Evidence for Effectiveness of Treatment of Loudness, Rate, Or Prosody in Dysarthria: A Systematic Review (Ancds Bulletin Board‪)‬

This systematic review of the literature addresses interventions for dysarthria that focus on the global aspects of speech. The review is part of the development of practice guidelines for the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences (ANCDS). A search of electronic databases (PsychINFO, MEDLINE, and CINAHL) and hand searches of relevant edited books yielded 51 articles focusing on loudness, rate, prosody, and general instructions. These articles were rated for the strength of evidence they provide for the effectiveness of intervention. Articles were categorized into phases of research and evaluated in terms of the level of participant description, outcome measures, evidence of research control, and findings. The strongest evidence regarding treatment effectiveness is in the area of modification of loudness in individuals with Parkinson's disease who have hypokinetic dysarthria. Directions for future research are provided in the areas of rigor of evidence and its reporting, outcomes, candidacy criteria, and application of principles of motor learning to intervention. **********