TY - JOUR

T1 - Cognitive Load in Voice Therapy Carry-Over Exercises

AU - Iwarsson, Jenny

AU - Morris, David Jackson

AU - Balling, Laura Winther

PY - 2017/1

Y1 - 2017/1

N2 - Purpose The cognitive load generated by online speech production may vary with the nature of the speech task. This article examines 3 speech tasks used in voice therapy carry-over exercises, in which a patient is required to adopt and automatize new voice behaviors, ultimately in daily spontaneous communication.Method Twelve subjects produced speech in 3 conditions: rote speech (weekdays), sentences in a set form, and semispontaneous speech. Subjects simultaneously performed a secondary visual discrimination task for which response times were measured. On completion of each speech task, subjects rated their experience on a questionnaire.Results Response times from the secondary, visual task were found to be shortest for the rote speech, longer for the semispontaneous speech, and longest for the sentences within the set framework. Principal components derived from the subjective ratings were found to be linked to response times on the secondary visual task. Acoustic measures reflecting fundamental frequency distribution and vocal fold compression varied across the speech tasks.Conclusions The results indicate that consideration should be given to the selection of speech tasks during the process leading to automation of revised speech behavior and that self-reports may be a reliable index of cognitive load.

AB - Purpose The cognitive load generated by online speech production may vary with the nature of the speech task. This article examines 3 speech tasks used in voice therapy carry-over exercises, in which a patient is required to adopt and automatize new voice behaviors, ultimately in daily spontaneous communication.Method Twelve subjects produced speech in 3 conditions: rote speech (weekdays), sentences in a set form, and semispontaneous speech. Subjects simultaneously performed a secondary visual discrimination task for which response times were measured. On completion of each speech task, subjects rated their experience on a questionnaire.Results Response times from the secondary, visual task were found to be shortest for the rote speech, longer for the semispontaneous speech, and longest for the sentences within the set framework. Principal components derived from the subjective ratings were found to be linked to response times on the secondary visual task. Acoustic measures reflecting fundamental frequency distribution and vocal fold compression varied across the speech tasks.Conclusions The results indicate that consideration should be given to the selection of speech tasks during the process leading to automation of revised speech behavior and that self-reports may be a reliable index of cognitive load.

UR - http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2595243

U2 - 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-S-15-0235

DO - 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-S-15-0235

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28006054

VL - 60

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

JF - Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

SN - 1092-4388

IS - 1

ER -