Camperdown Program for adults who stutter: a student training clinic Phase I trial.
OBJECTIVE
During speech pathology professional preparation there is a need for adequate student instruction with speech-restructuring treatments for adults. An important part of that clinical educational experience is to participate in a clinical setting that produces outcomes equivalent to those attained during clinical trials. A previous report showed that this is possible with a traditional, intensive speech-restructuring treatment. Considering the treatment process advantages and time efficiency of the Camperdown Program, it is arguably a compelling prospect for clinician education. Therefore, the present study is a Phase I trial of the treatment at a student university clinic, with a similar design to a previous report.


BACKGROUND
During speech pathology professional preparation there is a need for adequate student instruction with speech-restructuring treatments for adults. An important part of that clinical educational experience is to participate in a clinical setting that produces outcomes equivalent to those attained during clinical trials. A previous report showed that this is possible with a traditional, intensive speech-restructuring treatment. Considering the treatment process advantages and time efficiency of the Camperdown Program, it is arguably a compelling prospect for clinician education.


OBJECTIVE
The present study is a Phase I trial of the treatment at a student university clinic, with a similar design to a previous report.


METHODS
The design was a non-randomized Phase I clinical trial with 12 adult participants. Primary outcomes were per cent syllables stuttered (%SS) within and beyond the clinic, and speech naturalness scores from pre- and post-treatment stutter-free speech samples.


RESULTS
Pooled %SS scores pre-treatment were 5.7, at immediate post-treatment were 1.0, and at 12 months post-treatment were 2.4. The group speech naturalness scores post-treatment did not increase to a clinically significant extent.


CONCLUSIONS
Results essentially replicate the previous study by producing similar outcomes to those attained with clinical trials. The Camperdown Program is recommended as a clinical environment for speech-restructuring speech pathology student training.
La Trobe University School of Human Sciences, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.
Nadia
N
Cocomazzo
Susan
S
Block
Brenda
B
Carey
Sue
S
O'Brian
Mark
M
Onslow
Ann
A
Packman
Lisa
L
Iverach
D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013060:Speech; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013342:Stuttering / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult