Gordon W. Blood

Spouses of individuals with laryngeal cancer: caregiver strain and burden

A major proportion of care for patients with laryngectomies is provided by their spouses. This study assessed caregiver strain and burden using two standardized measures. Questionnaires were completed by 75 spouses of individuals with laryngectomies. The correlates of perceived strain and burden, time since the diagnosis of cancer, the caregivers gender, the caregivers present health status, and the effects of current stressors were considerations in the analyses. The strain and burden of caregiving decreased as time from the diagnosis of cancer increased. Male caregivers reported less strain and burden than female caregivers. Subjects reported strain and burden independent of other current stressors in their lives. Implications for counseling and support groups for caregivers are discussed.

Preliminary Study of Self-Reported Experience of Physical Aggression and Bullying of Boys Who Stutter: Relation to Increased Anxiety:

This study examined the relationship of self-reported anxiety and vulnerability to bullying for 18 children who stuttered and 18 children who did not stutter. More children who stuttered were at significantly higher risk of experiencing bullying behavior (61%) than children who did not stutter (22%); 39% of children who stuttered scored at least one standard deviation above the mean on the Revised Childrens Manifest Anxiety Scale, suggestive of higher anxiety. In contrast, only 6% of children who did not stutter scored at least one standard deviation above the mean. The correlation was .82 for children who stuttered between greater vulnerability to bullying and self-reported anxiety. A bidirectional relationship is hypothesized between high anxiety and bullying of children who stutter.

Communication apprehension and self-perceived communication competence in adolescents who stutter

The purpose of this study was to examine the communication apprehension and self-perceived communication competence of 39 adolescents who stutter and 39 adolescents who do not stutter using two standardized communication measures. Significantly higher levels of communication apprehension and poorer scores on self-perceived communication competence were found in adolescents who stutter when compared with adolescents who do not stutter. Subscore test data revealed that adolescents who stutter had significantly greater fears about speaking in Group Discussions and Interpersonal Conversations than they had about Public Speaking and talking during Meetings, when compared with students who do not stutter. They also had significantly poorer perceptions about their own communication competence on the Talking to Strangers subscore test when compared with students who do not stutter. A significant positive relationship among stuttering severity, communication apprehension, and self-perceived communication competence total scores was found. Students who stutter severely had greater fears about speaking in group discussions and interpersonal conversations. Implications for stuttering therapy and the need for specifically addressing communication apprehension in treatment sessions are discussed. Educational objectives: (1) The reader will learn about communication apprehension and fear in people who stutter and be able to describe different types of responses to these fears. (2) The reader will be able to learn about commercially available instruments for testing communication apprehension and compare differences between adolescents who stutter and who do not stutter. (3) The reader will be able to describe and explain the relationship between communication apprehension and stuttering and determine its impact on stuttering and resulting treatment decisions.

Co-occurring disorders in children who stutter

UNLABELLED This study used a mail survey to determine the (a) percentage of children who stutter with co-occurring non-speech disorders, speech disorders, and language disorders, and (b) frequency, length of sessions, and type of treatment services provided for children who stutter with co-occurring disorders. Respondents from a nationwide sample included 1184 speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Of the 2628 children who stuttered, 62.8% had other co-occurring speech disorders, language disorders, or non-speech-language disorders. Articulation disorders (33.5%) and phonology disorders (12.7%) were the most frequently reported co-occurring speech disorders. Only 34.3% of the children who stuttered had co-occurring non-speech-language disorders. Of those children with co-occurring non-speech-language disorders, learning disabilities (15.2%), literacy disorders (8.2%), and attention deficit disorders (ADD) (5.9%) were the most frequently reported. Chi-square analyses revealed that males were more likely to exhibit co-occurring speech disorders than females, especially articulation and phonology. Co-occurring non-speech-language disorders were also significantly higher in males than females. Treatment decisions by SLPs are also discussed. LEARNING OUTCOMES As a result of this activity, the participant should: (1) have a better understanding of the co-occurring speech disorders, language disorders, and non-speech disorders in children who stutter; (2) identify the speech disorders, language disorders, and non-speech disorders with the highest frequency of occurrence in children who stutter; and (3) be aware of the subgroups of children with co-occurring disorders and their potential impact on assessment and treatment.

Judging personality and appearance from voice disorders.

This study examined the effect of voice disorders on judgments of personality and appearance. One-hundred-and-five college students evaluated the personality and appearance characteristics of 12 speakers, four with normal voice quality, four with harsh-breathy voice quality, and four with hypernasal voice quality. A semantic differential procedure was employed to obtain ratings on 12 bipolar adjectives. Results indicate a significant difference between the normal and disordered voices. Voice disorders elicit more negative responses on judgments of personality and appearance of the speaker. These findings indicate that voice disorders warrant correction.

Self-Reported Experience of Bullying of Students Who Stutter: Relations with Life Satisfaction, Life Orientation, and Self-Esteem

Self-reported self-esteem, life orientation, satisfaction with life, and bullying were examined in relation to victimization experiences among 54 students who stuttered and 54 students who did not stutter. Those who stuttered reported greater, i.e., clinically significant, victimization (44.4%) than students who did not stutter (9.2%). Significant differences were found between means for self-esteem and life orientation, with students who stuttered reporting lower self-esteem and less optimistic life orientation than those who did not stutter. In both groups of students, high victimization scores had statistically significant negative correlations with optimistic life orientation, high self-esteem, and high satisfaction with life scores. Given the increased likelihood of students who stuttered being bullied, the negative relation of adjustment variables and bullying, and the potentially negative long-term effects of bullying, increased vigilance and early intervention are discussed.

Effects of perceived causality on perceptions of persons who stutter.

UNLABELLED This study examined the effects of the perceived cause of stuttering on perceptions of persons who stutter (PWS) using a 7-item social distance scale, a 25-item adjective pair scale and a 2-item visual analogue scale. Two hundred and four university students rated vignettes which varied on describing a PWS with different causalities for stuttering (psychological, genetic, or unknown). Ratings differed significantly according to assigned causality. The vignette with the stuttering due to psychological causes was rated more negatively on 14 adjective pairs and the Social Distance Scale Index when compared to the ratings of vignettes with stuttering caused by either genetic or unknown causes. Interestingly, there were no significant differences between ratings of the vignettes attributing stuttering to either genetic or unknown causes. Neither familiarity with PWS nor the perceived curability of stuttering had any significant association to the ratings. Implications of findings regarding negative stereotypes, stigmatization and perceived causality for PWS are discussed. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES Readers will be able to describe and explain: (1) research regarding negative stereotypes and stigma associated with stuttering, (2) research about attribution theory and stigma, (3) two methods used to evaluate stereotypes and stigma in adults, and (4) the negative effects on ratings of PWS due to psychological causality.

A behavioral-cognitive therapy program for adults who stutter: Computers and counseling

This paper evaluates the efficacy of a behavioral-cognitive treatment program for adults who stutter. The program combines a commercially available computer-assisted biofeedback program for the reduction of stuttering and a relapse management program for counseling and attitude change. Four adults who stutter, between the ages of 20 and 25 years, participated in a study with multiple baseline across individuals. The initial treatment was conducted in an intensive time block, followed by extended treatment sessions. Results show that subjects reduced their disfluencies to below 3% stuttered syllables and maintained those changes at the 6 and 12 month follow-up. Measures of attitude changes were also assessed and showed that increases in positive feelings and attitudes were maintained at follow-up.

Development and Assessment of a Scale Addressing Communication Needs of Patients With Laryngectomies

This article deals with the development and assessment of the Self-Evaluation of Communication Experiences After Laryngectomy (SECEL), a 35-item scale developed to address the communication needs of patients with laryngectomies. In the initial stages of development of SECEL, 431 patients with laryngectomies participated. Scale development, factor structure, and data reduction are discussed. Statistical analyses revealed three factors representing General, Environment, and Attitude Subscales. The final version of the SECEL was administered to another 102 patients with laryngectomies to determine validity and reliability measurements. The scale provides a useful measure of adjustment related to communication experiences of patients with laryngectomies.

Fundamental frequency and intensity measurements in laryngeal and alaryngeal speakers

Fundamental frequency measurements and voice sound pressure levels were examined in 10 tracheoesophageal, 10 esophageal, and 10 laryngeal speakers during three phonation tasks. The results indicated that tracheoesophageal speakers had a fundamental frequency approximately 25 Hz higher than esophageal speakers. Intensity levels for laryngeal and tracheoesophageal speakers were similar. Discussion includes support for this new voice restoration technique.