A trial of iCamperdown - an online treatment for adults who stutter.

The Camperdown program is a speech treatment for adults who stutter. The treatment is typically administered by a speech pathologist. Researchers at the Australian Stuttering Research Centre have developed an online version of the Camperdown Program —iCamperdown. iCamperdown is designed to replicate the procedures demonstrated in the 2024 guide of the Camperdown Program without needing a speech pathologist. iCamperdown has incorporated audio recordings made by a speech pathologist who specialises in the treatment of stuttering. These audio recordings are available on every page of the program. The recordings provide important information to support the content on the pages such as detailed explanations, advice, and training for each step of the program. The program also provides video demonstrations of treatment procedures. iCamperdown has built in interactive tasks and activities for participants to develop independent problem-solving skills as per the aims of the traditional Camperdown Program. To assist learning and problem solving iCamperdown has incorporated six case studies that represent typical clients which illustrate different rates and styles of progress with the treatment. The program provides a set of downloadable resources that provide information and additional ideas to help participants complete the activities set by the program. The program also sends email reminders to participants to log in and continue their treatment. iCamperdown has seven modules. The participants will not be required to complete all the modules in one sitting. A participant is able to work through the program in their own time and pace. Participants progress or unlock modules of the program as they progress and complete tasks. Module One is an introduction, providing an overview of the program’s objectives and expectations. Participants complete pre-treatment questionnaires about their stuttering severity and satisfaction with their speech and ability to communicate. In Module Two, participants learn the treatment agent, the Fluency Technique which is a different way of talking that can help to control stuttering. Initially the Fluency Technique will sound very unnatural and is not intended to be used in everyday speaking situations. Modules Three and Four focuses on refining the speech technique. During these modules participants practice making their speech sound more natural while maintaining control of stuttering during different speaking tasks. During Module Four, participants work towards establishing a speech technique they feel is acceptable to use during daily conversations. During Module Five participants learn to use their new speaking technique in everyday speaking situations by introducing slightly more challenging speaking tasks but still within the home environment and with known practice partners. During Module Six participants start to use the technique in everyday conversations and they learn about factors that can affect the ability to use the new technique in daily situations with a focus on learning how to problem solve. Module Seven addresses maintenance and relapse prevention, equipping participants with strategies to sustain treatment gains and navigate potential setbacks. This module concludes with post-treatment assessments, facilitating comparisons between pre- and post- treatment outcomes. At the beginning of the program participants will engage with the program directly. However, as the participant progresses through the program, they will be encouraged to practice away from the program with a practice partner at least a few days each week. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and compliance with iCamperdown, and to establish preliminary treatment outcomes. Clinical experience and clinical trials evidence indicates that the program requirements can be completed within three to four months. For this study, participants will have access to the program for 4 months. Safety will be measured as the proportion of participants who experience an adverse event that can be directly attributed to the program. Participants will complete the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) once a fortnight. A link to the questionnaire will be emailed directly to the participants. This questionnaire will take up to five minutes to complete. Adherence to completing this questionnaire will be monitored by the researchers. If participants fail to complete the questionnaire they will be sent a follow up email on day seven after the scheduled completion date. If the participant does not complete the second questionnaire, then the researcher will call the participant on day two after the scheduled completion date to complete the questionnaire over the phone. Any participant who does not respond to repeated follow up will be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the study investigators To assess compliance with the treatment, data from the iCamperdown will be extracted at 5 months post commencement of treatment. This data includes dates the participant logs into the program and responses to the pre and post treatment questionnaires. To assess preliminary treatment outcomes participants will complete questionnaires relating to stuttering and satisfaction with communication pre-treatment and post-treatment.