RECRUITINGINTERVENTIONAL

Evaluating Verbal Communication in Structured Interactions: Theoretical and Clinical Implications

About This Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effect of communicative interaction on verbal communication in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and age-matched speakers. The question is, What are the effects of communicative interaction on verbal communication in people with ALS? Participants will read words and sentences while they are in a solo setting and interactive setting.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: Speakers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (PALS-people with ALS) - diagnosis of ALS following the revised EL Escorial criteria - no history of other neurological conditions (e.g., stroke) - no cognitive impairment assessed by Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) - detectable speech disturbance according to the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) - the ability to produce single words - being a native speaker of American English (AE). Age-matched Speakers - passing the remote hearing screening - having no known speech, language, or neurological disorders per self-report - no cognitive impairment assessed by Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) - being a functionally native monolingual speaker of American English. Unfamiliar Interlocutors - passing the remote hearing screening - having no known speech, language or neurological disorders per self-report - being a native monolingual speaker of American English - having no experience communicating with people with dysarthria - being between the ages of 18 and 40. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: - None - if volunteer meets the inclusion criteria, then they will be enrolled Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language

Inclusion Criteria: Speakers with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (PALS-people with ALS) * diagnosis of ALS following the revised EL Escorial criteria * no history of other neurological conditions (e.g., stroke) * no cognitive impairment assessed by Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) * detectable speech disturbance according to the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) * the ability to produce single words * being a native speaker of American English (AE). Age-matched Speakers * passing the remote hearing screening * having no known speech, language, or neurological disorders per self-report * no cognitive impairment assessed by Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) * being a functionally native monolingual speaker of American English. Unfamiliar Interlocutors * passing the remote hearing screening * having no known speech, language or neurological disorders per self-report * being a native monolingual speaker of American English * having no experience communicating with people with dysarthria * being between the ages of 18 and 40. Exclusion Criteria: * None - if volunteer meets the inclusion criteria, then they will be enrolled

Treatments Being Tested

BEHAVIORAL

Structured Communicative Interaction

Two interlocutors, one with ALS and a typical, unfamiliar interlocutor or an age-matched speaker and a typical interlocutor, will work together. On each trial, one of the interlocutors will be randomly chosen to be the "speaker" and the other will be the "listener". Each participant in the pair will view the same set of words on their screens. After one second, one of the words will be highlighted on the speaker's screen, they will say the word in the phrase "Click on the \_\_\_\_ this time", and the listener will click on it. After the listener has made their selection, both participants will receive feedback on trial success.

BEHAVIORAL

Clear Speech

PALS and age-matched speakers will read critical words consisting of target segments (e.g., "hid", "ship", "net") in random order four times. These words will be embedded in the carrier phrase "Click on the \_\_\_ this time." Participations will be instructed to overenunciate the critical words.

BEHAVIORAL

Unstructured communicative interaction

Two interlocutors, one with ALS and a typical, unfamiliar interlocutor or an age-matched speaker and a typical interlocutor, will work together. The pairs will be presented with two different versions of the same picture with eight differences chosen to elicit the same target segments (e.g., "hid", "ship", "net"). These pictures will be modified from the LUCID corpus. In total, pairs will complete four picture sets per session. Pairs will be given 5 minutes for each picture set.

BEHAVIORAL

Clear Speech Structured Communicative Interaction

Two interlocutors, one with ALS and a typical, unfamiliar interlocutor or an age-matched speaker and a typical interlocutor, will work together. On each trial, one of the interlocutors will be randomly chosen to be the "speaker" and the other will be the "listener". Each participant in the pair will view the same set of words on their screens. After one second, one of the words will be highlighted on the speaker's screen, they will say the word in the phrase "Click on the \_\_\_\_ this time", and the listener will click on it. The speaker will be instructed to overenunciate the critical words. After the listener has made their selection, both participants will receive feedback on trial success.

Locations (1)

Speech Core, Pennsylvania State University

University Park, Pennsylvania, United States