garnett, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: Stuttering history, Major illness, others

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: 1

140 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This research is being done to better understand stuttering, specifically how people who stutter may process and/or produce speech. Eligible participants enrolled will complete a variety of computer and speech-based tasks on up to 2 visits.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

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

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment for stuttering?

Research shows that people who stutter can benefit from speech therapy, which helps reduce stuttering frequency and improve communication. Although more evidence is needed, many people experience positive outcomes from these treatments, especially with advances in research. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is speech processing therapy for stuttering safe for humans?

The research articles reviewed do not provide specific safety data for speech processing therapy for stuttering, but they do not report any safety concerns either. Generally, speech therapy and related interventions are considered safe for humans. ^{3 4 6 7 8}

How does the Speech Processing Tasks for Stuttering treatment differ from other stuttering treatments?

This treatment is unique because it incorporates dual tasking, which helps individuals who stutter maintain fluency in real-world situations where their attention might be divided. Unlike traditional methods that focus solely on speech patterns, this approach aims to improve fluency by training the brain to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. ^{4 8 9 10 11}

Research Team

Emily Garnett, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Michigan

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults aged 18-65 and children aged 6-17, both groups with and without stuttering. Participants must speak English as their primary language and have normal speech, hearing, cognition (except for stuttering). Those who do not stutter should not have a personal or family history of it. Excluded are individuals with major medical/psychiatric illnesses or recent speech therapy.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a child aged 6 to 17 years who stutters.

I am a child who currently stutters.

My child stutters but has normal speech, hearing, and cognitive abilities.

Exclusion Criteria

Children who do not stutter will be excluded if they have a personal or family history of stuttering.

I am an adult who stutters without major medical or psychiatric conditions.

My child stutters and has delays in speaking or moving.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Speech Processing Tasks

Participants complete a variety of computer and speech-based tasks to measure phase locking value (PLV) during speech and non-speech tasks

Up to 4 hours per session

1-2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any immediate effects or feedback after task completion

1 week

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Speech and non-speech tasks

Trial Overview The study aims to understand how people with stuttering process and produce speech by having participants complete computer-based tasks and speaking exercises during up to two visits.

Participant Groups

Group I: Healthy Children Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will have 1 visit.

Group II: Healthy Adults Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will have 2 visits.

Group III: Children who Stutter Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will have 1 visit.

Group IV: Adults who stutter (AWS) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will have 2 visits.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Findings from Research

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]

Individuals who stutter show positive outcomes from treatment provided by speech-language pathologists, indicating that professional intervention is beneficial.

While research has focused on reducing stuttering frequency and behavior, more studies are needed to understand how treatment impacts daily life activities for those who stutter and their families.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment efficacy: stuttering. Conture, EG.[2019]

Traditional evaluations of stuttering treatment mainly focus on speech disfluencies, but this study emphasizes the need to assess broader impacts, including emotional and cognitive reactions to stuttering.

The research aims to develop reliable measurement tools to evaluate various treatment outcomes, including the effects of stuttering on communication abilities and overall quality of life, which have been underrepresented in past studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating treatment outcomes for adults who stutter. Yaruss, JS.[2019]

In a study involving 17 people who stutter, performing a storytelling task while simultaneously completing a computer task led to increased stuttering frequency, suggesting that dual tasking can effectively simulate real-world challenges during speech therapy.

The development of the Dual Task and Stuttering Device (DAS-D) was positively received by three participants in a proof of concept study, indicating its potential as a useful tool in clinical settings for enhancing treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dual tasking and stuttering: from the laboratory to the clinic. Metten, C., Bosshardt, HG., Jones, M., et al.[2011]

Tele-rehabilitation using videoconferencing significantly improved speech and language skills in stuttering patients, with a mean goal attainment scaling (GAS) score of 53.08, indicating positive treatment outcomes.

Out of 112 health goals assessed, patients achieved or exceeded expectations in 78 goals, demonstrating that remote speech therapy can effectively enhance access to care and improve treatment follow-up for stuttering.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Determining the effect of tele-rehabilitation on patients with stutter using the goal attainment scaling (GAS). Eslami Jahromi, M., Ahmadian, L.[2021]

The Stuttering Problem Profile is a paper and pencil task designed to gather qualitative data that can help identify therapy goals for individuals who stutter.

This tool has been effectively used in various ways to enhance the understanding of stuttering issues, aiding in the development of personalized therapy approaches.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The stuttering problem profile: a task that assists both client and clinician in defining therapy goals. Silverman, FH.[2019]

A feasibility study involving 31 adults who stutter showed that a computerized attention training intervention for social anxiety disorder was acceptable, with 25 participants completing all data collection points.

The study successfully demonstrated a viable recruitment strategy and gathered positive feedback on the intervention, indicating that modifications are needed before conducting a larger definitive trial.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive bias modification for social anxiety in adults who stutter: a feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial. McAllister, J., Gascoine, S., Carroll, A., et al.[2021]

This study is testing the effectiveness of combining delayed auditory feedback (DAF) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in adults who stutter, aiming to improve speech fluency and overall quality of life.

The trial is designed as a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study with 30 participants, assessing changes in stuttering severity before, immediately after, and 6 weeks post-intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Delayed Auditory Feedback and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Treatment for the Enhancement of Speech Fluency in Adults Who Stutter: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Moein, N., Mohamadi, R., Rostami, R., et al.[2020]

In a clinical trial with 30 children, attention training using the NEurocognitive Joyful Attentive Training Intervention (NEJATI) significantly improved executive function and reduced stuttering severity after 12 sessions.

The study suggests that attention training can be an effective non-linguistic approach to rehabilitating developmental stuttering, highlighting its potential as a valuable therapy option.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Attention training in rehabilitation of children with developmental stuttering. Nejati, V., Pouretemad, HR., Bahrami, H.[2013]

An operant treatment for early stuttering, where parents provide verbal feedback during everyday conversations, has shown promise in helping preschool children achieve long-term control of their stuttering without relapse.

This approach is cost-effective and avoids the unnatural speech patterns often associated with traditional stuttering treatments for adults, making it a more practical solution for young children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An operant intervention for early stuttering. The development of the Lidcombe program. Onslow, M., Menzies, RG., Packman, A.[2019]

After fluency shaping therapy, nine male adults with persistent developmental stuttering showed increased brain activation in left-hemispheric speech and language areas, indicating a positive change in brain function related to speech.

The therapy appears to reorganize neuronal communication in the brain, particularly near areas of white matter abnormalities, suggesting that it may help restore normal brain circuitry rather than just compensating for the dysfunction.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cortical plasticity associated with stuttering therapy. Neumann, K., Preibisch, C., Euler, HA., et al.[2013]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment efficacy: stuttering. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating treatment outcomes for adults who stutter. [2019]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dual tasking and stuttering: from the laboratory to the clinic. [2011]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Determining the effect of tele-rehabilitation on patients with stutter using the goal attainment scaling (GAS). [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The stuttering problem profile: a task that assists both client and clinician in defining therapy goals. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cognitive bias modification for social anxiety in adults who stutter: a feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial. [2021]

8. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Delayed Auditory Feedback and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Treatment for the Enhancement of Speech Fluency in Adults Who Stutter: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. [2020]

9. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Attention training in rehabilitation of children with developmental stuttering. [2013]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An operant intervention for early stuttering. The development of the Lidcombe program. [2019]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Cortical plasticity associated with stuttering therapy. [2013]