Auditory Perception and Ultrasound Biofeedback Treatment Outcomes for Children With Residual /ɹ/ Distortions: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Purpose This study evaluated whether outcomes from treatment, which includes ultrasound visual feedback (UVF), would be more or less effective when combined with auditory perception training for children with residual /ɹ/ errors. Method Children ages 8–16 years with /ɹ/ distortions participated in speech therapy that included real-time UVF of the tongue. Thirty-eight participants were randomized to speech therapy conditions that included a primary focus on articulation using UVF or a condition that included auditory perceptual training plus UVF (incorporating category goodness judgments and self-monitoring). Generalization of /ɹ/ production accuracy to untrained words was assessed before and after 14 hr of therapy. Additionally, the role of auditory perceptual acuity was explored using a synthetic /ɹ/–/w/ continuum. Results There was no difference between the treatment groups in rate of improvement of /ɹ/ accuracy (increase of 34% for each group; p = .95, η p 2 = .00). However, pretreatment auditory acuity was associated with treatment progress in both groups, with finer perceptual acuity corresponding to greater progress ( p = .015, η p 2 = .182). Conclusion Similar gains in speech sound accuracy can be made with treatment that includes UVF with or without auditory perceptual training. Fine-grained perceptual acuity may be a prognostic indicator with treatment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.11886219