Department of Communication Disorders, Texas State University, Round Rock Campus.
Department of Psychology, University of Texas, San Antonio.
J Commun Disord. 2023 Sep-Oct;105:106353. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2023.106353. Epub 2023 Jun 10.
The variable and intermittent nature of stuttering makes it difficult to consistently elicit a sufficient number of stuttered trials for longitudinal experimental research. This study tests the efficacy of using non-word pairs that phonetically mimic English words with no associated meaning, to reliably elicit balanced numbers of stuttering and fluent trials over multiple sessions. The study also evaluated the effect of non-word length on stuttering frequency, the consistency of stuttering frequency across sessions, and potential carry-over effects of increased stuttering frequency in the experimental task to conversational and reading speech after the task.
Twelve adults who stutter completed multiple sessions (mean of 4.8 sessions) where they were video-recorded during pre-task reading and conversation, followed by an experimental task where they read 400 non-word pairs randomized for each session, and then a post-task reading and conversation sample.
On average, across sessions and participants, non-word pairs consistently yielded a balanced distribution of fluent (60.7%) and stuttered (39.3%) trials over five sessions. Non-word length had a positive effect on stuttering frequency. No carryover effects from experimental to post-task conversation and reading were found.
Non-word pairs effectively and consistently elicited balanced proportions of stuttered and fluent trials. This approach can be used to gather longitudinal data to better understand the neurophysiological and behavioral correlates of stuttering.
口吃的多变性和间歇性使得难以在纵向实验研究中持续获得足够数量的口吃试验。本研究测试了使用没有相关含义的、在语音上模仿英语单词的无意义双词来可靠地引出平衡数量的口吃和流利试验的效果，这些试验可以横跨多个会话进行。该研究还评估了非词长度对口吃频率的影响、会话间口吃频率的一致性，以及在任务后对话和阅读语音中增加口吃频率的潜在延续效应。
12 名口吃者完成了多个会话（平均 4.8 个会话），在每个会话之前进行阅读和会话的视频记录，然后进行实验任务，在该任务中他们阅读 400 个随机分配的非词对，然后是任务后的阅读和会话样本。
平均而言，在跨会话和参与者中，非词对在五个会话中始终产生流利（60.7%）和口吃（39.3%）试验的平衡分布。非词长度对口吃频率有积极影响。在实验到任务后的对话和阅读中没有发现延续效应。
非词对有效地、始终如一地引出了平衡数量的口吃和流利试验。这种方法可用于收集纵向数据，以更好地理解口吃的神经生理和行为相关性。
