TY - JOUR
T1 - Telepractice Treatment of Residual Rhotic Errors Using App-Based Biofeedback
T2 - A Pilot Study
AU - Peterson, Laura
AU - Savarese, Christian
AU - Campbell, Twylah
AU - Ma, Zhigong
AU - Simpson, Kenneth O.
AU - McAllister, Tara
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - Purpose: Although mobile apps are used extensively by speech-language pathologists, evidence for app-based treatments remains limited in quantity and quality. This study investigated the efficacy of app-based visual–acoustic biofeedback relative to nonbiofeedback treatment using a single-case randomization design. Because of COVID-19, all intervention was delivered via telepractice. Method: Participants were four children aged 9–10 years with residual errors affecting American English /ɹ/. Using a randomization design, individual sessions were randomly assigned to feature practice with or without biofeedback, all delivered using the speech app Speech Therapist’s App for /r/ Treatment. Progresswas assessed using blinded listener ratings of word probes administered at baseline, posttreatment, and immediately before and after each treatment session. Results: All participants showed a clinically significant response to the overall treatment package, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to very large. One participant showed a significant advantage for biofeedback over nonbiofeed-back treatment, although the order of treatment delivery poses a potential confound for interpretation in this case. Conclusions: While larger scale studies are needed, these results suggest that app-based treatment for residual errors can be effective when delivered via telepractice. These results are compatible with previous findings in the motor learning literature regarding the importance of treatment dose and the timing of feedback conditions. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.18461576.
AB - Purpose: Although mobile apps are used extensively by speech-language pathologists, evidence for app-based treatments remains limited in quantity and quality. This study investigated the efficacy of app-based visual–acoustic biofeedback relative to nonbiofeedback treatment using a single-case randomization design. Because of COVID-19, all intervention was delivered via telepractice. Method: Participants were four children aged 9–10 years with residual errors affecting American English /ɹ/. Using a randomization design, individual sessions were randomly assigned to feature practice with or without biofeedback, all delivered using the speech app Speech Therapist’s App for /r/ Treatment. Progresswas assessed using blinded listener ratings of word probes administered at baseline, posttreatment, and immediately before and after each treatment session. Results: All participants showed a clinically significant response to the overall treatment package, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to very large. One participant showed a significant advantage for biofeedback over nonbiofeed-back treatment, although the order of treatment delivery poses a potential confound for interpretation in this case. Conclusions: While larger scale studies are needed, these results suggest that app-based treatment for residual errors can be effective when delivered via telepractice. These results are compatible with previous findings in the motor learning literature regarding the importance of treatment dose and the timing of feedback conditions. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.18461576.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128488661&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85128488661&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00084
DO - 10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00084
M3 - Article
C2 - 35050705
AN - SCOPUS:85128488661
SN - 0161-1461
VL - 53
SP - 256
EP - 274
JO - Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
JF - Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
IS - 2
ER -