Research

At Swift Speech, Stuttering & Voice we regularly conduct research and promote approved research studies from other sites to further our understanding of stuttering, cluttering and voice. This page details the current studies that are recruiting participants and provides details of how you can be involved.

Psychosocial outcomes of adults and teens who stutter undertaking group improv therapy

Summary: This study aims to continue the pursuit of therapy approaches that view the client holistically, and do not just focus on their overt stuttering. Swift Group Improv Therapy uses group improv to support clients to positively participate and continuously engage in the activities and social situations that are important to them. Focusing on increasing the awareness of one’s own communication abilities in a risk-free supported environment guided by speech pathologists experienced in stuttering has the potential to improve long term outcomes for participants. Currently, relapse following treatment is estimated to occur in 30% to 60% of stuttering clients. This research will contribute to identifying specific factors that lead to favourable and less favourable outcomes among this group.

What will participants be asked to do? Participate in a 9-week group improv program, participate in an interview about their experiences at the end of the 9-weeks, complete questionnaires and provide speech samples before, immediately after and 6-months after participation in the group.

Conducted by: Swift Speech, Stuttering & Voice and the University of South Australia (UniSA)

Ethics Approval: UniSA HREC Application ID 205793 approved 20/12/23

How to enrol / who to contact for further information: Damien Aston, BSpPath(Hons) student at UniSA, astdm001@mymail.unisa.edu.au or Dr Michelle Swift, Senior Lecturer at UniSA, michelle.swift@unisa.edu.au

Links to further information: Participant Information Sheet, Blog about Improv Therapy

Improv Come and Try Day scheduled for Wednesday 20 March 24 (contact Damien or Michelle to book in - no obligation to continue with the research). Recruitment closes on Monday 25 March 24. Groups begin in April 2024.

Cluttering treatment: Do client experiences fit with neuro-affirming practice?

Summary: The team at Swift Speech are collaborating with researchers at UniSA to investigate the experiences of clients who have received treatment for cluttering with a particular aim to analyse whether these experiences fit with neurodiversity-affirming practice. The interviews are open to anyone over 18 years of age who was actively involved in cluttering treatment either as the person with cluttering or as a parent/caregiver of a child or teen with cluttering.

What will participants be asked to do? Participate in one interview with a researcher about their experiences with cluttering treatment

Conducted by: Swift Speech, Stuttering & Voice and the University of South Australia (UniSA)

Ethics Approval: UniSA HREC Application ID 205589 approved 11/7/23

How to enrol / who to contact for further information: Dr Michelle Swift, Senior Lecturer at UniSA, michelle.swift@unisa.edu.au

Links to further information: Participant Information Sheet

Recruiting until Friday 5 April 2024