Study of Verbal Communication in People with ALS and Age-Matched Adults Using Structured and Unstructured Speech Tasks

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand how communicative interaction affects verbal communication in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS compared to age-matched adults. The study explores differences in speech production across various tasks to clarify the impact of ALS-related speech difficulties. It is designed as a single-group study involving both people with ALS and age-matched speakers. Participants will complete one solo speech production task and three interactive tasks involving structured and unstructured communicative interactions, using tablets and audio recording devices at home. They will work with unfamiliar interlocutors during these tasks, which include reading words and sentences with instructions to overenunciate in some cases. Speech will be recorded both locally and remotely via videoconferencing. During the study, participants will perform speech tasks in sessions lasting about 60 minutes each. Researchers will analyze speech features such as formant frequencies, intelligibility, syntactic and pragmatic properties, and speech sound duration. The study uses statistical models to assess effects and variability, with participation expected to involve remote guidance and feedback over the course of the sessions.

Evaluating Verbal Communication in Structured Interactions: Theoretical and Clinical Implications