We are conducting a research study about different treatment schedules for children ages 9 – 17 years who have difficulty with the “R” or “S” sounds. We want to know if different speech therapy models result in different amounts of progress in speech therapy.
What is Involved?
- Completing online surveys or a phone interview to screen eligibility
- A speech pathology assessment to fully determine study eligibility (~90 min)
- A session to assess the participant’s response to teaching strategies (~50 min)
- 16 free 60-minute sessions using a treatment called Speech Motor Chaining. Sessions will be delivered by a qualified speech-language pathologist. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to complete either 2 visits per week for 8 weeks, or one week of intensive treatment and the remaining sessions within the next 3 weeks.
- Completing additional surveys and progress monitoring recordings
- Total duration: about 11 weeks
Who can take part?
Children ages 9-17 who:
- have difficulty pronouncing the “R” or “S” sound (or both) relative to peers who speak the child’s same dialect of American English
- speak American English as their first language
- have normal hearing
- do not have oral or facial structural issues, voice disorders, brain injury, or developmental disorders such as autism or Cerebral Palsy
Where Will the Study Take Place?
- Participants can be seen at Syracuse University or in their homes if they live within 20 miles of one of our research speech-language pathologists. We will have multiple speech-language pathologists throughout New York State.
What does it Cost?
- There is no cost to families. Families will be compensated for their participation with a gift card (Amazon, Target, or Walmart), up to $105 if all visits are fully complete.
Interested? Click Here for a prescreening survey!
Contact
For more information:
- Email: SpeechProductionLab@syr.edu
- Phone: 315-443-1351
SU IRB #22-426
Consent and Child Assent documents for randomized controlled trial.