Peer reviewed
ERIC Number: EJ1013836
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Oct
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: N/A
Age Differences in Speech Motor Performance on a Novel Speech Task
Sadagopan, Neeraja; Smith, Anne
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v56 n5 p1552-1566 Oct 2013
Purpose: The study was aimed at characterizing age-related changes in speech motor performance on a nonword repetition task as a function of practice and nonword length and complexity. Method: Nonword repetition accuracy, lip aperture coordination, and nonword production durations were
assessed on 2 consecutive days for 16 young and 16 elderly participants for the production of 6 novel nonwords increasing in length and complexity. Results: The effect of age on the ability to accurately and rapidly repeat long, complex nonwords was significant. However, the authors found no differences between the speech motor coordinative patterns of young and elderly adults. Further, the authors demonstrated age- and nonword-specific within- and between-session gains in speech motor performance. Conclusions: The authors speculate that cognitive, sensory, and motor factors interact in complex ways in elderly individuals to produce individual differences in nonword repetition ability at the levels of both behavioral and speech motor performance.
Descriptors: Age Differences, Speech, Repetition, Accuracy, Perceptual Motor Coordination, Young Adults, Older Adults
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). 10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. Tel: 800-638-8255; Fax: 301-571-0457; e-mail: subscribe@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A