Jonathan L Preston1,2, Megan C Leece1. 1. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, NY. 2. Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The study explored changes in accuracy of American English rhotics as a result of an intensive 1-week therapy program for adolescents and young adults with residual speech sound errors that had not resolved with previous therapy. METHOD: Four case reports are presented of individuals aged 13, 17, 21, and 22 years with residual /ɹ/ distortions. Each participant attended a 1-week intensive program consisting of pretreatment assessments, 14 hr of therapy, and posttreatment assessment. Treatment sessions included structured motor-based practice, ultrasound visual feedback of the tongue, and auditory speech perception training. To assess generalization, untreated words and sentences with rhotics were recorded before and after therapy; these were rated by listeners who were blind to when the recordings were taken. RESULTS: All participants showed measurable and statistically significant improvement in speech sound accuracy. Averaged across the 4 participants, rhotic accuracy at the word level improved from 35% to 83%. At the sentence level, rhotic accuracy increased from 11% pretreatment to 66% posttreatment in 1 week. CONCLUSION: The promise of an intensive treatment program that includes motor-based practice, biofeedback, and auditory perception training is illustrated by the case presentations in which substantial improvements in speech sound accuracy were observed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5561254.
PURPOSE: The study explored changes in accuracy of American English rhotics as a result of an intensive 1-week therapy program for adolescents and young adults with residual speech sound errors that had not resolved with previous therapy. METHOD: Four case reports are presented of individuals aged 13, 17, 21, and 22 years with residual /ɹ/ distortions. Each participant attended a 1-week intensive program consisting of pretreatment assessments, 14 hr of therapy, and posttreatment assessment. Treatment sessions included structured motor-based practice, ultrasound visual feedback of the tongue, and auditory speech perception training. To assess generalization, untreated words and sentences with rhotics were recorded before and after therapy; these were rated by listeners who were blind to when the recordings were taken. RESULTS: All participants showed measurable and statistically significant improvement in speech sound accuracy. Averaged across the 4 participants, rhotic accuracy at the word level improved from 35% to 83%. At the sentence level, rhotic accuracy increased from 11% pretreatment to 66% posttreatment in 1 week. CONCLUSION: The promise of an intensive treatment program that includes motor-based practice, biofeedback, and auditory perception training is illustrated by the case presentations in which substantial improvements in speech sound accuracy were observed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5561254.
Authors: Aravind K Namasivayam; Margit Pukonen; Debra Goshulak; Jennifer Hard; Frank Rudzicz; Toni Rietveld; Ben Maassen; Robert Kroll; Pascal van Lieshout Journal: Int J Lang Commun Disord Date: 2015-01-08 Impact factor: 3.020
Authors: Jonathan L Preston; Tara McAllister; Emily Phillips; Suzanne Boyce; Mark Tiede; Jackie Sihyun Kim; Douglas H Whalen Journal: Am J Speech Lang Pathol Date: 2019-06-06 Impact factor: 2.408
Authors: Jonathan L Preston; Nina R Benway; Megan C Leece; Elaine R Hitchcock; Tara McAllister Journal: Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch Date: 2020-08-12 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: Nina R Benway; Elaine R Hitchcock; Tara McAllister; Graham Tomkins Feeny; Jennifer Hill; Jonathan L Preston Journal: Am J Speech Lang Pathol Date: 2021-07-07 Impact factor: 2.408