{"title":"Spoken Language Dual-Task Effects in Typical Aging: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Christos Salis, Laura L Murray, Rawand Jarrar","doi":"10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00826","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Many studies have shown that several spoken language production skills are negatively affected by the typical aging process. In contrast, how language is affected when older adults are asked to speak under conditions of distraction using dual- or multitask paradigms has received less empirical attention, even though such conditions align with the demands of everyday communication contexts. Accordingly, the objectives in this original systematic review were to synthesize and appraise literature on spoken language production in neurotypical older adults when they talk under conditions of distraction. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that focuses on this topic.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Five databases (EMBASE, LLBA, Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection) were searched (from databases' inception to January 2024) for eligible studies using comprehensive search terms. All steps from screening of records, selection of studies, data extraction, and critical appraisal were carried out by two reviewers who worked independently.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirteen studies culminated in the qualitative evidence synthesis. Critical appraisal was carried out and showed that the current evidence base is overall weak.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings were mixed as to whether dual-task costs (i.e., worse performance in single-task, talking only) are evident in aging. However, speech fluency in discourse appears to be more vulnerable under conditions of distraction in older than younger adults. Across all included studies, significant methodological shortcomings were present. Whereas this literature points to some age-related changes when speaking in more challenging, dual-task contexts, further research is clearly needed on topics such as the types of dual-task contexts that reveal age-related language changes, the role of instructions on task prioritization, and the role of influential participant variables (e.g., cardiovascular risk factors) on dual-task language performance in older adults.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29525795.</p>","PeriodicalId":520690,"journal":{"name":"Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00826","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Purpose: Many studies have shown that several spoken language production skills are negatively affected by the typical aging process. In contrast, how language is affected when older adults are asked to speak under conditions of distraction using dual- or multitask paradigms has received less empirical attention, even though such conditions align with the demands of everyday communication contexts. Accordingly, the objectives in this original systematic review were to synthesize and appraise literature on spoken language production in neurotypical older adults when they talk under conditions of distraction. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that focuses on this topic.
Method: Five databases (EMBASE, LLBA, Medline, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection) were searched (from databases' inception to January 2024) for eligible studies using comprehensive search terms. All steps from screening of records, selection of studies, data extraction, and critical appraisal were carried out by two reviewers who worked independently.
Results: Thirteen studies culminated in the qualitative evidence synthesis. Critical appraisal was carried out and showed that the current evidence base is overall weak.
Conclusions: The findings were mixed as to whether dual-task costs (i.e., worse performance in single-task, talking only) are evident in aging. However, speech fluency in discourse appears to be more vulnerable under conditions of distraction in older than younger adults. Across all included studies, significant methodological shortcomings were present. Whereas this literature points to some age-related changes when speaking in more challenging, dual-task contexts, further research is clearly needed on topics such as the types of dual-task contexts that reveal age-related language changes, the role of instructions on task prioritization, and the role of influential participant variables (e.g., cardiovascular risk factors) on dual-task language performance in older adults.
目的：许多研究表明，几种口语生成技能受到典型衰老过程的负面影响。相比之下，当老年人被要求在分心的情况下使用双重或多任务范式说话时，语言是如何受到影响的，尽管这种情况符合日常交流环境的要求，但却很少得到实证关注。因此，这篇原始系统综述的目的是综合和评估神经正常的老年人在分心情况下说话时口语产生的文献。据我们所知，这是第一次针对这一主题的系统综述。方法：采用综合检索词检索EMBASE、LLBA、Medline、PsycINFO、Web of Science Core Collection等5个数据库（从数据库建立至2024年1月），检索符合条件的研究。从记录筛选、研究选择、数据提取到批判性评估的所有步骤均由两位独立工作的审稿人完成。结果：13项研究最终形成定性证据合成。进行了严格的评估，表明目前的证据基础总体上是薄弱的。结论：对于双任务成本（即单任务、只说话的表现较差）在衰老中是否明显，研究结果好坏参半。然而，在注意力分散的情况下，老年人的话语流畅性似乎比年轻人更容易受到影响。在所有纳入的研究中，都存在显著的方法学缺陷。尽管这些文献指出了在更具挑战性的双任务环境中说话时与年龄相关的一些变化，但显然需要进一步研究诸如揭示与年龄相关的语言变化的双任务环境类型，任务优先级指示的作用以及影响参与者变量（例如心血管风险因素）在老年人双任务语言表现中的作用等主题。补充资料：https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29525795。
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