A critical review of Delayed Auditory Feedback as a means of managing Essay - 1

A critical review of Delayed Auditory Feedback as a means of managing a speech dysfluency - Essay Example (Craig et al., 2002) Approximately 80% adult stutterers are men. Only 20% are women. (Yairi, 2005) The goal of DAF therapy is to increase the length and complexity of utterance with the use of the device. As soon as there is a sign of improvement in the patient’s stuttering of speech, the patient will then be advice to limit the need for speech therapy sessions. In line with this study, the general facts about stuttering, how Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) works, the effectiveness of DAF devices, long-term effects of the using DAF devices, and the advantages of using DAF devices will be discussed thoroughly. Stuttering is a speech fluency disorder that is normally characterized by prolonged frequent repetitions, and pauses that could interfere with the normal flow of speech. When a stutterer speaks, his/her speech is usually broken down by repetition of words (th-th-that way), prolongations (llllike this), or abnormal stoppage (no sound) of sounds and syllables. Unusual facial and body movements could also be associated with the person’s effort to speak. Several theories with regards to the causes of stuttering have been developed in the past. Some people view stuttering as a syndrome of neurological disturbances even though there are times that stuttering can be triggered by our emotions or by an emotional and/or situational events. (Braun et al., 1997) For this reason, stuttering can be related to both neurological and physiological by nature. Other people view it as a learned behavior wherein a child is in the middle of learning and developing his/her speech. In rare cases, stuttering has been suspected to have a connection with psychological problems. These theories have never been scientifically proven. In the past, stuttering has been widely related to genetic factors. (Cummings et al., 1996) However, the degree to which stuttering is related to genetic factors, environmental factors, or both still remains to be unknown. Due to