Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Considering Extended High-Frequency Audiometry As A Screening Tool For Auditory Processing Disorder, Maylee Martin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research project is to describe Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and its background and etiology, signs and symptoms, and treatment options. APD is an auditory disorder that affects the central nervous system. Individuals with auditory processing disorders are able to detect sounds at normal hearing levels and pass a standard hearing test, but struggle with higher order auditory skills such as auditory discrimination, binaural processing, including understanding in the presence of background noise, and temporal processing (ASHA, 2005). A full auditory processing test battery is time consuming, and many audiologists are not skilled in administering typical APD …

How Phonological And Syntactic Overlap Impact Cognate Processing Speeds In Bilinguals, Ella Marie Peterson

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper investigates individuals who are proficient in two languages (bilinguals) and the speeds at which bilinguals process cognates (words with comparable form and meaning across languages). This paper cites two ongoing experiments: The Language Identification (LID) task and the Self-Paced Listening (SPL) task. Findings from the LID suggest that phonological overlap in cognates facilitates bilingual language processing speeds, when cognates are presented in isolation. Findings from the SPL suggest that syntactic overlap in cognates also facilitates bilingual language processing speeds, when cognates are presented in sentences. These findings are significant in that the tasks present cognates to participants in …

Do High School Students Understand Their Miranda Rights? A Preliminary Investigation, Emma K. Hinds

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Background: Numerous studies have established that the linguistic complexity of the Miranda warning often results in poor comprehension, particularly for adolescents. Several studies have shown that persons with language disorders are overrepresented in U.S. prisons. Additionally, a few studies have shown a strong positive correlation between language scores and scores on Miranda assessments. These findings suggest that individuals with language disorders are at risk for poor comprehension of their Miranda rights, placing them at greater risk of waiving those rights, which can lead to incarceration.

Aims: The goal of this preliminary investigation is to examine how well adolescents with typical …

The Impact Of Language Status On Bilingual Language And Literacy Development, Ashley Ippolito

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated narrative and literacy differences between monolingual and bilingual children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and examined caregivers' perspectives on their language and literacy development. This mixed methods project involved semi-structured ethnographic interviews and case histories for caregiver measures, and it included a narrative production task and a literacy skills assessment for child measures. There were two participant groups: monolingual children with a DLD in kindergarten to sixth grade (Group 1) and bilingual children (English + additional language) with a DLD (Group 2). Thematic analysis of caregiver interviews revealed that monolingual families engaged in storytelling and reading activities …

Applying The Evidence: Taste Manipulation As A Dysphagia Management Strategy, Ross M. Westemeyer, Angela M. Dietsch, Rachel W. Mulheren

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This narrative review aims to summarize the evidence regarding taste manipulation as a dysphagia management strategy within the evidence-based practice framework, with a focus on clinical application for speech-language pathologists.

Method: First, we present background information on the physiology of taste and swallowing. A summary of research evidence on the effect of taste on swallowing is presented, followed by suggested methods for incorporating taste into swallowing evaluation and intervention. An overview of individual factors that can impact taste perception is provided. Finally, we discuss methods of clinical application and future directions for clinicians.

Conclusions: Although taste …

“Your Legs Don’T Look All That Good” An Analysis Of Impoliteness And Politeness In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injuries In The Workplace, Grace Kozal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Social communication disorders are a common outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This social communication disorder can be seen through impolite speech acts during conversation. While politeness is a social norm for workplace discourse, instances of impoliteness may have poor consequences. This research explores the use of impoliteness in persons with TBI within computer generated work-based conditions.

Methods: Language samples from the Voicemail Elicitation Task (VET) and Feedback/Advice Spoken Task (FAST) were transcribed word-for-word. Transcripts from all 62 participants were coded for impoliteness using a developed Impoliteness Codebook and were analyzed to identify significant differences in the number of …

Lack Of Protocol Standardization For Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials, Kendall J. Werhane

MSU Graduate Theses

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) are used in the field of Audiology to allow us to evaluate otolith and vestibular nerve function, which provides us with information that prior testing could not exclusively identify. While the collection of data from VEMPs is useful for many audiologic and vestibular diagnoses, achieving accurate recordings can be challenging due to the complex nature of testing. The article below will take a deep dive into different VEMP devices and the protocol they used to record VEMPs on their participants. The purpose of developing state-of-the-art (SOTA) equipment for VEMP testing is to ensure that the …

Understanding The Effects Of Hormone Treatments On The Transgender Singer: A Pedagogical Study And Voice Studio Guide, Erin M. Hannon

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Transitioning from one gender to another can be an arduous and emotionally charged experience, accompanied by many physical and mental transformations. The journey of self-discovery and vocal explorations is both unique and deeply personal. Modifications that emerge in an individual's vocal characteristics have a profound influence on their capacity to communicate and express themselves.

Transgender vocal students and professional singers must navigate the delicate balance between their vocal and gender identities while considering the possible risks of Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy. Though these therapies may significantly alter one's appearance and overall well-being, they are also capable of causing notable declines …

Developmental Change In English-Learning Children’S Interpretations Of Salient Pitch Contours In Word Learning, Carolyn M. Quam, Daniel Swingley

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

To efficiently recognize words, children learning an intonational language like English should avoid interpreting pitch-contour variation as signaling lexical contrast, despite the relevance of pitch at other levels of structure. Thus far, the developmental time-course with which English-learning children rule out pitch as a contrastive feature has been incompletely characterized. Prior studies have tested diverse lexical contrasts and have not tested beyond 30 months. To specify the developmental trajectory over a broader age range, we extended a prior study (Quam & Swingley, 2010), in which 30-month-olds and adults disregarded pitch changes, but attended to vowel changes, in newly learned words. …

The Influence Of Intensive Treatment In A Cohort Model On Psychosocial Well-Being Of Patients With Aphasia: An Investigation Of Patients’ Quality Of Life Across Three Service Delivery Models, Helena Riley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Aphasia, a common communication disorder following a stroke, significantly impacts psychosocial wellbeing and quality of life. Despite advancements in rehabilitation frameworks, traditional impairment-based interventions prevail, leaving gaps in addressing holistic needs. This study aims to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between intensive comprehensive aphasia programs (ICAP), modified ICAPs (mICAPs) and individual usual care (UC) service delivery models for aphasia intervention. Eighteen participants with aphasia were broadly recruited for this study. Each completed a series of PROMs pre-and post-treatment examining psychosocial wellbeing, communicative participation, and health related quality of life. Results indicate that intensive programs show potential for greater gains in …

It's Day To Day Problems: Experiences Of People With Aphasia Who Live Alone, Deborah Hersh, Clare Williamson, Emily Brogan, Mandy Stanley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Living alone is increasing and associated with health and social risks. Aphasia compounds these risks but there is little research on how living alone interacts with aphasia. This study is a preliminary exploration of this issue. Method: Five people with aphasia who lived alone participated in two supported semi-structured interviews, with the second interview including sharing an artefact that held significance for living alone with aphasia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. Result: Four themes encompassed meaning-making about living alone with aphasia: relationships and reliance on others; risk, vulnerability, and uncertainty; loneliness and time …

Utilisation Of Simulation-Based Learning To Decrease Student Anxiety And Increase Readiness For Clinical Placements For Speech-Language Pathology Students, Teresa Petrich, Brennen Mills, Abigail Lewis, Sara Hansen, Emily Brogan, Natalie Ciccone

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: To investigate the use of two versions of a simulation-based learning experience (SBLE) to decrease speech-language pathology (SLP) students’ anxiety and increase their confidence and sense of preparedness for clinical placements. Method: Two cohorts of third-year SLP students (n = 33) participated in a mixed-methods study with each cohort completing one version of the SBLE. Participants completed pre- and post-program quantitative ratings of anxiety, confidence, and preparedness for clinical placements and participated in focus groups. Three clinical educators also provided qualitative data in debriefs and interviews. Result: Significant decreases in student ratings of anxiety, and increases in confidence and …

Hearing Loss As A Risk Factor For Cognitive Decline In The Elderly: A Rapid Review, Natalie Large, Nannette Nicholson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The aim of this rapid review was to identify and evaluate evidence exploring hearing loss as a risk factor for cognitive decline in the elderly population. Methods: A literature search was performed in three databases: CINAHL, Cochrane Central, and PubMed. The PRISMA template was used to record the search and selection process. Search criteria included older adults aged 65 and up with diagnosed or self-reported hearing loss and no previous diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Participants were excluded if they had been diagnosed with dementia or tested for it before the study began. Hearing loss was categorized using …

Numerical Investigation Of Subglottal Stenosis Effects On Human Voice Production, Dariush Bodaghi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aimed to advance knowledge of how subglottal stenosis impacts voice production physiology. An in-house fluid-structure-acoustic interaction approach based on the hydrodynamic/acoustic splitting technique was employed. This technique was rigorously verified for simulating phonation by matching the acoustic behavior to a compressible flow solver for phonation-relevant geometries. Simulations of an idealized 2D vocal tract model demonstrated the effects of supraglottal acoustic resonance on vocal fold kinematics and glottal flow waveform. Results showed that the acoustic coupling between higher harmonics and formats generated pressure oscillations, modifying vocal fold dynamics and glottal flow rate.

A major novelty was the incorporation and …

Quantifying The Occupational Voice Use Of Teachers, Sarah E Eastman, Hamzeh Ghasemzadeh, Jarrad Van Stan, Robert E Hillman, Daryush D Mehta

Student and Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The teaching profession is a high-voice use occupation at elevated risk for developing voice disorders. Continued research on teachers' vocal demands is necessary to advocate for and establish vocal health programs. This study quantified ambulatory vocal dose measures for teachers during both on- and off-work periods, comparing their occupational voice use to that in other studies that have reported percent phonation ranging from 17% to 30%.

METHOD: Participants included 26 full-time, female school teachers between 23 and 55 years of age across multiple grades and subjects, including individuals with and without a voice disorder. Ambulatory voice data were collected …

Enhancing The Hearing Conservation Audiological Test Battery In Noise-Exposed Dod Service Members, Taylor N. Paige

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

This research study compared how audiometric results differ in service members who are and those who are not exposed to occupational hazardous noise. To address this question, the performance of 21 service members with no occupational noise was compared to the performance of 23 service members with reported occupational noise exposure. Standard audiometric tests were employed, as well as expanded test measures including extended high frequency audiometry and speech in noise testing.

Results indicated the experimental group performed more poorly on some Modified Rhyme Test (speech in noise test) conditions, as well as were more likely to have absent audiometric …

Collaborative Practices Between General Education Teachers And Teachers Of The Deaf/Hard Of Hearing: A Narrative Inquiry, Kayla Power

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The US Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) states that students with disabilities should receive instruction in the general education classroom as much as possible. This move has resulted in Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) students spending more of their time in the general education classroom which has increased the need for collaboration between Teachers of the Deaf (TODs) and general education teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine what collaboration between TODs and general education teachers looks like in an elementary school setting. Data consisted of individual interviews and observations. Using a narrative inquiry approach, I restory …

Core Vocabulary Intervention For Language-Delayed Kindergarten Students Using Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Angela M. Riccelli, Ravi Nigam

Journal of Applied Disciplines

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of core vocabulary selection and the subsequent usage of a prescribed core vocabulary intervention over a period of one trimester (13-week period) and to report its impact on the overall communicative effectiveness of kindergarten students with language delay using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Study participants were provided with a pretest, speech and language therapy sessions in which intervention took place, and a posttest, which was administered by a speech–language pathologist. Intervention implementation commenced at the beginning of the school year and extended through the end of the trimester.13-week period. …

Using Audacity Software To Enhance Teaching And Learning Of Hearing Science Course: A Tutorial, Nilesh Washnik, Chandan Suresh, Chao-Yang Lee

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Audacity is a multi-platform free, open-source audio recorder and editor software. The advantage of Audacity software is as follows: easy installation and simple visual interface, no registrations or hardware requirements, and availability at no cost might make it a preferred software to carry out class demonstrations and lab activities for an undergraduate course in the Communication Sciences and Disorders discipline. The tutorial aims to illustrate how Audacity software can be used to demonstrate various psychoacoustic phenomena commonly taught in undergraduate Hearing Science courses. This tutorial is divided into fundamental and advanced concepts from the pedagogy and student learning standpoint. The …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of Slp Graduate Students Regarding Multiculturalism, Evy Jewell Hayes, Laura Amanda Mathews

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Populations in the United States rise daily, as do the number of people who are considered multicultural. With this comes a greater need for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are able to assess and treat such individuals – a training process that begins in graduate programs. The primary objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of graduate students in speech-language pathology as it pertains to multiculturalism. A survey was conducted to explore graduate students’ knowledge and perceptions of multicultural topics. Participants were recruited from programs in the southeastern United States via email. Just under 400 surveys were …

Trumpet Directivity From A Rotating Semicircular Array, Samuel D. Bellows, Joseph E. Avila, Timothy W. Leishman

Directivity

The directivity function of a played musical instrument describes the angular dependence of its acoustic radiation and diffraction about the instrument, musician, and musician’s chair. Directivity influences sound in rehearsal, performance, and recording environments and signals in audio systems. Because high-resolution, spherically comprehensive measurements of played musical instruments have been unavailable in the past, the authors have undertaken research to produce and share such data for studies of musical instruments, simulations of acoustical environments, optimizations of microphone placements, and other applications. The authors acquired the data from repeated chromatic scales produced by a trumpet played at mezzo-forte in an anechoic …

Recursive Functional Learning In Nonfluent Aphasia, Gerald C. Imaezue

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

People with nonfluent aphasia (PWNA) require feedback from an external agent as well self-feedback to facilitate performance of language production tasks. The extent to which PWNA can use self-feedback alone to improve their task performance is unknown. In addition, it is argued that self-feedback may reinforce or minimize performance errors over time. To test whether either is the case, we introduce an original learning mechanism, recursive functional learning, which uses self-feedback loops to optimize recursively multiple subsystems (cognitive and linguistic subsystems) that PWNA engage during task performance. We used this mechanism to underpin a novel automated procedure we developed, recursive …

The Roles Of Vestibular And Proprioceptive Signals In Updating Spatial Selective Auditory Attention During Head Motion, Erisa Davoudi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Spatial Selective Auditory Attention (SSAA) allows individuals to attend to a desired sound’s location in an acoustically rich environment. This research project explored the compensatory updating of SSAA focus during head movements and the roles of vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual self-motion signals in this process. A behavioural auditory selective attention task was conducted with and without visual cues and in three different motion conditions that manipulated the availability of vestibular and proprioceptive signals: Static (no updating required), Active head rotation (vestibular and proprioceptive signals available), and Passive whole-body rotation (only vestibular signals available). The findings suggest that listeners do appropriately …

Effects Of Language Status, Community Advice, And Parent Beliefs On Heritage Language Maintenance In The U.S.: A Scoping Review, Jasmine Loeung

University Honors Theses

This scoping review examines the effects of language status, community advice to parents, and parents' beliefs on heritage language maintenance within a U.S. context. A total of 34 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four key themes were identified as follows: (1) status of a language in society affects maintenance, (2) parents' beliefs about the impact of the heritage language affect family language practices, (3) community advice impacts parents' beliefs and practices, (4) other factors affecting maintenance of the heritage language across generations. Overall, HL maintenance was observed as a dynamic relationship between a variety of factors, with individuals as well …

Loudness Matching In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease And Hypophonia, Catherine Johnson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the present study was to investigate speech loudness perception in 15 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (IWPD) and hypophonia (reduced speech intensity) and 15 healthy control (HC) participants. A loudness matching procedure was used to examine conditions involving speech loudness targets presented at various levels (60 to 80dB SPL). The loudness response conditions included manually controlled audio playback of external speech, self-vocalized speech, amplified self-speech, and speech projected to a distance of 2 meters. For most of the loudness matching conditions, the PD group did not demonstrate the predicted deficit in loudness matching. In some loudness matching conditions, …

The Directional Effect Of Target Position On Spatial Selective Auditory Attention, Heesung Park

Dissertations, 2020-current

Spatial selective auditory attention plays a crucial role in listening in a mixture of competing speech sounds. Previous neuroimaging studies have reported alpha band neural activity modulated by auditory attention, along with the alpha lateralization corresponding to attentional focus. A greater cortical representation of the attended speech envelope compared to the ignored speech envelope was also found, a phenomenon known as 'neural speech tracking’. However, little is known about the neural activities when attentional focus is directed on speech sounds from behind the listener, even though understanding speech from behind is a common and essential aspect of daily life. The …

Sound-Category Learning And Memory Skills In Neurotypical Adults And Adults With Language-Learning Disabilities, Allison Fulcher

University Honors Theses

This study evaluates the impact of memory skills (procedural, declarative, and working) and sound discrimination abilities, on the ability of adults with and without Language Learning Disability (LLD) to learn two sound-category structures, one designed to be learned implicitly and the other designed to be learned explicitly. This design tests a theorized etiology for LLD, the Procedural Deficit Hypothesis (PDH), which posits that LLD is caused by selective impairments to procedural memory and implicit learning. It also serves to evaluate factors and conditions that contribute to success in second-language learning for adults, who are less neurologically suited to the task …

Engaging Clinicians To Develop A Meaningful Digital Outcome Measurement Tool To Improve Implementation Of The Focus On The Outcomes Of Communication Under Six (Focus), Boshra Bahrami

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study engaged speech-language pathologists who were familiar with an existing participation-focused paper-based outcome measure called the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS-34) to understand their current experiences using the tool and identify their recommendations for how a digital solution could improve their ability to use its data clinically. SLPs were actively involved in the early stages of the digital FOCUS-34 development to ensure its clinical utility and support its future implementation in clinical practice. Twenty-three speech-language pathologists participated in virtual focus groups that were run in groups of four or five. Focus groups lasted 60 minutes, …

The Use Of A Myofunctional Device In An Aged Care Population For Oral Care And Swallowing: A Feasibility Study, Hollie-Ann L. Shortland, Gwendalyn Webb, Anne E. Vertigan, Sally Hewat

International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy

Purpose: Poor oral health is a known predictor of aspiration pneumonia in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and chronically ill. This study examined the feasibility of using myofunctional devices during a 5-week intervention for the management of oral care and dysphagia for residents in a residential aged-care facility.

Method: Feasibility was determined through evaluation of study recruitment and retention rates, adherence to intervention, and resident and staff acceptability of the intervention. Thirteen residents, ages 74–99, participated in the intervention and 10 care staff completed feedback on post-intervention questionnaires.

Results: Enrolment and retention rates were 61.9% and 92.3%, respectively. Adherence …

Gender Diversity Cultural Responsiveness Education In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs: A Pilot Survey, Tara E. Dickinson, Molly A. Normandin, Rachel W. Mulheren

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: Gender-affirming voice therapy aims to align a person’s voice and communication with their gender identity. Historically, transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals have been marginalized and continue to face significant healthcare disparities. The goal of this research was to examine the self-perceived preparedness of recent speech-language pathology (SLP) graduates for working with TGNC clients. A survey was developed to include both multiple choice and open-ended questions. Topics included graduate-level training on working with TGNC individuals, perceived preparedness to work with this client population, educational resources sought by respondents, and suggested improvements for SLP graduate programs. Thirty recent (since 2016) …