Graduation Year

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Degree Granting Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Major Professor

Nathan Maxfield, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Committee Member

Michelle Bourgeois, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Committee Member

Alexandra Brandimore, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Keywords

Single-Subject, Functional Communication, Intervention, Fluency

Abstract

Treatment for adulthood stuttering traditionally focuses on some combination of stuttering management and fluency management and may also target emotional and cognitive reactions to stuttering. However, long-term gains are often limited, and there is a need for continued development of approaches for mitigating impacts of stuttering. We know of no evidence-based therapy approaches designed to target functional communication in adults who stutter (AWS), despite widespread interest in improving functional communication in members of this speaker group. Script training is an intervention approach designed to improve accuracy and automaticity in functional communication. Script training was originally designed for use with adults with aphasia and was also recently applied successfully with adults with apraxia of speech.

The aim of this study was to determine effects of script training in AWS. Three males participated, one who stuttered mildly, one moderately, and one severely. Using a single-subject, multiple-baseline design, treatment and maintenance performance was compared to baseline performance on three dependent variables: Script accuracy, percentage of syllables stuttered, and speaking rate.

Results indicate that script training may benefit AWS. Script accuracy increased and percentage of syllables stuttered decreased in all three individuals. Speaking rate increased for one participant, whose pre-treatment stuttering was rated as mild in severity. All participants reported a self-perceived increase in confidence communicating. These effects indicate that additional research is warranted to continue investigating effects of script training in people who stutter.

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