Helping people with ALS communicate better in structured conversations
Evaluating Verbal Communication in Structured Interactions: Theoretical and Clinical Implications
This project looks at how conversation partners can change how they speak to help people with ALS be understood more easily.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291798 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You with ALS will take part in structured conversations with unfamiliar partners while researchers record and analyze speech sounds, timing, and turn-taking at detailed phonetic and sentence levels. The team will compare how different partner behaviors (for example, speaking more slowly, simplifying words, or using different cues) influence how well you are understood. They will also pilot simple interaction-based strategies that caregivers or conversation partners could use as your speech changes. Findings will be used to develop practical ways to support everyday communication for people with degenerative speech loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with ALS who are experiencing changes in verbal communication and who can participate in structured conversational tasks are the best fit.
Not a fit: People without speech or communication problems, those with non-ALS conditions unrelated to speech, or those too medically fragile to participate may not receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new, practical interaction-based techniques or guidance that help people with ALS communicate more effectively as speech declines.
How similar studies have performed: Previous interventions have focused on improving a speaker’s speech, but using partner-focused interaction strategies for degenerative conditions like ALS is relatively new and not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olmstead, Anne — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Olmstead, Anne
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.