Here is a look at what our lab is doing:
Thank you for your interest in our lab! We are currently working on a study examining speech and language development in young children who do and do not stutter. If you have a child who stutters (or one that you think might stutter) or one that is normally-fluent (a child who does not stutter), then your child is eligible to participate in our study if he or she:
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is between the ages of 3 to 5 years and 11 months old.
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is a native speaker of American English.
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has no known or suspected speech, hearing, or language problems (other than stuttering) or other physical/mental disabilities.
Children who qualify for participation will receive FREE speech and language testing, giving you the opportunity to see how your child's speech and language development compares to other children his/her age, as well as a hearing screening. Participants will also be financially compensated for their time in the amount of $50.00 after all tasks have been completed.
Here is what you can expect when visiting our research laboratory:
You and your child will visit our laboratory, which is in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, on two separate occasions. We typically see children on Wednesday at 2:30 pm, Thursday at 11:00 am, and Friday at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm. If none of these days/times work for you, please let us know, as we can make alternate arrangements. In addition, if you live outside of Bloomington (e.g., Indianapolis), we can schedule a "split session," so that you only have to drive to Bloomington on one occasion (usually on Friday at 11:00 & 1:30 pm). Once the appointment has been arranged, we will send you a letter with a map and directions to our lab. We will call you 1-2 days prior to your visit to remind you of the appointment.
Once you arrive at our building, you will need to obtain a parking permit from the front desk in the clinic waiting room, which is just inside the main entrance. This permit will allow you to park in front of the building. Shortly after you arrive, a research assistant will meet you and your child in the waiting room to escort you to our lab.
Prior to beginning the study, you will be given a consent form to read and sign, while your child has the opportunity to warm-up to the lab environment and meet our lab members. The consent form will give you information about our study and the procedures we will be using during the visit. We will then answer any questions you may have about our study.
The first session will begin with you and your child seated at a table with some toys. As you interact with your child, we will examine his/her speech fluency in an adjacent room using video cameras. After the interaction, your child will be asked to respond to several routine tests of speech and language. While he/she is doing that, Dr. Anderson will ask you some questions about your child's development. While talking with Dr. Anderson, you will be able to observe all of your child's testing from a tv monitor. At the end of the first session, which will take about 1 to 1½ hours, we will screen your child's hearing.
During the second session, your child will name pictures on a computer screen and retell a cartoon story. You will be able to watch him/her complete the tasks through the tv monitor. Upon completion of these tasks, Dr. Anderson will go over the results of all of the testing with you and give you a copy of the testing summary sheet and consent form. If indicated, Dr. Anderson will also address any concerns you may have about your child's speech and language development. This second session takes about 1 to 1½ hours to complete.
At various intervals throughout the testing, your child may be rewarded with stickers and, at the end of the second session, he/she will be allowed to choose, with parent permission, a small toy from a prize box. Children who visit our lab typically enjoy themselves because of all the attention they receive during testing and they get to play with toys, as well as earn stickers and prizes!
The conversation and picture naming/description tasks will be video-taped for research purposes only. The tape will be stored in a locked storage cabinet for approximately five years and then destroyed. You and your child's participation in this study are completely voluntary. If you choose not to participate or to withdraw from the study at any time, there will be no penalty. Also, the results of the research may be published, but your name and your child's name will not be used.
If you are interested in volunteering for this study, or know someone who might be, then please contact us by e-mail or phone (see below).
