Dual tasking and stuttering: from the laboratory to the clinic.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the three studies in this article was to develop a way to include dual tasking in speech restructuring treatment for persons who stutter (PWS). It is thought that this may help clients maintain the benefits of treatment in the real world, where attentional resources are frequently diverted away from controlling fluency by the demands of other tasks.


METHODS
In Part 1, 17 PWS performed a story-telling task and a computer semantic task simultaneously. Part 2 reports the incorporation of the Part 1 protocol into a handy device for use in a clinical setting (the Dual Task and Stuttering Device, DAS-D). Part 3 is a proof of concept study in which three PWS reported on their experiences of using the device during treatment.


RESULTS
In Part 1, stuttering frequency and errors on the computer task both increased under dual task conditions, indicating that the protocol would be appropriate for use in a clinical setting. All three participants in Part 3 reported positively on their experiences using the DAS-D.


CONCLUSIONS
Dual tasking during treatment using the DAS-D appears to be a viable clinical procedure. Further research is required to establish effectiveness.
Metten
Christine
C
Australian Stuttering Research Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Bosshardt
Hans-Georg
HG
Jones
Mark
M
Eisenhuth
John
J
Block
Susan
S
Carey
Brenda
B
O'Brian
Sue
S
Packman
Ann
A
Onslow
Mark
M
Menzies
Ross
R
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013342:Stuttering / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult