Development of an internet version of the Lidcombe Program of early stuttering intervention: A trial of Part 1

Purpose: There is evidence that access to treatment for early stuttering is not available for all who need it. An internet version of the Lidcombe Program for early stuttering (Internet-LP) has been developed to deal with this shortfall. The LP is suitable for such development because it is delivered by parents in the child’s everyday environment, with training by a speech-language pathologist. A Phase I trial of Internet-LP Part 1, comprising parent training, is reported here. Method: Eight parents of pre-schoolers who stutter were recruited and six completed the trial. Result: Post-trial assessment indicated that the parents scored well for identifying and measuring stuttering and for knowledge about conducting practice sessions, including how to present verbal contingencies during practice sessions. Conclusion: The results prompted minor adjustments to Part 1 and guided the construction of Part 2, which instructs parents during the remainder of the treatment process.研究目的：已有研究证据表明，并非所有存在治疗需求的早期口吃患者都能获得相应治疗。为此，研究人员开发了面向早期口吃的网络版利德科姆疗法（Internet-LP，Lidcombe Program），以弥补这一治疗资源缺口。利德科姆疗法适合进行此类数字化开发，因其由家长在儿童日常环境中实施治疗，并由言语语言病理学家（speech-language pathologist）提供专业培训。本文报道了网络版利德科姆疗法第一部分（仅涵盖家长培训环节）的I期临床试验结果。 研究方法：本研究共招募8名口吃学龄前儿童的家长参与试验，其中6名家长顺利完成全部试验流程。 试验结果：后测评估结果显示，家长在识别与量化口吃症状、掌握训练会话的开展方法（包括训练期间如何实施言语偶联策略）方面均表现良好。 研究结论：本次试验结果对疗法第一部分进行了小幅优化调整，并为指导家长完成剩余治疗流程的疗法第二部分的构建提供了依据。