Immediate Effects of Altered Auditory Feedback on Associated Motor Behaviors of People Who Stutter

Aims: This investigation explored the immediate effects of an altered auditory feedback device on motor behaviors associated with stuttering in monologue and conversation with and without the device and it also investigated the effects of an AAF device on stuttering frequency.

Methods: Fifteen adults with a diagnosis of stuttering and exhibited associated motor behaviors participated in this study. The author analyzed associated motor behaviors by type and frequency and statistically compared associated motor behaviors per frequency of stuttering events during monologue and conversation with and without an altered auditory feedback device.

Results: An analysis of associated motor behaviors during monologue and conversation with and without altered auditory feedback showed a predominance of associated motor behaviors involving the eyes, head, lips and hands. Altered auditory feedback significantly reduced the overall frequency of these four behaviors in monologue and conversation. Altered auditory feedback also decreased the frequency of associated motor behaviors per stuttering event in both monologue and conversation. An analysis of effect sizes associated with the statistical results revealed a larger magnitude of effect on reducing the frequency of associated motor behaviors than on reducing associated motor behaviors per stuttering event in the altered auditory feedback condition. Additionally, the Pearson correlation test designated the following positive correlations between the percentage of syllables stuttered and AMBs (r=.76 and r=.74) and percentage of syllables stuttered and AMBs per stuttering event (r=.56 and r=.41 in monologue and conversation respectively).

Conclusions: People who exhibit motor behaviors associated with their stuttering may more confidently and frequently use an altered auditory feedback device to decrease the associated motor behaviors of their stuttering in order to more easily communicate and socialize and consequently improve the quality of their life.