Many independent reviews have shown that the Lidcombe Program has the best research evidence of all stuttering treatments for children younger than 6 years.
But how does it work? What are the treatment agents?
.
A recent study* has questioned whether the verbal contingencies, around which the treatment is built, are necessary to get the treatment effects.
.
The study was what is called a called a non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial.
.
The results of this trial were inconclusive, leading the researchers to conclude, that “it is possible that verbal contingencies make some contribution to the Lidcombe Program treatment effect (p 3419).”
.
The researchers stated that the trial provides no justification for the routine removal of verbal contingencies from the Lidcombe Program.
.
However, they also stated that if, for whatever reason, a clinician decided to withdraw some or all of the verbal contingencies from a child’s treatment, it is unlikely that the child’s treatment would suffer.
.
Key Points:
- The Lidcombe Program should be delivered as indicated in the treatment manual
- Use The Lidcombe Program Reflective Clinical Questions to problem solve and use clinical judgement when treatment is not progressing. See JCSLP Volume 19 Number 3 2017.
- Consider reducing or eliminating verbal contingencies with children who strongly dislike them or with very young children (2-3 year olds) who need intervention to reduce stuttering but are too young for the Lidcombe Program
.
* Donaghy, M., O’Brian, S., Onslow, M., Lowe, R., Jones, M. & Menzies, R. G. (2020). Verbal contingencies in the Lidcombe Program: A noninferiority trial. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 63, 3419–3431.