Awareness training reduces college students' speech disfluencies in public speaking

Abstract

Recent research suggests that a modified habit reversal procedure, including awareness training alone or combined with competing response training, is effective in decreasing speech disfluencies for college students. However, these procedures are potentially lengthy, sometimes require additional booster sessions, and could result in covariation of untargeted speaker behavior. We extended prior investigations by evaluating awareness training as a sole intervention while also measuring collateral effects of treatment on untargeted filler words and rate of speech. We found awareness training was effective for all participants without the use of booster sessions, and covariation between targeted filler words and secondary dependent variables was idiosyncratic across participants.

Habit Reversal to Decrease Filled Pauses in Public Speaking: A Partial Replication

“…But the awareness training component alone was enough to reduce filled pauses with this participant. This corresponds with the results from Spieler and Miltenberger (2017) and Montes et al (2019).…”

“…But booster sessions were necessary to maintain the outcome. Montes, Heinicke, and Geierman (2019), in a replication of Mancuso and Miltenberger and Spieler and Miltenberger, also used only awareness training to reduce speech disfluencies. They were successful in reducing the targeted disfluencies without the need for booster sessions.…”

A component analysis of awareness training for reducing speech disfluencies

“…Research has shown a positive correlation between fluent speech and audience perception of speaker credibility and preparedness (Carpenter, 2012;Rhodes & Frandsen, 1975). In the behavior-analytic literature, fluent speech has been characterized by low rates of common speech disfluencies (or filler words), such as "um" and "like," tongue-clicking, humming, and the repetition of words or phrases (Mancuso & Miltenberger, 2016;Montes et al, 2019;Pawlik & Perrin, 2019;Spieler & Miltenberger, 2017).…”

“…More recently, researchers have extended the use of simplified habit reversal to decrease college students' speech disfluencies within a public speaking context (Mancuso & Miltenberger, 2016;Montes et al, 2019;Pawlik & Perrin, 2019;Spieler & Miltenberger, 2017). Mancuso and Miltenberger (2016) targeted filled pauses, the inappropriate use of the word "like," and tongue clicking for six college students who delivered 5-min speeches.…”

“…It should also be noted that none of the participants in the Pawlik and Perrin investigation needed booster sessions. Montes et al (2019) further evaluated awareness training as a stand-alone intervention and required students to identify their disfluencies with 85% accuracy for two consecutive speeches or once with 100% accuracy for both the video and subsequent in-vivo training subcomponents. All four students' disfluencies decreased to below 80% of baseline rates without booster sessions, but the authors did not include a posttest separating the video and in vivo training phases to evaluate the effects of video training alone.…”