|
THE STUTTERING RESPONSE |
The following materials are used to identify and specifically describe behaviors that either facilitate or inhibit fluid speech movements and development of a stuttering response. Each form addresses the features or "parameters" of movement based on a Systems Approach to Stuttering Therapy (Cross, 1996). There are three types of analysis protocols rating scales, description worksheets/graphics, and summary profiles. Each provides a different method of describing and quantifying the features of speech movement and development of a stuttering response. |
|
Rating Scales: Four rating scales provide specific features of fluid and non-fluid movement. The clinician rates each feature on a five-point continuous scale. The first rating scale, Analysis of Speech Movements by Parameters, helps the clinician identify and quantify individual features of speech movement. The features are subdivided into seven categories, primarily according to different parts of the speech system, including the respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory systems. Analysis of Speech Movements by Phase, provides a similar analysis according to the five "phases" of a movement sequence (pre-onset, onset, blending, offset, and post-offset). This provides a quantification of behaviors that facilitate or inhibit fluid speech in the normal sequence of an utterance. Analysis of Communication Pace, quantifies specific features that constituted or influence the speaker's communication speed or "pace" . This incorporates not only patterns of speech movement but also the speakesr's perception of psychological speed (i.e.time pressure) and inter-speaker and intra-utterance pause locations and times. Analysis of Communication Pace by Situations provides a summary profile of the individual features of communication pace across a variety of speaking situtations.
|
Worksheets: Description of Speech Movements is a worksheet used to analyze and describe the features of fluid and non-fluid speech movements. It is subdivided into seven categories of movement that traces the flow of air and sound through the vocal tract. The worksheet includes description of continuity and rhythm, location of inappropriate valving, force, and speeding. This worksheet can be used in combination with the graphic "The Vocal Tube" as well as the rating forms above to identify what the client is doing to interfere with fluid speech movement. A traditional segmental analysis of fluency is also important in describing speaking patterns. A segmental analysis focuses on identifying and categorizing the proportion of linguistic units (such as syllables or words) produced non-fluently relative to the total number of units attempted.This is also referred to by some as a "fluency index". A segmental analysis also includes proportion of disfluencies by "type" (e.g. part-word repetition, prolongation, etc.), duration of disfluencies, and speaking rate. The links Procedures for a Segmental Analysis for Fluency and Segmental Analysis of Fluency Worksheet provide basic instructions and a worksheet for calculating and reporting a fluency index.
|
|
Summary Profiles: The Stuttering Response Warning Signs is a checklist of the primary features characteristic of a stuttering response pattern. This includes features of movement, anticipation, avoidance, and attitude/perceptions. The Profile of a Stuttering Response is an inclusive individulized summary checklist that depicts the status of the client's complete communication processes. This profile is used in conjunction with the different information gathered and analyzed during the client's evalation. The clinician can use this summary profile to (1) determine whether the client exhibits communication problems that warrant intervention, (2) to determine specific features of the communication processes that contribute to the client's communication difficulty, and (3) provide a means to help the client understand the features of their fluency problem and the goals of therapy.
|
|