A Comparison of Speech Dysfluencies Before and After Sports-Related Concussion

Research Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare the number and type of speech disfluencies that occur in college-aged athletes at baseline compared to after a sports-related concussion.

Design: Pre-post (repeated measures)

Setting: University

Participants: A total of 230 Division I student athletes participated in pre-season speech testing. Twelve students (18-22 years) who sustained a concussion participated in speech testing in the days following concussion. Picture description speech samples were independently coded by three trained raters for 17 error types in the traditional categories of errors defined in fluency analysis.

Interventions: Not Applicable

Main Outcome Measures: Error types were sorted into three categories: stuttering-like dysfluencies (part-word repetition, single-syllable whole-word repetition, prolongation, block), articulation errors (substitution, distortion, addition, omission), and other dysfluencies (multisyllable whole-word repetition, revision, abandoned or incomplete segment, interjection, filler, phrase repetition, pauses).

Results: Within-subjects analysis comparing the difference in percent error scores at baseline and post-concussion revealed significant differences for interjections (t(11)=-2.678, p< .05). The Other Disfluency category was also significantly different (t(11)= -2.735, p< .05), with more errors occurring after a concussion. No change in the Stuttering-Like Disfluency (t(11)= -0.799, p>.05) or Articulation Error category (t(11)=-0.045, p>.05) was found.

Conclusions: As predicted, pre-post comparisons demonstrated an overall increase in total number of speech errors after a concussion (Mean Baseline = 11.5 errors; Mean Concussion = 15.9 errors). Results demonstrate that specific speech fluency changes occur following mild sports-related concussions. Future studies should consider speech as a diagnostic tool for concussion.

Author(s) Disclosures: Funding for this work is through an internal grant by Seton Hall University. No other relevant disclosures.