(82) Leveling Up as Effective Communicators: Exploring Video Games with Adolescents Who Stutter

ABSTRACT

In this modern age, a substantial number of adolescents happily play video games and consider themselves to be “gamers.” Speech-language pathologists who provide therapy to young people diagnosed with a fluency disorder can benefit from the intentional utilization of video games within remote or in-person therapy. The purpose of this session is to actively discuss and demonstrate numerous video games in an effort to showcase how that digital experience could benefit some adolescents who stutter as they continue to grow and evolve as effective communicators.

SUMMARY

Today's speech-language pathologists are expected to understand and utilize emerging forms of technology for the assessment and intervention of communication disorders (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2016). One such form of emerging technology that is currently being used in speech-language therapy-related settings are smart mobile computing devices, such as iPhones and iPads (Edwards & Duchovny, 2017). These devices are able to house software programs, or applications (apps), that have been found to be beneficial for individuals who are working toward improving their communication abilities (Davis & Sweeney, 2015; Heyman, 2018). Through the use of apps that can be presented in modified ways to particular clients, clinicians are able to use these digital tools to deliver evidence-based treatments in a manner that could be defined as valid and relevant (Ramsberger & Messamer, 2014).

 

Video game apps are some of the most popular types of mobile apps available for download, with puzzle, strategy, and adventure games being the highest downloaded within the category (Perrin, 2018). Like a large percentage of mobile video games, puzzle, strategy, and adventure ones put players in active positions where they are striving to improve on previous scores and reach new levels (Durkin & Conti-Ramsden, 2014). During game play with such video games, players mentally analyze what they notice on the screen and plan their actions accordingly with the hopes of meeting or exceeding a given goal (Blumberg & Randall, 2013). In short, these types of video games allow players the opportunity to make, and reflect upon, certain decisions in an effort to solve a particular problem (Tran, 2018), which is strikingly similar to the reflective decision-making process that a client with a fluency disorder usually engages in while participating in a speech therapy experience with a clinician (Chmela & Campbell, 2014; Plexico, Manning, & DiLollo, 2010).

 

It was been found that a healthy number of individuals diagnosed with a fluency disorder do happily take part in mobile device-driven experiences (e.g., numerous social networking activities) on their iPhones and iPads (Fuse & Lanham, 2016; Raj & Daniels, 2017; Trichon & Raj, 2018). So, perhaps it is not too far of a stretch to assume that a certain percentage of those people may also partake in the ever increasingly popular pastime of playing video games on a smart mobile computing device. Furthermore, perhaps the act of playing and discussing video games during speech therapy might result in creating a more comfortable environment that is optimal for meaningful and robust conversations to occur that revolve around the subject of stuttering.

 

Many clinicians have commented on the challenges that they face in the treatment of individuals diagnosed with a fluency disorder, particularly with respect to motivation and comfort with discussing negative thoughts and feelings, as they relate to communication. It has been documented that clinicians are not comfortable working with clients who stutter (Tellis et al., 2008), a fact that is particularly concerning given the negative impact that many individuals who stutter experience in their lives, in association with their speaking difficulties (e.g., Daniels, Gabel, & Hughes, 2012; Yaruss, 2010).

 

The use of video games in speech therapy for those diagnosed with a fluency disorder has not been thoroughly explored in the literature; however, there are numerous ways that clinicians can integrate the use of video games in speech therapy to increase motivation and personalization of the overall speech therapy experience. Specifically, clinicians can use video games to encourage individuals who stutter to examine their own emotional reactions to stuttering, to role-play different ways of responding to other people's reactions to their stuttering, to explore the negative impact of stuttering, and to discuss ways that the impact may be reduced.

 

Therefore, the purpose of this session is to actively discuss and demonstrate numerous video games in an effort to showcase how that digital experience could benefit some school-aged children and adults who stutter as they continue to grow and evolve as effective communicators. Two examples of video games that will be introduced and highlighted throughout the session include 2020 Game (Garkavyy, 2020) and Minivania (Juillou, 2021). The intentional selecting of these video games were made by consulting the FIVES criteria described by Sean Sweeney (Davis & Sweeney, 2015). As a speech-language pathologist, Sweeney urges educators to consider if a mobile app or digital tool for therapy is:

 

-Free/fairly priced (based on its quality and utility)

 

-Interactive (based on its potential engagement)

 

-Visual (based on its potential for learning and practice through visuals)

 

-Educationally relevant (based on its potential to assist individuals in accessing the curriculum)

 

-Speechie (based on its relevancy to speech and language, and if it can be repurposed for therapy use)

 

An important aspect of this proposal is that the video games presented will not simply be targeted toward increasing the use of speaking techniques or enhancing fluency; instead, the focus will be on how video games that can help clinicians and clients who stutter address some of the more challenging components of the disorder: those under-the-surface, affective and cognitive features (Amster & Klein, 2018) that often result in adverse impact on individuals' lives.

 

The presenter will demonstrate how clinicians can foster the individual's creativity in coping effectively with stuttering, while individualizing therapy and supporting strong motivation for addressing difficult topics. Participants will leave the session with concrete information about a number of video games and how they can be used as a supplement to various speech therapy approaches that are already in use. The practical ideas shared can be immediately incorporated into both virtual or in-person therapy with either school-aged children or adults who stutter. Additionally, along the way, participants will learn about the broader experience of stuttering from the speaker's perspective so clinicians will be better prepared to help their clients minimize the adverse impact of the disorder.

 

REFERENCES

 

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2016). Scope of practice in speech-language pathology. 

https://www.asha.org/policy/sp2016-00343/ 

 

Amster, B. J., & Klein, E. R. (2018). More than fluency: The social, emotional, and cognitive dimensions of stuttering. Plural Publishing.

 

Blumberg, F., C., & Randall, J., D. (2013). What do children and adolescents say they do during video game play?. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 34, 82-88.

 

Chmela, K. A. & Campell, J. H. (2014). Working with school-age children who stutter: Basic principle problem solving. Super Duper Publications. 

 

Daniels, D. E., Gabel, R. M., & Hughes, S. (2012). Recounting the K–12 school experiences of adults who stutter: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 37, 71–82.

 

Davis, K., & Sweeney, S. (2015). Reading, writing and AAC: Mobile technology strategies for literacy and language development. SIG 12 Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 24(1), 19-25.

 

Durkin, K. & Conti-Ramsden. (2014). Turn off or tune in? What advice can SLTs, educational psychologists and teachers provide about uses of new media and children with language impairments? Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 30(2), 187-205.  

 

Edwards, J., & Dukhovny, E. (2017). Technology training in speech-language pathology: A focus on tablets and apps. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2(10), 33-48. 

 

Fuse, A., & Lanham, E. A. (2016). Impact of social media and quality of life of people who stutter. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 50, 59-71.

 

Garkavyy, M. (2020). 2020 Game [Online video game]. 

https://2020game.io/  

 

Juillou, J. (2021). Minivania [Online video game].

https://jordan-guillou.itch.io/minivania 

 

Heyman, N. (2018). Identifying features of apps to support using evidence-based language intervention with children. Assistive Technology, 1-11.

 

Perrin, A. (2018, September 17). 5 facts about Americans and video games. 

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/09/17/5-facts-about-americans-and-video-games/ 

 

Plexico, L. W., Manning, W. H., & DiLollo, A. (2010). Client perceptions of effective and ineffective therapeutic alliances during treatment for stuttering. Journal of fluency disorders, 35(4), 333-354.

 

Raj, E. X., & Daniels, D. E. (2017). Psychosocial support for adults who stutter: Exploring the role of online communities. Speech, Language and Hearing, 20(3), 144-153.

 

Ramsberger, G., & Messamer, P. (2014). Best practices for incorporating non-aphasia-specific apps into therapy. Seminars in Speech and Language, 35(1), 17-24.

 

Tellis, G. M., Bressler, L., & Emerick, K. (2008). An exploration of clinicians views about assessment and treatment of stuttering. Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, 18(1), 16-23.

 

Tran, B. (2018). Clinical use of video games. In M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Advanced methodologies and technologies in media and communications (pp. 76-89). IGI Global.  

 

Trichon, M. & Raj, E. X. (2018). Peer support for people who stutter: History, benefits, and accessibility. In B. J. Amster & E. R. Klein (Eds.), More than fluency: The social, emotional, and cognitive dimensions of stuttering. (pp. 187-214). Plural Publishing.

 

Yaruss, J. S. (2010). Assessing quality of life in stuttering treatment outcomes research. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 35(3), 190–202.

In this modern age, a substantial number of school-aged children and adults happily play video games and consider themselves to be “gamers.” Speech-language pathologists who provide therapy to individuals diagnosed with a fluency disorder can benefit from the intentional utilization of online video games within virtual or in-person therapy. The purpose of this session is to actively discuss and demonstrate numerous online video games in an effort to showcase how that digital experience could benefit some school-aged children and adults who stutter as they continue to grow and evolve as effective communicators.