Office Hours: The Professor is In

[ Contents]


Re: Lidcombe method

From: Dick Mallard
Date: 10/4/02
Time: 3:40:06 PM
Remote Name: 147.26.104.210

Comments

Caroline, I would like to comment on your statement "...practitioners are increasingly interested in demonstrating that their therapies WORK." In 35 years of clinical practice, I have yet to find a therapy for stuttering that WORKS. Individuals who claim that their therapy "works" are implying that the therapy process does something to the client that causes the client to change. That is simply not the case (yet) in speech-language pathology. The success rate (however this is defined) of practitioners simply means that X% of clients were able to use what was taught according to some criteria. This is quite different that implying that some program produced a certain success independent of the client effecting what was taught.

Before a client agrees to participate in a therapy program, the following questions should be asked by the client to the individual who is to conduct the therapy. If suitable answers cannot be provided, then perhaps continuing the search for the most appropriate program for the client should be undertaken.

1. What will happen in this program?

2. What is my role and what is your role in the conduct of this program?

3. How much will this program cost?

4. What is your success rate and how is this defined?

5. How long will this therapy take?

Perhaps there are other questions that my colleagues think should be added to this list. These are issues that I address with each client that I see prior to beginning a program so proper expectations can be developed. The last thing that I want is for a person to see me for therapy and think that my program will "work" when in fact it is the client that must work.


Last changed: September 14, 2005