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This study investigated the modification of speech naturalness during stuttering treatment. It systematically replicated an earlier study (Ingham & Onslow, 1985) that demonstrated that unnatural-sounding stutter-free speech could be shaped into more natural-sounding stutter-free speech by using regular feedback of speech-naturalness ratings during speaking tasks. In the present study, the same procedure was used with three persons who stutter--2 adolescent girls and 1 adult man--during rhythmic stimulation conditions. The two adolescent participants spoke only English, but Spanish was the first and English the second language (ESL) of the adult participant. For the 2 adolescents, it was demonstrated that their unnatural-sounding rhythmic speech could be shaped to levels found among normally fluent speakers without losing the fluency-inducing benefits of rhythmic speech. The findings indicate that speech-naturalness feedback may be a powerful procedure for overcoming a problematic aspect of rhythmic speech treatments of stuttering. However, it was not possible to deliver reliable speech-naturalness feedback to the adult ESL speaker, who also displayed a strong dialect. The study highlights the need to find strategies to improve interjudge agreement when using speech-naturalness ratings with speakers who display a strong dialect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the speech perceptual differences in children who have recovered from stuttering without formal treatment from the children who never stuttered. Effect of discrimination or identification on speech perception in children; Measurement of speech naturalness; Factors responsible for recovery from stuttering; Use of the perceptual judgment task.

Presents a study determining the perceptual differences in the speech of adults who had recovered from stuttering without the assistance of treatment. Measurement of various speech behavior; Correlation of the perceptual differences with unnatural sounding speech and a high-frequency of part-word repetitions; Screening criteria used in normally fluent speakers.

Investigates the effect of speech dialect on listeners' speech naturalness ratings. Systematic replication of Martin, Haroldson and Triden's (1984) study using three groups of speaker samples; Stuttering; Speech fluency and speaking rate; Dialect as an important factor that needs to be incorporated within systems designed to train speech naturalness ratings.