Abstract

This study investigates the impact of a computer-based divided attention task on spoken language and compares the impact between younger (18–30 years) and older (55–82 years) adults. Sixty adults participated in a speaking task and two computer tasks which varied in difficulty. The Level 1 computer task involved highlighting each instance of the word “the” and the Level 2 computer task involved highlighting each instance of the word “the” while also underlining each instance of the word “a”. Each task was completed alone and then two computer tasks with different levels of difficulty were completed concurrently with a procedural discourse speaking task. Measures of speech fluency, microlinguistic production, and macrolinguistic production were analyzed. Measures of speech fluency included words per minute, disfluencies, and pause time ratio. Measures of microlinguistic production included lexical diversity, lexical-phonological errors, and morphosyntactic errors. Measures of macrolinguistic included macrolinguistic errors. Lastly, computer-based task accuracy and response time was analyzed. Statistical analysis revealed a significant increase in macrolinguistic errors for both older and younger adults when engaged in the Level 2 dual task. Both groups also experienced significant increase in lexical phonological errors, the younger adults during the Level 1 dual task and the older adults during the Level 2 dual task. Older adults experienced a significant decrease in words per minute and significant increases in disfluencies, pauses, and macrolinguistic errors. Response time was decreased for both groups as dual-task complexity increased and younger adults were significantly more accurate and had quicker response times on the computer task than older adults, especially on the Level 2 dual task. Findings reflect bidirectional interference between language and computer-based tasks while dual-tasking. These findings can help guide future research of intervention contexts that may be leveraged to help adults with communication disorders prepare to return to work.

Degree

MS

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Communication Disorders

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2026-03-27

Document Type

Thesis

Keywords

divided attention, age, spoken language production, discourse, aphasia

Language

english

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