Speech rate treatments for individuals with dysarthria: a tutorial.
Research confirms the long-standing clinical observation that patients with dysarthria exhibit variability in speech rate. Thus, modifying speech rate has been documented as one of the best treatment options for these patients. In this tutorial, several published rate control interventions for dysarthric speakers are presented. Studies discussed utilized various interventions, including pacing boards, alphabet board supplementation, visual and auditory feedback, cueing and pacing strategies, and delayed auditory feedback. Interventions discussed represent a hierarchy from "rigid" strategies, which impose maximal rate control, to techniques allowing for greater speech naturalness and independent rate control. All procedures are examined with respect to effectiveness in reducing rate, effect on intelligibility and prosody, training requirements, specific alterations made to speech rate, and other relevant aspects.
Blanchet
Paul G
PG
Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, State University of New York at Fredonia, W117 Thompson Hall, Fredonia, NY 14063, USA. blanchet@fredonia.edu
Snyder
Gregory J
GJ
D000368:Aged; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003463:Cues; D004401:Dysarthria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012984:Software; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013062:Speech Articulation Tests; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D014705:Verbal Behavior