主题：美国口吃协会对思比易的态度
作者: nce
本帖转自社区争鸣论坛
下面转述美国口吃协会对思比易的看法，原文过长，恕不全文翻译。
中心意思是：思比易的效果因人而异，有些人很有效，有些人无效。况且，每个口吃者对于“成功”的定义不同，要确切统计有效率是一件困难的事。美国口吃协会不会公开支持任何一种单一的治疗方案。 并且对任何一种声称有效的方法持谨慎的态度，无论是传统疗法还是矫正仪器。（还有一句很重要的话：）要真正克服或有效的控制口吃，勤奋和努力是最主要的因素。
下面谈谈我个人的看法：我在去年曾试戴过一阵思比易，确实有一些帮助，但并未达到我满意的程度，所以没有买。在思比易的国际论坛上，用户的反应也是褒贬不一。所以家境好的朋友不妨尝试一下。也希望思比易厂家能适当延长试用期，让用户能更放心的购买，因为我也看到和听说过一些随着时间的推移思比易的效果下降变得无效的情况。
The National Stuttering Association's Position on the Speech Easy and other assistive devices
Dear NSA?/H4>
"I recently heard about the SpeechEasy 'anti-stuttering' device. Should I buy one?"
The SpeechEasy device, available from Janus Development (
www.speecheasy.com), has received widespread publicity during the past few years. The NSA knows that many people who stutter and their family members have questions about the device, and we are eager to provide information about this device. A major of mission of the NSA is to help people find the treatment approach or solution that is right for them.
How assistive devices work
The SpeechEasy is, in essence, a digital hearing aid that provides Delayed Auditory Altered Feedback (DAF), as well as Frequency Altered Feedback (FAF). It has long been known that many, though not all, people who stutter experience increases in their speech fluency when speaking under DAF and FAF. The specific reason for this increased fluency is not at all clear. Still, numerous devices to help people speak more fluently have been developed over the past 50-60 years. These include the Edinburgh Masker, the Fluency Master, and others. The SpeechEasy builds upon prior efforts by offering DAF and FAF in a miniaturized package.
Experience to date
Researchers, clinicians, and members of the stuttering community appear to be divided regarding the use of the SpeechEasy. Some people are strong advocates of the device, while others are strong opponents. Unfortunately, at present, there are no published, independent studies that show what percentage of the population of people who stutter are likely to benefit from the SpeechEasy. To be sure, many people have received varying degrees of benefit from the device; however, it is impossible to say who will benefit and who will not. Here at the NSA, we have heard from many members who have tried the SpeechEasy. Like all things, though, there are some who have found success and some who have not. It is important to recognize that different people have different definitions of "success." For example, some individuals might experience considerably increased fluency in most speaking situations, while others may only use it in very specific contexts. Still others receive very little benefit from the device.
Indeed, in a recent survey of NSA members, 125 of 701 respondents reported using a feedback or speech pacer device such as DAF, masker, Fluency Master, Pacemaster, etc. Of those, 38% reported that their experience with the device was not at all successful; 44% said their experience was somewhat successful; and 18% reported their experience was very successful. Thus, different people have different experiences. It is important to note that this survey was conducted before use of the SpeechEasy was widespread, so these results do not relate directly to the SpeechEasy. One might guess that these findings could be similar to the experiences of individuals who use the Speech Easy device, though only further research will provide the information we need.
Long-term effects are unclear
One of the questions that has been raised about the SpeechEasy is how long the effects will last for those people who do experience improved fluency. Prior efforts to use DAF and FAF have resulted in only temporary gains-as people habituate to the device, the benefits in fluency tend to diminish over time. It is not clear, at this point, whether the SpeechEasy will also be affected by habituation, though research is currently underway to address this and other relevant questions. In all likelihood, some people will experience habituation and a loss of treatment effects over time, while others will find that their fluency gains that are more durable. It should be noted that these are the same sorts of issues and problems that have been identified with traditional approaches to stuttering treatment, so individuals should always be prepared to gather information and ask questions about outcomes, regardless of which approach they have selected.
Limitations of assistive devices
Fluency gains are only present with people are actually using the device. In this way, the SpeechEasy is like glasses卛t does not fix the underlying problem (stuttering or poor vision); it simply provides a way of compensating for that problem. Some of our members have found it difficult to use SpeechEasy meaningfully in some speaking situations. Because the device is only worn in one ear, the speaker hears competing signals - normal feedback in one ear and frequency-altered, delayed feedback in the other ear. Some NSA members have found this distracting, particularly in noisy environments or social settings. Thus, although some people have found that the device helps them speak more fluently, they have also found that it can be difficult to use at times. These limitations have prompted some of our members to use their devices only in certain situations, and some have stopped using them entirely.
Caution for parents
Finally, perhaps the most important question that has arisen is whether or not the SpeechEasy should be used with children. Although the SpeechEasy may prove to be a viable treatment alternative for some adults who stutter, many speech-language pathologists and people who stutter believe that we should be much more cautious about the use of such devices with children. At the NSA ,we feel that such caution is definitely warranted - we do need to be more careful about treatment provided to children who stutter. At present we simply do not have sufficient information to make an informed judgment. There are no published studies demonstrating the efficacy or safety of using the SpeechEasy with children. Therefore, the more cautious approach would be to wait to learn the results of ongoing research on the SpeechEasy before recommending its use with children.
Years of experience and research have shown that people who stutter are such a diverse population that no single remedy - be it a therapy program, an assistive device, or a medication - will work for everyone. Although we often hear of "new" treatments or miracle cures, to date, no single approach has proven to be effective for all people who stutter. Thus, the NSA fully supports research into effective treatments for stuttering. It is only through ongoing evaluation and research that people who stutter and therapists alike will be able to determine which treatment options are most viable.
Advice to consumers
At the NSA, we believe that all people who stutter should carefully consider the many treatment options that are available and make their own decisions about what is right for them. For some people, this may include devices such as the SpeechEasy; for others, it will not. One thing we do know, however, is that reducing the number of disruptions in a person's speech is only part of effective management of stuttering. Although many people who stutter can increase their fluency, through a variety of methods, many also benefit from assistance in dealing with the emotional consequences of a lifetime of stuttering. The professionals who are best qualified to help people who stutter deal with these negative consequences are speech-language pathologists, preferably board-recognized specialists in fluency disorders, working on conjunction with stuttering support groups such as the National Stuttering Association.
In should be emphasized that any approach to treatment-including speech therapy, use of an assistive device, or self-help-will have strengths and weaknesses. Individuals who stutter will always need to be motivated toward success and have confidence in the treatment process. The common denominator for all improvements in communication is that effort and hard work are needed to truly overcome and cope with stuttering.
Today, there is more help available for people who stutter than ever before, and the research currently in progress offers much hope for the future. People who stutter can benefit from educating themselves about stuttering and considering all available treatment options before making choices about what is best for their individual needs. For that reason, the NSA does not endorse any single approach to treating stuttering, and we tend to be very cautious about new claims of effective remedies, whether they be traditional speech therapy approaches, medications, or fluency enhancing devices.
We hope this information will be helpful to you, and we thank you for bringing your question to the National Stuttering Association. The NSA serves adults and children who stutter through education, advocacy, education, and support. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1977, has more than 80 local chapters nationwide. We sponsor workshops and youth programs around the country and publish a growing list of publications and booklets about stuttering for people who stutter, their families, and the clinicians who serve them.
If we can be of any further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us at
info@WeStutter.org. You can also get information at our website,
www.WeStutter.org or by calling 1 (800) We Stutter (937-8888).
［此帖子已被 nce 在 2006-09-16 19:53:17 编辑过］
愚公跟帖:
NCE说:
下面谈谈我个人的看法：
1.我在去年曾试戴过一阵思比易，确实有一些帮助，但并未达到我满意的程度，所以没有买。
2.在思比易的国际论坛上，用户的反应也是褒贬不一。
3.所以家境好的朋友不妨尝试一下。
4.也希望思比易厂家能适当延长试用期，让用户能更放心的购买，
5.因为我也看到和听说过一些随着时间的推移思比易的效果下降变得无效的情况。
愚公跟帖:
我认为NCE所谈他对思比易的看法是很客观的.(请注意: 是NCE个人对思比易的看法)
我认为像NCE这样平和的心态,求实的态度是值得称赞的.
尤其是第3点: "所以家境好的朋友不妨尝试一下。"
愚公评论: 本来就是这样: 经济富裕的朋友不妨尝试一下. 经济困难的朋友没有非买思比易的必要. 也没有人会强迫你非买思比易不可.
如此简单的判断问题还要社区"舆论导向"? 社区快成幼儿园了吧?
