About the Young Researchers Series Courses

The purpose of this series is to share recent research in stuttering, specifically by giving a platform to today’s younger researchers, who will be leading the field in the future. The series features speakers who have completed their PhD in the past 5 years.

The format consists of a video interview discussing highlights and clinical implications of their work. The goal of this series is to help SLPs stay up to date on current research in stuttering.

Course Content

This course features an interview with Dr. Evan Usler who discusses the motor and emotional aspects involved in the development of stuttering. Dr. Usler presents his research on speech motor coordination, emotional reactivity, and stuttering persistence. Clinical implications and future work are discussed. 

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

• Define the multifactorial dynamics pathways theory
• Explain how emotional and linguistic demands can impact the speech motor system and how this impacts stuttering variability
• Define EMGs and explain how they can be used in stuttering research 

Agenda

Run-time: 49:30

Interviewer questions:

• How did you become interested in stuttering research?
• Tell me about your research.
• Tell us about the multifactorial dynamic pathways theory of stuttering.
• How do all of these factors interact to contribute to stuttering?
• How can SLPs use this information in their assessment and treatment of stuttering?
• How do people who stutter really change their speech motor habits?
• What is your advice to an SLP or parent who may be listening to this and thinking that it’s just a matter of making adjustments to the speech motor system for their client/child to be fluent?
• What are the next steps in your research?

Presenters

Courtney Luckman, MA, CCC-SLP, is a person who stutters and clinician at speech IRL specializing in the areas of stuttering and autism. She has presented on stuttering research and clinical applications at several national conferences. Her masters thesis on lexical skills in children who stutter was recently published in the Journal of Fluency Disorders. Courtney is active in the stuttering community, currently serving as chair of the junior board for Shared Voices, a Chicago community center for people who stutter.  

Evan Usler, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences & Disorders in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware and the director of the Interpersonal Neurophysiology Lab. He received his PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from Purdue University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Boston University and MGH Institute of Health Professions.  

Disclosures

Courtney Luckman

Financial: Courtney is an employee of and receives salary from speech IRL.

Non-financial: Courtney is chair of the junior board of Shared Voices Chicago.

Christopher Constantino

Financial: Dr. Usler received an honorarium for this talk. 

Non-financial: None

Special Needs

Contact [email protected]  for any special needs requests.

Course Completion Requirements

This course is offered for 0.05 ASHA CEUs (Introductory level, Professional area).

Successful completion of the post-test (>80%) and completion of the course evaluation is required to earn ASHA CEUs. 

A purchased online course can be refunded by contacting [email protected]  within 30 days of purchase. The course materials must not have been viewed or downloaded. 

If you are not 100% satisfied with speech IRL’s continuing education services, please contact the course organizer at [email protected]  for a full refund.