OASES
Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES) is a quick, comprehensive, self-report assessment that measures the impact of stuttering on an individual’s life. Communication is a vital aspect of life. Stuttering can significantly impact an individual’s ability to effectively communicate with others. Stuttering has been shown to affect personal relationships as well as performance in academic and professional settings.
Speech therapy can help individuals who stutter by teaching strategies that can help improve their speech fluency in a variety of environments. According to the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), psychological and emotional consequences are frequently experienced by those who stutter.
Therefore, a critical component of stuttering therapy in speech therapy is understanding the speaker’s experience of stuttering. To assess the severity of stuttering, it’s not only important to assess the individual’s speech itself, but also how it affects the client.
We’ll explore the OASES assessment, which can be used with both children and adults who stutter. Let’s dive in and explore the components, benefits and challenges, and tips to know when using this assessment.
Understanding the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES)
According to Stuttering Therapy Resources, the OASES was initially developed in 2006 through research with adults who stutter, with findings that were published in the Journal of Fluency Disorders. After the development of the OASES-A (for adults ages 18 and above), the tool was adapted for use with school-age children (OASES-S, for ages 7-12) and teenagers (OASES-T, for ages 13-17).
Input was provided from individuals who stutter, speech-language pathologists specializing in stuttering therapy, and those who interact with people who experience stuttering (such as teachers and parents) during the development of the assessment tool.
The purpose of the OASES is to obtain meaningful insight and measurement of an individual’s experience with stuttering. Speech Therapists can use this information to assess and diagnose stuttering disorders, develop an individualized treatment plan, and measure therapy outcomes.
Key components of OESES
The OASES includes response forms containing age-specific test items which examine 4 key areas:
- General information: This includes information about the individual’s perception of stuttering.
- Reactions: Questions related to the speaker’s affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions to the act of stuttering are found.
- Functional communication difficulties: The speaker is asked about communication in daily settings.
- Quality of life: The speaker reports on the impact of stuttering on their quality of life.
The OASES can provide insight into the emotional and psychological impact of stuttering on individuals. This information is critical for speech therapists to use during their development of an appropriate and effective treatment plan.
The results of the OASES can be used to identify and develop goals by understanding the aspects of life that stuttering affects the client. For example, the therapist may see that certain speaking environments are more difficult for the individual.
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Benefits and advantages and challenges and considerations of using the OASES Assessment in speech therapy
There are several advantages of utilizing the OASES in speech therapy when working with clients who stutter.
The OASES is unique in that it examines the functional impact that stuttering has on the individual’s life. This provides valuable insight that goes beyond the severity of stuttering observed or quantified by calculating a percentage of syllables stuttered on.
Other advantages include:
- Quick and easy: The tool takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete, and approximately 5 minutes to score.
- Can be used with a variety of ages: The tool was developed to be used with 3 different age groups.
- Convenient: Only the response form and technical/scoring manual are required, because the assessment is completed through a self-report method (others such as therapists or family members can help clarify test items for an individual as needed).
- Encourages self-awareness: The OASES highlights the ways that stuttering can affect various aspects of daily life.
- Helpful in guiding therapy: Useful information about how stuttering affects the individual’s life, and their perception of stuttering, can be used in treatment planning.
Tips for speech therapists utilizing the OASES
Keeping some specific tips in mind can be helpful for SLPs in their use of the OASES in stuttering therapy.
First, proper training in administering the OASES assessments for different age levels is critical. The therapist should take time to familiarize themself with the test items. This preparation can be helpful in case the client has questions or requires clarification while completing the self-assessment.
It is crucial that the therapist show sufficient sensitivity, creating a safe and non-judgmental environment for the individual to complete the OASES in. This can help allow the client to express their feelings with honesty.
The results of the OASES can be integrated into a personalized therapy plan that focuses on the emotional well-being of the client. For example, goals can be developed that allow the client to improve their fluency within speaking situations that impact them the most.
Therapists should also provide ongoing support and counseling to address the emotional challenges related to stuttering. Stuttering can be complex, and individuals often experience related issues such as social anxiety.
Speech therapists working with clients who stutter must be sensitive to this, and take these difficulties into account when developing an individualized treatment plan.
Additional resources
The Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering (OASES) is a valuable tool for assessing the functional impact of stuttering on an individual. Speech therapists can use the results of the OASES to develop a unique treatment plan and measure the outcomes of therapy.
When working with clients who stutter, therapists should consider the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological impacts when providing a comprehensive approach to therapy.
Therapists can use TheraPlatform, an all-in-one EHR, practice management and teletherapy solution, to seamlessly integrate language assessments into their practice. Consider starting with a free trial of TheraPlatform today.
References
Jones, M. L., Menzies, R. G., Onslow, M., Lowe, R., O’Brian, S., Packman, A. (2021). Measures of Psychological Impacts of Stuttering in Young School-Age Children: A Systematic Review. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(6). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_JSLHR-20-00455
Lowe, R., Menzies, R., Onslow, M., Packman, A., O’Brian, S. (2021). Speech and Anxiety Management with Persistent Stuttering: Current Status and Essential Research. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 64(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_JSLHR-20-00144
More resources
- Therapy resources and worksheets
- Therapy private practice courses
- Ultimate teletherapy ebook
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- The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Private Therapy Practice
