Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

A Case History Of Non-Causational Autism And Hearing Loss Diagnoses, Alexandra Gray

2023 SLP Posters

This case study looks retroactively at one now 20-year-old white male's case history -- for privacy purposes, our participant will be referred to a ZG -- reviewing his Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis, his bilateral hearing loss diagnosis, and treatment services he received. This study will review literature relating to those who have had similar dual diagnoses, how one can look like the other by discussing symptoms of both and where they overlap, and what treatment was given to those patients. By the end, the author will infer if the best choices were made given his diagnoses and which diagnosis …

Implementing In-Line Speaking Valves During Mechanical Ventilation, Grace Davis

2023 SLP Posters

The Passy Muir Valve (PMV) is a one-way speaking valve that allows a patient with a tracheostomy to inspire through the trach tube and exhale through the upper airway and vocal cords. The PMV provides opportunity for increased communication for respiratory patients, decreasing psycho-emotional distress and increasing overall quality of life while the tracheostomy is placed. Additionally, the PMV also improves secretion management and swallowing leading to a reduced risk of aspiration. While it is common to delay intervention until a patient is no longer using mechanical ventilation, a review of literature has indicated benefits to initiating PMV intervention prior …

Improving Diagnostic Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Within The Hispanic Community In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bethany Waddey

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite the importance of early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Hispanic children are significantly under-diagnosed with ASD in comparison to non-Hispanic, white children due to barriers to ASD identification in this population. The purpose of this research is to determine the levels of ASD knowledge in the Hispanic community in Bowling Green, the barriers that may contribute to why ASD is underdiagnosed in Hispanic children, and how to mitigate these barriers. This research analyzes the results of a survey, called the “Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale- General Population Version”, administered to 51 participants from the Hispanic population of …

Communication Approach For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: ​ Picture Exchange Communication System, Melissa Davis

2023 SLP Posters

There is a range of intervention approaches for individuals with autism who have minimal verbal expressive language. This study reviews a commonly used low-tech option known as Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to teach functional communication to individuals through a multi-phase process. Through different research findings, the study will demonstrate factors influencing the effectiveness of PECS for communication development at a school setting. As seen in Ganz et al. (2012) meta-analysis, it has been determined that PECS can be effective in developing functional communication for individuals with autism.

Females With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Riley Guffey

2023 SLP Posters

The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) states that social communication deficits can be present alongside a wide variety of diagnoses and are characterized by the difficulties in the usage of language in social contexts, which can affect language expression and comprehension ("Autism spectrum disorder," n.d.). "Research reveals that males are 4 times more likely to receive a diagnosis of ASD compared to females" (Fletcher, 2022). The criteria for diagnosis are viewed in terms based on a male's inability to present appropriate social communication and pragmatic skills. This oftentimes leads to missed or inaccurate diagnoses for females. The literature reviewed …

What Do Slps Need To Consider When Picking A Peer For Peer-Mediated Intervention?, Alex King

2023 SLP Posters

Peer-mediated intervention consists of the instruction of particular strategies to a small group of peers that demonstrates strengths in communication and social interactions with classmates diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder(ASD)(Thiemann-Bourque et. al., 2016). Peer-mediated intervention in a school setting is essential because it integrates the education of all children to provide opportunities to address play and functional communication skills.

Pre-Pulse Inhibition In Mutated Mice: Studying Compromised Microglial Cells To Discover New Genetic Connections To Autism, Bailey R. Kramarik

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Microglial cells “play a pivotal role in refining neural networks during early critical periods” (Gabriele & Gray, 2020, p. 1). A disturbance in the functioning of these microglial cells contribute to specific characteristics of some neurodevelopmental disorders- including autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we used a mouse model to study disruptions in cell activity, as understanding the biological and genetic background of autism spectrum disorder could help us provide better treatment and therapy options to those diagnosed.

The mutated mice in this experiment have microglial cells with “compromised fractalkine signaling” (Gabriele & Gray, 2020, p. 4-5). We studied multimodal …

Developing A Better Understanding Of Autism Spectrum Condition (Asc) In Girls & Women, Elyssa S. Male

2021 SLP Posters

Today, professionals are creating goals that are teaching and reinforcing autistic students to mask, but long-term masking causes mental-health issues and suicide in autistic clients.

Narrative Language Among Mothers With The Fmr1 Premutation And Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sara Mousavi

Theses and Dissertations

Difficulties with pragmatic language are known language traits among women with the FMR1 premutation and within the broad autism phenotype (BAP). Our study investigated the narrative cohesion and story grammar organization of spontaneously generated stories produced by mothers with the FMR1 premutation, mothers of children with ASD, and mothers of typically developing children. No group differences were observed in story grammar, overall quality, or frequency of use of temporal devices. But both the mothers of children with ASD and mothers with the FMR1 premutation committed reference errors at a significantly higher frequency than mothers in the control group. This study …

Rapid Assessment Of Problem Solving For Kids (Raps-K), Hannah Perdew

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Rapid Assessment of Problem Solving (RAPS) is a clinical assessment of verbal problem solving skills created by Dr. Robert Marshall and colleagues (Marshall, 2003). The assessment, originally developed for adults, is based on the well-known twenty questions game. The clinician administering the assessment chooses a target picture and the participant asks yes or no questions to eliminate incorrect answers and, eventually, identify the target picture. Question asking efficiency, indicated by the number of choices eliminated, is considered to reflect levels of cognitive functioning, specifically problem solving. Recently, the RAPS has been utilized with typically developing children and children with …

The Effect Of The Movie Time Social Learning Method On The Emotional Inferencing Skills In An Adult With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jenna Reade

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty finding employment and maintaining social relationships. Professional and personal interactions require individuals to make inferences, or read between the lines. Inferencing is a challenge for individuals with ASD because it requires complex information processing. More specifically, it involves the integration of cognitive and linguistic information. There is a lack of research using complex stimuli to treat inferencing. An A-B-A-B design with one adult with ASD was used to examine the effectiveness of a movie-based method, Movie Time Social Learning(Vagin, 2012), on improving the emotional inferencing skills of one young adult with …

Systematic Review: Comparative Efficacy Of The Picture Exchange Communication System (Pecs) To Other Augmentative Communication Systems In Increasing Social Communication Skills In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brittany Mahoney, Alyssa Johnson, Maggie Mccarthy, Cameron White

Communication Sciences and Disorders: Systematic Review Publications

Purpose: This systematic review aims to compare the efficacy of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to other forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in increasing social communication skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Methods: A systematic review of the literature on PECS and other forms of AAC written between 2007 and 2018 was conducted. Studies were selected based on the established inclusionary and exclusionary criteria. The inclusionary criteria incorporated subjects with a formal diagnosis of ASD under the age of 18. Exclusionary criteria included individuals with severe sensory, motor, and/or other medical conditions that may …

Examining The Effects Of Aac Intervention On Oral Language In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review, Alexandra F G Patch, Emily V. Mortner, Alison R. Joseph

Communication Sciences and Disorders: Systematic Review Publications

This systematic review researched the efficacy of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in increasing oral communication in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It may be used to inform best practice when working with children with ASD. The search strategy reviewed medical, social science, and communication databases. Inclusionary criteria consisted of peer-reviewed, quantitative research published after 2007 regarding children with ASD under age 18. The included studies used AAC interventions and measured spoken language outcomes. After conducting an initial database search with these criteria, a manual search was performed using references from the found articles. Results varied across studies. Although …

The Effect Of Yoga And Breathing Exercises On Children With Autism, Leah Brausch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this case study was to determine the effects of yoga and breathing exercises on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Common characteristics of children with ASD were noted and observed throughout the study in order to determine effectiveness of the therapy at hand. Yoga therapy was implemented for nine (9) weeks through an at-home program. It was determined that, while long-term effects were not evident, there is reasonable evidence to implement yoga therapy to assist with focus and attention. This paper serves to review characteristics of children with ASD, typical therapies used to assist them and the …

Methods And Professionals Involved In Evaluating Postural Control In The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population: A Systematic Review, Christina Melora

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the methods in which postural stability and control are being quantified in persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with what instrumentation and which healthcare professionals are included in this process. It is well studied that persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which now include those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger Disorder, often suffer from vestibular modulation abnormalities (Rogers & Ozonoff, 2005; American Psychiatric Association, 2013.) These individuals may present with either an under- or over-responsiveness to vestibular inputs resulting in a variety of repetitive behaviors or …

Video Modeling For Social Communication In Adults With Asd, Haley Ann Altman

Honors Projects

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience significant difficulty and psychosocial toll as a result of their impairments in social communication. Specifically for adults, this can have a negative effect on relationships and vocational stability. However, there is a lack of effective intervention for adults with ASD to assist in learning these social conventions. Video modeling is an intervention that has potential to help these individuals learn to be successful in social problem-solving situations. A pilot feasibility study (Hewitt & Kelliher, n.d.) was conducted to investigate the intervention of video modeling for adults with ASD. Coding was then necessary …

The Quality Of Life Among Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Katharine F. Moroney

Masters Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that may affect several aspects of communication, including social and pragmatic functioning. There is a paucity of research in general involving adults with ASD, especially in the United States. Moreover, the strand of research that is significantly lacking involves the quality of life among adults with ASD. While considering the increase in the prevalence of ASD, it is important to empirically investigate the Quality of Life (QoL) of adults with ASD. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines QoL as, “the individual’s perception of their position in life… ranging from the person’s physical …

Stakeholder Perspectives Of The Effectiveness Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Techniques In Children With Autism, Daria Constantinescu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to utilize focus groups and individual interviews to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of augmentative and alternative (AAC) techniques in facilitating language in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as expressed by the opinions and attitudes of stakeholders involved in the process. ASD is a disorder that affects an individual's social and communication skills that usually surfaces within a child's first three years of life. There have been numerous studies conducted comparing different types of AAC intervention systems, but there is little information on stakeholders' opinions. The current study utilized one focus group interview …