The effect of SpeechEasy® on attitudes, emotions and coping behaviors. Outcomes of short time usage

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of SpeechEasy^® on attitudes, emotions and coping behaviors after a short period of usage. Nine individuals who stutter were fitted with the SpeechEasy^® and used the device for at least 4 h/day during a period of less than 2 months. Before and after this period spontaneous speech samples were collected and attitudes, emotions and coping behaviors were assessed by means of the Behavior Assessment Battery (Brutten & Vanryckeghem, 2003b) and the adult form of the Communication Attitude Test (Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2011). Results indicate that after a short time using the SpeechEasy^® some people who stutter may to some extent show an amelioration of the negative attitudes, emotions and coping behaviors that usually accompany the stuttering. However, self-reported changes in attitudes, emotions and coping behaviors do not necessarily reflect objective fluency scores and there seems to be considerable individual variation in reaction the SpeechEasy^®.

Resumen

El presente estudio investiga el efecto del SpeechEasy^® en la actitud, las emociones y las estrategias de afrontamiento después de un breve periodo de uso. Se colocó un SpeechEasy^® a nueve individuos tartamudos, que lo utilizaron durante un mínimo de cuatro horas diarias a lo largo de un periodo inferior a dos meses. Antes y después de este periodo se tomaron muestras de habla y se evaluaron la actitud, las emociones y las estrategias de afrontamiento por medio del Behavior Assessment Battery (Brutten y Vanryckeghem, 2003b) y del formulario para adultos de Communication Attitude Test (Vanryckeghem y Brutten, 2011). Los resultados indican que poco tiempo después de usar el SpeechEasy^® algunas personas que tartamudean podrían mostrar una cierta mejora de las actitudes, emociones y estrategias de afrontamiento negativas que suelen acompañar el tartamudeo. No obstante, la autoevaluación de los cambios en estos aspectos no necesariamente reflejan una puntación de fluidez objetiva y parece existir una variación individual considerable respecto al SpeechEasy^®.