Stuttering that continues into adulthood can influence educational choices, employment opportunities, and quality of life. Effective treatment during early childhood can prevent most adult stuttering (40%- 80%) from developing. This ongoing investigation is designed to evaluate treatment efficacy and efficiency and to identify factors that might improve the choice of therapies for young children. A recent, major review of systematic, behavioral therapies for stuttering cited 20 studies with a combined N of 36 children ages 3-12. Only four children ages 3-5 and lO ages 6-8 have been studied. These 14 subjects provide a meager data base for therapy decisions. The present study is evaluating treatment efficacy of two replicable therapies using 60 children of whom 40 stutter. One therapy approach, known as Oral Motor Training, was designed to reduce stuttering by improving speech motor skills. The other is based on response contingent behavioral therapy and is known as Extended Length of Utterance. The effects of age, speech motor skill level on treatment are tracked. Also articulation and language development, and psychosocial factors are being assessed as correlate variables. The MBRS students will participate in all phases of the research and will, with guidance, design specific sub-projects which will enrich the ongoing study. They will use the special computerized speech measure equipment to assess stuttering and rate of speech. They will also gain experience in state of the art audio recording and in spectrographic analysis of brief duration speech segments. They will learn the publication process including the role of convention presentations as well as the process of grant proposal preparation.
