Classroom intervention to change peers' attitudes towards children who stutter: a pilot study six months post-intervention

The Classroom Communication Resource (CCR) intervention was developed to improve peer attitudes towards children who stutter (CWS). This pilot study will inform the feasibility of a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) through the following aims: 1. To analyse selected procedural aspects including recruitment, participation and re tention rates and questionnaire-questionnaire completion trends. 2. To observe treatment and cluster effect of the CCR intervention at one and six months post-intervention. An experimental, quantitative cluster randomised trial design was used. Pre-intervention - post-intervention data was collected from control and intervention groups. The sample comprised 273 mixed-gender Grade 7 participants in the Western Cape (WC) Metro urban area in classrooms across quintiles. Data was collected and analysed at pre-intervention, one and six months post-intervention. The Stuttering Resource Outcomes Measure (SROM) was used to measure attitude changes. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to describe the procedural aspects and treatment effect. A positive school-recruitment rate (90, 91%) was observed while the participation (59.6%) and retention rates (44.8%) decrease d over time. Participants were excluded due to poorly completed questionnaires, consent, assent, absenteeism and administrative errors. Questionnaire completion trends at six months post-intervention showed that errors were noted on all items. These procedural challenges could be reduced in future studies through rigorous planning. The positive treatment effect was minimal at one month post-intervention, while more evident in magnitude and direction of change in attitude scores on the SROM at six months post-intervention. A constant group effect was noted at pre-intervention, one and six months post-intervention. This study therefore concluded that a future RCT is feasible with several recommendations.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Badroodien, Rizwana

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kathard, Harsha

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15487

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15487