Objective:
Conversation Training Therapy (CTT) is a relatively new voice therapy approach with evidence that it improves patient outcomes. In hopes of maximally encouraging generalization outside of the therapy session, CTT starts at the highest level of difficulty – conversational speech – and focuses on sensory discrimination of voice and speech during conversation via negative practice. Often, current ways of describing and teaching treatment approaches, such as CTT, can be complicated by idiosyncratic language and terminology specific to a single protocol, sub-discipline, etc. Without a standardized framework for describing interventions, it is difficult to identify, implement, and adapt the specific clinician actions responsible for improving associated changes in patient functioning into clinical practice. The Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS) has been described as a proposed solution to this problem. Recent work has focused on developing standard RTSS terminology in voice therapy (RTSS-Voice) and using the RTSS-Voice to specify CTT and other evidence-based therapy approaches. The purpose of this workshop is to provide attendees with opportunities to practice 1) delivering concepts from CTT and 2) mapping these concepts onto the RTSS framework.
Methods / Design:
During this hand-on workshop, attendees will participate in experiential learning. Concepts from CTT will be demonstrated and trained including ingredients such as clear speech and negative practice in conversation for targets of improved voice quality and sensory discrimination. For each CTT concept, the presenters will provide a brief demonstration before inviting attendees to practice the concept in clinician-patient dyads. The presenters will stop the attendees at various points to provide feedback on CTT fidelity and facilitate a discussion with the group about how the observed therapy can be described using the RTSS.
Results:
Following the completion of this workshop, audience members will leave with practical experience using core concepts from CTT and describing these concepts using the RTSS framework.
Conclusion:
Opportunities to practice delivering CTT will familiarize and empower clinicians under the guidance of trained clinicians. Opportunities to practice applying CTT to the RTSS will help clinicians to understand better how CTT fits into their current standard of care treatment.
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