EFFECTS OF PROLONGATION OF SPEECH AND SYLLABLE TIME SPEECH ON REDUCTION OF SEVERITY OF STUTTERING IN STUTTERING PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Stuttering is an organic process utterance condition. This utterance condition is broken by prolongation of sounds and repetitions of part words and phrases. Speech constitution strategies facilitate the client to use a new way of oral communication in stutters. Objective: to determine the effects of prolongation of speech and syllable time speech on reduction of severity of stuttering in stuttering patients. Methods This Randomized clinical trial study design was conducted in National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine Islamabad. A total of n=30 participants of both gender having developmental stuttering with age between 20-30 years were included in the study through purposive sampling. The n=30 participants were randomly divided in to Group A received prolonged speech protocol (PSP) and Group B received syllable time speech protocol. The data was collected using the Scale of rating severity of stuttering (SRSS) at baseline, after 6th weeks and after 12th weeks of training. The data was analyzed through SPSS-21. Results The mean age of the study participants was 22±2.05 years. The median number of sibling was 4(2), birth order 2.5(2) and age of onset was 4(1) years. With-in group analysis showed that the group received prolong speech protocol {F=25.24(2), p<0.001} and syllable time speech protocol {F=29.52(2), p<0.001}, both were significantly improved from the baseline to the end of 12th week of intervention as well as at each level of assessment. While comparing the groups, there was significantly large mean difference (MD) of SRSS in group received syllable time speech protocol (2.53±.83 ver 1.73±.59, p=0.005, Cohen’s d=0.72) as compared to group received prolong speech protocol. Conclusion It is concluded that Syllable time speech was effective in reducing severity of stuttering and improving fluency in stutterers. . Key words: Stuttering, stammering, fluency shaping therapy, speech therapy.