Date of Award

2013-01-01

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

Advisor(s)

Anthony P. Salvatore

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Cognitive and communicative deficits associated with traumatic brain injury are an active area of research. However, no research to date has reported on the functionality of motor speech following a concussion. A common tool used to evaluate the motor speech status of potentially impaired individuals is the measurement of the diadochokinetic speech rate. The purpose of this study is to investigate diadochokinetic speech rates in individuals who experience a sports-related concussion. Determining the nature and extent of motor speech involvement post concussion will contribute to the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of recovery. The present investigation will determine; (i) if there is a statistically significant difference in duration of diadochokinetic speech rates between concussed and non-concussed individuals and; (ii) if there is s a statistically significant correlation between performance on the diadochokinetic task versus performance on the finger repetition task between concussed and non-concussed individuals. Ten healthy adults with no history of past or current concussion were compared to ten adults diagnosed with a concussion at the time of their evaluation. diadochokinetic tasks were used to assess motor speech function. Results showed that, relative to controls, concussed individuals showed; (i) significant motor slowness in diadochokinetic and finger repetition tasks in the concussed participants; and (ii) no significant correlation between slowed finger repetition tasks and diadochokinetic tasks.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

45 pages

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Lindsay DeAnn Dolan

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