A descriptive analysis of assessment measures on the effectiveness of a comprehensive stuttering intervention approach: A single case study.
Tasneem F Karani, Anniah Mupawose
PMID 32370524WHAT IT FOUND
In one adult man who stutters, a seven-month comprehensive approach combining fluency shaping and stuttering modification reduced stuttering severity and impact scores.
Self-acceptance improved. This describes one person's experience, not proof the treatment works.
Key findings
01The participant's total scores for stuttering frequency decreased across the three testing periods, and severity ratings reduced from pre-intervention to post-intervention.
02OASES impact scores showed a trend of decreasing from moderate/severe to moderate across the three testing periods, suggesting improvement.
03The participant's self-acceptance rating increased from 1.5/5 to 4/5 over the course of the seven months of intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study involved only one participant, so the results cannot be generalised to other people who stutter. The participant had a mild stutter, so the findings may not apply to those with greater severity. The intervention was delivered by a student clinician, which may affect the reproducibility of the results in standard clinical settings. Thematic analysis of the interview may have been influenced by the researchers' interpretations.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in this single case as evidence that this comprehensive approach is effective for stuttering in general. The study involved only one participant with a mild stutter, and no control group was used, so the observed changes cannot be attributed to the intervention with certainty.