Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

Musicians Who Use Cochlear Implants Proposal, Leanne Bunnell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this scoping review was to provide information about the current research related to audiological practices regarding the population of musicians who use cochlear implants technology. This scoping review included studies that investigated post implantation therapy/activities designed to assist users who were also musicians. A scoping review identifies trends and gaps in available evidence. This information can be used to inform on practices currently being used in the audiologic field and identify areas for further research. A scoping review was conducted in April 2021 to identify English-language peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2010 to March 2021. Thematic analysis …

Qualitative Analysis Of An Interdisciplinary Team’S Treatment Of Velocardiofacial Syndrome, Marissa Meredith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project two members of the 22q center from Nationwide Children’s Hospital will be interviewed to collect qualitative data about the operations and functions of the clinic. These interviews will provide information about which types of professionals are necessary for the operation of the team, how the team conducts research, how the team treats patients, how research is used to advance treatment, and why such a diverse team is necessary in the treatment of Velocardiofacial Syndrome. Upon completion of data collection, this information will be analyzed to determine the different perspectives of team members and how they interact with …

Identifying Molecular Pathways Underlying Noise-Induced Tinnitus, Mckenzie Rice

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Tinnitus is a serious neurological condition effecting 10-15% of adults, and can lead to other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and sleeping, anxiety, and depression. Currently there are no FDA approved drugs to prevent or treat tinnitus, mainly due to a lack of understanding of its cellular and molecular pathways. T- and L- type calcium channels have been implicated in the modulation of tinnitus, as well as the dysfunction of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. This study used the sound-based avoidance detection (SBAD) method in order to detect tinnitus and determine whether pharmacological treatments had an effect in mediating tinnitus. T-type …

Spectrographic Analysis Of The Lombard Effect, Julia Saxon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In my honors project I will study the feasibility of using spectrographic analysis to measure the Lombard effect. The Lombard effect is a well-known phenomenon in which talkers reflexively increase the intensity of their voices in the presence of background noise. We hypothesize that other measurable features of speech will also change with vocal intensity consistent with what is shown in literature. However, the current authors will discuss findings in terms of its potential value as a test of pseudohypoacusis, also known as nonorganic or functional hearing loss. The author and a licensed audiologist will examine the /i/ and /u/ …

Cochlear Implants And Executive Function In Children: A Current Review Of Literature, Jessica Bonezzi, Dr. Alex Meibos

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

We systematically reviewed existing research on cochlear implantation and executive function to determine if children with bilateral profound hearing loss with cochlear implantation have executive functioning levels similar to their normal hearing peers. Overall, we wanted to know if cochlear implantation resulted in executive functioning in deaf children. A systematic analysis of research was performed using the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique. Research comparing unilaterally implanted children to bilaterally implanted children shows that bilaterally implanted children scored higher on verbal IQ tests. Research comparing predominately bilaterally implanted children to norms presents split results.

The Success Of An Aided Language Stimulation Training Video For Communication Partners Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Hannah Peterson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Aided language stimulation (ALS) is an effective intervention method for nonverbal children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) learning to use an augmentative-alternative communication system to communicate with others. Communication partners can use ALS to stimulate the use of the augmentative alternative communication (AAC) system. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research study that will be completed in the future to determine the success of an ALS training video. The intended participants of the study include 30 special education teachers who work with children with ASD who use Proloquo2go formatted AAC systems. The participants of the study will …

Assessment Protocol For Cognitive And Auditory Processing Skills For Clients Receiving Neurofeedback Treatment For Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion: Literature Review, Elexea N. Aurilio, Miranda Hendrus

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Neurofeedback has become increasingly popular in the medical world and will hopefully become more commonly used in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. Currently, there is a lack of a singular, baseline and progression diagnostic tool to measure a client’s cognitive and auditory processing skills once they are referred for neurofeedback treatment.

A Literature Review On Accent Modification, Alyssa Pennington 6978027

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Accents reflect the unique social aspects and backgrounds of the speaker. Unfortunately, some accents result in communication problems that affect speech intelligibility. This is especially true for those who speak English as a second language (ESL). As a result, non-native English speakers may avoid social interactions with those who find them difficult to understand. For those who elect to modify their accents, clinicians may offer accent reduction therapy services to help ESL speakers improve their ability to communicate with others across the home, school, work, and community setting.

Therapy designed to change accents is within the scope of practice for …

Understanding The Stigma Of Hearing Loss And How If Affects The Patient And Treatment Process, Carolyn M. Zaitzew

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is a literature review on the topic of hearing loss related stigma and the effects it has on persons with hearing loss. There has not been very much research conducted on this topic, which limited the paper’s content. Through researching and analyzing previous studies, it was found that a stigma related to hearing loss still exists today and has multiple effects on persons with hearing loss. The stigma can put negative stress on patients with hearing loss, both psychologically and socially, and may even cause them to not seek or accept treatment when needed. Younger adults are more …