Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

A patient with strained-strangled vocal quality and hyper nasality is likely diagnosed with which motor speech disorder after hemispheric damage?

1. Hypokinetic dysarthria

2. Flaccid dysarthria

3. Ataxic dysarthria

4. Spastic dysarthria

The correct answer is: Spastic dysarthria

The presence of strained-strangled vocal quality combined with hypernasality is indicative of spastic dysarthria, particularly in the context of hemispheric damage. This type of dysarthria results from upper motor neuron lesions, which affect the movement of speech muscles due to increased muscle tone and awkward control of airflow. In spastic dysarthria, patients typically exhibit a tight or rigid voice quality characterized by strained or strangled phonation due to the excessive tone of the laryngeal muscles. Hypernasality arises from the involvement of the velopharyngeal mechanism, which often fails to close adequately due to the muscle weakness and coordination issues associated with spasticity, leading to nasal resonance during speech. The other options represent different motor speech disorders with distinct characteristics. Hypokinetic dysarthria, often seen in conditions like Parkinson's disease, features a soft voice and reduced range of motion rather than straining. Flaccid dysarthria typically presents with breathy voice quality and weakness, not the tension found in spastic dysarthria. Ataxic dysarthria is characterized by irregular speech patterns, altered stress, and incoordination, rather than tightness and hypernasality. Therefore, the symptoms of strained-strangled