Tutorial: Using Visual-Acoustic Biofeedback for Speech Sound Training.
Elaine R Hitchcock, Laura C Ochs, Michelle T Swartz...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36623212Actively Recruiting
Phase Not Applicable
Age: 8Years - 17Years
All Genders
ID07041723
Online Assessment and Enhancement of Auditory Perception for Speech Sound Errors BiOfeedback, Online for Sibilant Treatment
Led by Montclair State University · Updated on 2025-08-03
6
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
M
Montclair State University
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of a visual-acoustic biofeedback treatment delivered via telepractice for children aged 8 to 17 years who have speech sound disorders affecting the production of the /s/ sound. The study aims to determine whether this biofeedback method can improve /s/ sound accuracy compared to no treatment and if it positively influences social-emotional well-being for participants and their guardians. The study involves six children with distortions of the /s/ sound. Participants will first undergo an initial evaluation to confirm eligibility and then be randomly assigned to begin treatment after 4 to 10 baseline sessions where their /s/ sound production is assessed but not treated. All children will receive 20 one-hour biofeedback treatment sessions over 10 weeks, followed by three maintenance sessions. Treatment is provided individually by a certified speech-language pathologist via password-protected Zoom videoconference calls, using software that provides real-time visual feedback and adjusts practice difficulty based on participant performance. Throughout the study, participants will complete standard word probes at baseline and after treatment to measure the accuracy of their /s/ sound production. Surveys will also be conducted before and after treatment to assess changes in social-emotional well-being. The trial includes monitoring of speech production during sessions with software-guided feedback, and participants will practice producing sounds in structured blocks. The total study duration includes baseline, treatment, and maintenance sessions, with outcomes assessed after 20 weeks.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
BiOfeedback, Online for Sibilant Treatment
Who Can Participate
Age: 8Years - 17Years
All Genders
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age between 8;0 and 17;11 years at the time of enrollment
- English as the dominant language, learned by age 3
- Passes pure-tone hearing screening at 30 dB hearing level
- Passes brief examination of oral structure and function
- Less than 30% accuracy on a probe list eliciting fricative /s, z/ sounds at the word level
- No more than 3 speech sounds other than /s/ in error on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-3
- Diagnosis of ADHD, learning disability, dyslexia, or neurodiversity allowed if cutoff scores met on evaluation day 1
- History of childhood apraxia of speech allowed if cutoff scores met on evaluation day 1
- Braces and removable retainers are allowed
- Access to a laptop or desktop computer and a quiet space for study sessions
You will not qualify if you...
- Scaled score of 7 or higher on the Recalling Sentences and Formulated Sentences subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-5
- History of permanent hearing loss (temporary hearing loss due to otitis media allowed)
- History of developmental disorders such as Down syndrome or cerebral palsy
- History of major brain injury, surgery, or stroke in the past year (mild concussion allowed)
- Active diagnosis of epilepsy or other neurological disorder unless well-controlled for at least 6 months
- Current diagnosis of voice or fluency disorder
- Current orthodontia that crosses the palate (braces and removable retainers allowed)
- Lack of access to a laptop or desktop computer and a quiet space for study sessions
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
1
2
3
Your Study Journey
Screening
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 screening and enrollment visit (in-person)
Baseline Assessment
Duration - Variable number of sessions over up to several weeks
Participants complete 4 to 10 baseline sessions where their /s/ production is probed but not treated.
4 to 10 sessions (remote via Zoom)
Treatment
Duration - 10 weeks
Participants receive 20 sessions of /s/ production training using visual-acoustic biofeedback delivered individually by a certified speech-language pathologist over Zoom.
20 sessions (remote via Zoom)
Maintenance
Duration - Short-term period following treatment
Participants attend 3 maintenance sessions to support retention of treatment gains.
3 sessions (remote via Zoom)
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Montclair State University
Bloomfield, New Jersey, United States, 07003
Actively Recruiting
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Research Team
E
Elaine R. Hitchcock, PhD
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
1
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Published Research Related To This Trial
Telepractice as a Reaction to the COVID-19 Crisis: Insights from Croatian SLP Settings.
Jelena Kuvač Kraljević, Ana Matić, Katarina Pavičić Dokoza
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33520098Telemedicine as a means of effective speech evaluation for patients with cleft palate.
Elizabeth Whitehead, Valerie Dorfman, Glendora Tremper...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22421491Multiple stakeholder perspectives on teletherapy delivery of speech pathology services in rural schools: a preliminary, qualitative investigation.
Michelle Lincoln, Monique Hines, Craig Fairweather...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25945230The Efficacy of Telehealth-Delivered Speech and Language Intervention for Primary School-Age Children: A Systematic Review.
Danielle Wales, Leisa Skinner, Melanie Hayman
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28814995