Clear speech research in dysarthria

Abstract

A sizeable group of theoretically grounded studies has defined clear speech production for neurotypical talkers as well as the perceptual consequences of neurotypical clear speech. Although less robust in size compared to the neurotypical literature, clear speech research focused on the clinical population of dysarthria has grown substantially over the last decade. The growth stems, in part, from the positive effects of clear speech on intelligibility, a perceptual construct central to the clinical management of dysarthria. We will review dysarthria research from our lab examining the effects of clear speech on speech acoustics and subsequently, on perceptual measures of speech. Factors which may contribute to variability in clear speech outcomes in dysarthria will be considered. These factors include but are not limited to (1) dysarthria neuropathology; (2) the instructions provided to elicit a clear speaking style; (3) the amount of effort exerted by the speaker; and (4) the choice of measures for evaluating efficacy. Finally, we will offer suggestions for future research that may accelerate translation of clear speech research to clinical practice.