This dissertation is comprised of three studies investigating the hypothesis that people who stutter (PWS) differ from people who do not stutter (PNS) in their motor skill learning abilities. The first study in this dissertation examined the ability to learn a novel sequential speech task following a 24-h retention period. Despite slower sequence durations compared to the PNS, PWS showed the ability to retain what they had learned for all measured variables on day one and following a 24-h consolidation period. The second study in this dissertation examined the ability to learn a sequential finger tapping task by observing the ability to produce the sequence under both tests of retention and interference. For tests of retention, PWS showed the ability to retain improvements in performance for all measured variables, albeit at slower speeds compared to PNS. For tests of interference, a significant interaction for reaction time and sequence duration revealed that PNS’ performance reached a relative plateau while PWS’ performance continued to show improvement.
The third study in this dissertation investigated the extent to which individual differences in motor learning are associated with differences in stuttering treatment outcome. PWS participating in an intensive fluency treatment program were assessed for their working memory ability and their motor
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learning performance on a syllable reading and finger tapping task. Treatment success was measured at pre-treatment, post-treatment and six months follow-up using percent syllables stuttered, introspective clinical characteristics (OASES; Yaruss, 2010) and fluency effort. The relationship between motor learning and treatment outcome was examined using multiple regression analyses. Results did not support the hypothesis that the ability to learn a simple speech and nonspeech motor task is predictive of treatment outcome. Although treatment proved successful as evidenced by percent syllables stuttered and OASES scores, scores of fluency effort indicated that participants had not automated their newly learned fluency skills when speaking in everyday conversations.
Together, these studies do not support the hypothesis of a motor learning deficit in PWS but rather support the assumption of limited motor abilities. Limited motor abilities are discussed as having implications to stuttering treatment outcome.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/33927 |
| Date | 10 December 2012 |
| Creators | Bauerly, Kimberly |
| Contributors | De Nil, Luc F. |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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