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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04929184

Speech Processing in Stuttering

This research is being done to better understand stuttering, specifically how people who stutter may process and/or produce speech. Eligible participants enrolled will complete a variety of computer and speech-based tasks on up to 2 visits.

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Key information

Conditions

Stuttering Communication Disorders Language Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Speech Disorders Stuttering, Adult Stuttering, Childhood

Age range

6 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

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About this study

The study team will update the record to include the secondary identification number once the NIH has released the funds.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

(adults who do not stutter):

  • 18-65 years old
  • English as primary language
  • Normal speech, language, hearing, cognition

Exclusion criteria

(adults who do not stutter)

  • Personal or family history of stuttering
  • Major medical or psychiatric illness

Inclusion criteria

(adults who stutter)

  • Aged 18-65 years
  • English as primary language
  • Normal speech, language, hearing, cognition (other than stuttering)
  • Currently stutters

Exclusion criteria

(adults who stutter)

  • Speech therapy within the past year
  • Major medical or psychiatric illness

Inclusion criteria

(children who do not stutter)

  • Aged 6 to 17 years
  • English as primary language
  • Normal speech, language, hearing, cognition

Exclusion criteria

(children who do not stutter)

  • Personal or family history of stuttering
  • Major medical or psychiatric illness
  • Language/motor delay

Inclusion criteria

(children who stutter)

  • Aged 6 to 17 years
  • English as primary language
  • Normal speech, language, hearing, cognition (other than stuttering)
  • Currently stutters

Exclusion criteria

(children who stutter)

  • Major medical or psychiatric illness
  • Language/motor delay

Treatment and study plan

Speech and non-speech tasks

Behavioral

Participants will complete speech tasks such as listening to and/or producing speech and non-speech sounds.

Primary outcomes

  1. Phase Locking Value (PLV) - Session 1 Speech Tasks

    Time frame: Session 1 (up to 4 hours)

    Participants will hear a series of single syllables spoken rhythmically and will be instructed to whisper the syllable "tah" repeatedly while the recording is playing.

    The degree of synchronization (how well the participant's whispered syllables match the cadence of the recorded syllables they are listening to) will be measured by computing the PLV between subject's produced speech and the heard speech. The PLV is a vector with a value between 0 and 1 that reflects the phase difference between two signals, where 0 is a complete mis-match and a 1 is a perfect match. Adults were not instructed to attempt to match the cadence (Implicit task). Child participants were instructed to attempt to match the cadence (Explicit task).

  2. Phase Locking Value (PLV) - Session 2 Speech Tasks

    Time frame: Session 2 (up to 4 hours)

    Adult participants will hear a series of single syllables spoken rhythmically and will be instructed to whisper the syllable "tah" repeatedly while the recording is playing. Child participants did not attend Session 2.

    The degree of synchronization (how well the participant's whispered syllables match the cadence of the recorded syllables they are listening to) will be measured by computing the PLV between subject's produced speech and the heard speech. The PLV is a vector with a value between 0 and 1 that reflects the phase difference between two signals, where 0 is a complete mis-match and a 1 is a perfect match. Adults completed this task twice. For the first test, they were not instructed to attempt to match the cadence (Implicit task). For the second test, they were instructed to attempt to match the cadence (Explicit task).

Secondary outcomes

  1. R Statistic (Resultant Vector Length)

    Time frame: Session 1 (up to 4 hours)

    In tapping synchronization (sensorimotor synchronization) research, the R statistic generally refers to the resultant vector length derived from circular statistics, used to quantify the consistency and stability of a participant's tapping relative to a rhythmic stimulus. It ranges from 0 to 1. 0=Complete inconsistency (taps are uniformly distributed). 1=Perfect consistency (all taps occur at the exact same relative phase).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Michigan

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jun 18, 2021
Registry last updated
Jul 16, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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