METHODS: Intensive voice therapy was delivered to 11 adults with PD using a smartphone videoconference method via WhatsApp Messenger freeware. The therapy consisted of 12 sessions over four weeks and focused on increasing vocal loudness. Outcomes were assessed using objective, perceptual and quality-of-life measures pre and post treatment. Participant satisfaction with the telerehabilitation method was obtained via the Smartphone-Based Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire.
RESULTS: Significant gains were reported for sound pressure level in sustained vowels and monologue. Perceptual ratings showed significant improvements in overall mean severity and loudness after treatment. Mean scores of speech intelligibility and Voice Handicap Index-10 were significantly better post treatment. Overall, participants were highly satisfied with the smartphone videoconference method.
DISCUSSION: Present results suggest that the smartphone videoconference method is feasible to deliver intensive voice therapy to individuals with PD to gain better speech and voice functions. Future studies need to address the standardisation of the system protocol to optimise this novel service delivery method in Malaysia.
AIMS: This research aims to measure the success and effectiveness of the SPP system using three surrogate measures: usage (frequency of use), performance (recognition accuracy) and satisfaction (children's subjective reactions), and how these measures are aligned with the success of the SPP system, as well as to each other.
METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We have measured the absolute change in the word error rate (WER) between the pre- and post-training, using the ANOVA test. Correlation co-efficiency (CC) analysis was conducted to test the relation between the surrogate measures, while a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to investigate the causal relations between the measures.
OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The CC test results indicate a positive correlation between the surrogate measures. The SEM supports all the proposed gtheses. The ANOVA results indicate that SPP is effective in reducing the WER of impaired speech.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The SPP system is an effective assistive tool, especially for high levels of severity. We found that performance is a mediator of the relation between "usage" and "satisfaction".
METHOD: The participants ranged from 3 years 3 months to 4 years 9 months at the start of the study. Beyond-clinic speech samples were obtained at 1 month and 1 week pretreatment and immediately post-Stage 1, and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months post-Stage 1.
RESULTS: Two participants, who were bilingual, achieved near-zero levels of stuttering at 12 months posttreatment. Near zero levels of stuttering were also present in their untreated languages. One participant withdrew due to reasons not connected with the research or treatment. The remaining participant, who presented with severe stuttering, completed Stage 1 but had some relapse in Stage 2 and demonstrated mild stuttering 12 months post-Stage 1.
CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes were achieved without the need to significantly adapt Lidcombe Program procedures to Malaysian culture. Further research to continue evaluation of the Lidcombe Program with Malaysian families and to estimate proportion of those who will respond is warranted.