Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Speech Language Pathologists’ Confidence And Preparedness Working With Clients With Hearing Loss, Katherine Rosa Giustino

Masters Theses

Speech language pathologists (SLP) are professionals who may work with clients with hearing loss. With hearing loss, there are many devices, such as hearing aids, that must be functioning to provide effective speech and language therapy. Therefore, SLPs must be familiar with how to check and maintain these devices to provide optimal therapy. However, it is unknown how confident SLPs are with working with such devices. Data from a Qualtrics survey with questions that assess SLPs’ confidence in working with hearing assistive devices and communicating effectively with individuals with hearing loss was analyzed.

Overall, this study found confidence across all …

Exploring Discourse Markers As A Treatment Outcome Measure For Aphasia, Anna K. Cedoz

Masters Theses

Discourse Markers (DMs) are communicative tools or resources that people use to organize conversations. The use of DMs among individuals with aphasia has been documented to support their communicative competence (Simmons-Mackie & Damico, 1996). Further research on the use of DMs by individuals with aphasia has been limited. The current study features a secondary analysis using existing data from Devanga (2020), which studied the effects of Collaborative Referencing Intervention (CRI; Hengst et al., 2010) on three participants with chronic aphasia. This study analyzed 18 conversation probes from one participant across baseline, treatment, and maintenance phases with clinician and spouse partners. …

Mental Health Professionals' Beliefs About, Reactions Toward, And Overall Impression Of Stuttering, Elise Anne Nasser

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study is to better understand mental health professionals' beliefs, reactions, overall impression, and familiarity with stuttering to gain insight into areas where they may need more support. Some people who stutter develop increased levels of anxiety because of negative evaluation from the public (Iverach & Rapee, 2014). It is likely that a sub-group of people who stutter may benefit from mental health services; however, misinformation about stuttering may serve as a barrier in effective service provision for those who work with people who stutter (Ginsberg & Wexler, 2000). Quantitative survey data (Public Opinion Survey of …

Living With Stuttering: Authenticity, Identity, And Mental Health, Sarah Musilli

Masters Theses

In an effort to manage stigma, some PWS attempt to conceal stuttering and pass as a fluent speaker (Constantino et al., 2017). These efforts to conceal may be counterintuitive, as concealment of stuttering is predictive of elevated distress (Gerlach et al., 2021) and decreased quality of life among PWS (Boyle et. al., 2018). Although this association exists, the factors explaining how and why it exists are unexplored. Identity conflict and feelings of in/authenticity are two potential factors that are explored in this study. Qualitative interviewing supplemented with quantitative survey data is utilized to explore the lived experiences of identity conflict …

Neurogenic Stuttering: Exploring Potential Emotional And Life Impact, Natalie Devries

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to explore the potential emotional and life impact of living with neurogenic stuttering and how and when an impact develops, if present. The current diagnostic criteria for neurogenic stuttering includes no emotional impact (Canter, 1971). The literature is divided in supporting this criterion (Lebrun et al., 1990; Leder et al., 1996; Perino et al., 2000; Theys et al., 2008; Tani &Sakai, 2011; Ellis & Sheehy, 2013; Vanhoutte et al., 2014). The current study relied on qualitative interviewing which was analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis to explore potential for emotional and life impact (Braun …

A Survey Of Perceptions And Professional Boundaries Between Music Therapy And Speech-Language Pathology, Jennifer Rose Fromius

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between music therapists and speech-language pathologists in order to gain a better understanding of professional boundaries within each profession, frequency of co-treatment between the two professions, and perceptions of referral in clinical practice. Data for this research were collected through two online questionnaires with parallel sets of questions, which were distributed to a sample of boardcertified music therapists (MT-BC) and speech-language pathologists (CCC-SLP). Quantitative and qualitative data collected from the survey (N= 283; n = 45 MT-BC, n = 238 CCC-SLP) are analyzed to determine if there are correlations and …

Language Profiles Of Children Who Have Experienced Complex Trauma And Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Christel G. Ciolino

Masters Theses

Children who experience maltreatment and children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) have similar neurological differences and are at risk for language impairments. However, limited research has been conducted to analyze their specific skill sets. To address this limitation, retrospective data from the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center of Southwest Michigan were analyzed. The linguistic profiles of 79 children with histories of varying numbers of traumatic experiences and comorbid FASD statues are compared in the areas of semantics, syntax, pragmatics, and social communication. Individuals had high pass rates on the CELF-5 Screening Test and high overall scores on the Pragmatic Protocol-Revised …

Caseload/Workload Study Of Speech Language Pathologists In Missouri Public Schools, Jinyu Du

Masters Theses

"A survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Missouri public schools to obtain statewide information regarding caseload number, workload related activities and SLPs' level job satisfaction on various aspects of their job. An online questionnaire was sent to school-based SLPs in Missouri to solicit factual information on average monthly caseload numbers, factors that impact caseload assignments and the percentage of time spent on various professional responsibilities and job satisfaction ratings. Results indicated that 24% of the respondents had caseloads that exceeded the maximum state regulated caseload number for SLPs. Respondents were also largely unaware of the maximum caseload regulation …

Preliteracy Skills Promoted In Children’S Spanish-Language Books, Katherine Marie Suter

Masters Theses

As of July 1, 2013, the latest census figures indicate that there are approximately 54 million Latinosliving in the U.S. (US Census Bureau, 2013). However, many Latino children still do not receive the services or resources they need to perform well academically. The primary aim of this research study is to determine if the books available to Spanish-speaking Latino¹ populations in two Michigan Counties contain features that might be used to facilitate beginning pre-literacy skills.

Children’s Spanish-language books from bookstores and public libraries were analyzed to determine the presence of features that might facilitate print awareness, phonological awareness, and …

The Relationship Between Speaking Rate And Nasalance In Typical Adult Speakers, Rachel Whitney

Masters Theses

Nasometry is a non-invasive tool frequently used to measure speech resonance in clinical populations. The instrument uses an acoustic recording system to derive a measure termed nasalance, which is an estimate of the relative amount of acoustic energy emitted from the nasal cavity. Nasometry protocols do not provide detailed instructions for speaking rate control during data collection. Studies attempting to establish a relationship between speaking rate and nasalance have yielded mixed results; therefore, it is important to identify the influence of speaking rate on nasalance in a variety of speaking tasks. If rate is found to influence nasalance values, protocols …

The Effects Of Music Instruction On Phonological Awareness In Children With Hearing Impairment, Chelsea Fitch

Masters Theses

Phonological awareness skills are essential for reading development. Children with hearing loss lack access to essential auditory information that allows development of phonological awareness (Dillon, John, & Pisoni, 2011). Music instruction is becoming a popular approach to teach reading for typically developing children, and studies have supported beneficial effects from this treatment methodology. However, there is limited research regarding the use of music to teach phonological awareness and reading skills to children with hearing impairment (Gromko, 2005).

The effectiveness of a music program on increasing phonological awareness skills in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing was evaluated in this study. …

Executive Functions And Social Interactions: Developing Social Scenarios, Mackenzie Waite

Masters Theses

The aim of this study was to develop a series of vignettes to form the basis for an assessment of executive functions (EFs) for 9 – 12 year old children. Although EFs are necessary for effective social communication and positive social interactions, currently, most EF assessments focus on impersonal activities. Little research exists that incorporates real-time processing using ecologically valid social scenarios. The current study aims to develop realistic scenarios that children could encounter in daily life. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with six participants, who worked in a school with 9-12 year old children, to gain their perspective on social …

Preschoolers With Speech And Language Impairment: Case Studies From A Teacher-Delivered Phonological Awareness Program, Katherine J. Wickham

Masters Theses

Past and present research demonstrates early reading success related to phonological awareness (PA) instruction conducted individually or in small groups outside of the preschool classroom. This study investigated the effects of an explicit, intensive and teacher-delivered PA instruction for children with speech sound disorder and language impairment as part of the preschool curriculum. The investigator examined the performance of individual cases in both groups, those who received instruction and the control. Two participants in each of the experimental (E1 and E2) and control (C1 and C2) groups had standardized scores indicating deficits in speech and/or language. These children who received …

Relative Timing Of Speech Motor Events At Utterance Invitation In Persons Who Do And Do Not Stutter, Bryan Thomas Brown

Masters Theses

Speech production is a highly complex speech motor activity that presumably requires a high degree of coordination between articulatory, respiratory and phonatory subsystems. Stuttering may be caused by breakdowns in speech motor coordination. The current study attempted to evaluate timing relationship between these systems at speech initiation in the perceptually fluent speech of people who do and do not stutter. To study this, tongue blade speed histories, respiratory transitions from inspiratory to expiratory gestures, and acoustic events at the initiation of perceptually fluent speech in persons who stutter and normally fluent speakers were analyzed in relative time. To identify the …

Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Their Roles In Decision-Making In The Oral Cleft Clinic, Rebecca Ann Hague

Masters Theses

Background: The literature suggests adolescents have the cognitive abilities equivalent to an adult for health related decisions. Adolescents should participate in treatment planning at a level equivalent to their cognitive abilities and the extent they desire. Little is known regarding adolescents' perceived and desired level of involvement in decision making in an oral cleft clinic.

Purpose: To describe adolescents' perceptions of their roles and desired level of involvement in decision-making in an oral cleft clinic.

Methods: Four adolescents completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups.

Results: Participants reported that they perceive they are involved in decision-making processes, are knowledgeable …

Perceptions Of Adolescents: Preferences Of Adolescents For Parental Presence And The Effect On Information Disclosure, Bethany Barrus

Masters Theses

Adolescents born with a cleft lip or palate are in a unique position because they have received a lifetime of interdisciplinary team care where decisions are frequently made by parents, yet they are transitioning into a stage of life in which they will make their own health related decisions. Because of the complexity of their health needs, the preferred method of care is interdisciplinary team care (Nackashi, Dedlow, Dixon-Wood, 1997; Kummer, 2001). Little research has been conducted regarding the perceptions of adolescents with oral cleft about their care and issues of confidentiality in the context of team care. This study …

Language Associations With Literacy Achievement In Children With Cochlear Implants, Trisha Christine Noble

Masters Theses

In order to succeed in normal academic environments, reading is a critical skill for children to develop (Catts, Fey, Proctor-Williams, 2000; Musselman, 2000). Unfortunately, literacy development is often delayed in children with hearing impairment (Harris & Beech, 1998). The purpose of this research was to advance the understanding of language and speech variables that predict literacy acquisition in children with cochlear implants. Participants in this study included children with severe or profound hearing impairments, ages 6;4-8;11 who received their cochlear implant before 3 years and 6 months of age. A battery of language, cognitive, reading, spelling and speech reading tests …

Acoustic, Kinematic, And Auditory Perceptual Characteristics Of Clear Speech, Kristin L. Greilick

Masters Theses

This study characterized the speech motor transformations that underlie speech clarity changes in a group of 49 healthy young speakers. Clarity judgments based on auditory perception of the speech samples were determined by a panel of 30 undergraduate and graduate students. This study specifically aimed to characterize (1) the auditory-perceptual judgments of clarity, (2) the acoustic measures of clear and causal speech, (3) the temporal and spatial features of articulatory movements of clear and casual speech, and (4) test the hypothesis that auditory perceptual scaling of clarity (perceptual salience) would be associated with kinematic indicators of physical effort.

Results suggested …

Measures Of Auditory Inhibition In Female Smokers And Non-Smokers, Christopher Gray Clinard

Masters Theses

This study examined the chronic effects of cigarette smoking on auditory inhibition in normal-hearing female smokers and non-smokers. Nicotine is an acetylcholinomimetic drug that affects the central auditory nervous system. Physiologic measures were acoustic reflex threshold, click-evoked optoacoustic emission (CEOAE) amplitude, contralateral CEOAE suppression, and the auditory late latency response (LLR). The behavioral measure recorded was word recognition in the presence of a broadband masker at two signal-to-noise ratios (-5 and 0dB). Auditory responses were obtained from 13 smokers and 10 non-smokers. Results indicated that smoking does not have a significant effect on these auditory measures. However, tendencies observed for …

Dialect Density And Discourse Maturity Of African American Elementary Students, Brandi Lynette Newkirk

Masters Theses

This was a report of an investigation of the effects of dialectal features in African American students' narratives on discourse ratings by trained judges. The question addressed in this research was whether dialectal features influence judges who are evaluating discourse. Graduate students in speech-language pathology (n = 18) learning to analyze discourse samples served as the judges. Two versions of narratives (n = 27) written by third- and fourth-grade African American students (the original version and the edited version) were used to determine if narratives that contain dialectal features would be rated lower. The judges were trained in narrative discourse …

Right Hemisphere Effects On Language Processing: Suppression Or Activation Deficit, Sarah A. Orjada

Masters Theses

This study was designed to add to the body of research that examines the possibility of semantic activation or suppression deficits as underlying right hemisphere communication disorders. Modified treatment techniques for activation and suppression deficits proposed by Myers (1999) were used as stimuli for the experimental tasks. A total of four RHD participants and four control participants matched in age, gender, and level of education were included in the study. The study aimed to answer the following questions. Do RHD or control participants have higher scores on the suppression tasks? Do RHD participants have longer reaction times? Do RHD or …

The Immediate Effects Of Vestibular Stimulation On The Language Performance Of A Child With Autism, Jennifer L. Sova

Masters Theses

There is a proposed link between sensory processing abilities and language performance in children with autism. Research evaluating such a relationship is limited. This study sought to evaluate the hypothesis that language expression is facilitated by the application of vestibular stimulation in a child with autism. The purpose of the present study was to implement language interaction techniques and measure the outcome of language performance in a 4-year-old child with autism and sensory integration dysfunction. The child was evaluated in regards to vestibular stimulation and its facilitative effect on language production for social communicative purposes. Direct observation was used to …

Evaluation Of The Pediatric Test Of Brain Injury, Heather K. Koole

Masters Theses

This study was designed to evaluate the Pediatric Test of Brain Injury (PTBI), as well as to examine information obtained from informal measures in assessing children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Three students with TBI and three grade- and gender- matched subjects participated in this study. All six students were administered the PTBI, and their performances were given raw scores, rated for level of difficulty in performing the tasks, and compared among and across the two groups. The students with TBI were interviewed by the graduate student researcher regarding self-perceptions of their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, their …

Individual Phonological Awareness Training For Speech/Language Impaired First Graders, Sarah Weaver

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of individual phonological awareness and phonics training emphasizing auditory, motoric, and alphabetic properties of phonemes with 3 children who did not make substantial gains following classroom phonological awareness intervention. Subjects were enrolled in the first grade and exhibited speech and/or language impairments. The individual phonological awareness program contained 3 parts: (1) phonological awareness, (2) phoneme-grapheme correspondence, and (3) decoding and spelling and employed a single subject multiple probe baseline across behaviors design. Results indicated that individual treatment was successful for teaching phonological awareness, phoneme-grapheme correspondence, and decoding and spelling. …

A Survey Of Illinois Speech-Language Pathologists Regarding Sensorimotor Techniques, Patricia Ann Finley

Masters Theses

Research studies have suggested improvement in communication deficit areas when sensory integrative techniques involving sensorimotor stimulation are implemented to facilitate speech-language therapy objectives. Therefore, a questionnaire was designed by the examiner to identify the extent of awareness, training, incorporation, and co-treatment of sensorimotor techniques of Illinois speech-language pathologists. The subjects were also asked to rate the effectiveness of different sensorimotor techniques and to rate the benefits when incorporating sensorimotor techniques into therapy. Subjects consisted of 232 speech-language pathologists who completed the questionnaire.

Results revealed that speech-language pathologists working in rehabilitation had a higher awareness level about sensorimotor techniques than those …

Pragmatic Behaviors And Competency Levels Of Typically Developing And High Risk African American Preschoolers, Jennifer Dodd

Masters Theses

The pragmatic behaviors and competency levels of typically developing (TD) and high risk (HR) African American preschool children were assessed through the use of the Pragmatic Coding System (PCS, Hyter & Dodd, 1999). Ten children were videotaped within two play settings (i.e., dramatic play and manipulative toy play) for a total of twenty minutes. Results indicated that TD and HR children used the same types of pragmatic behaviors in both play settings. Frequency differences, however, were found between the two groups. Typically developing children produced a significantly greater number of initiations, total responses, multi word responses, one word responses, no …

The Effects Of Collaborative Versus Traditional Service Delivery On Narrative Language Arts Curricular Goals, Shara C. Barlage

Masters Theses

This study investigated the improvement of narrative language arts curricular goals in 140 school-aged children in first and second grade from an east central Illinois elementary school. The progress of non-communication disordered children as well as children with documented speech-language deficits was evaluated. Five classrooms (3 first and 2 second grade) received collaborative classroom-based lessons from the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and classroom teacher. Narrative curricular goals were targeted during whole-class collaborative lessons provided once a week for 30 minutes and incorporated children's storybooks as the theme. The subjects with speech-language deficits in the collaborative group received speech-language services from the …

A Longitudinal Descriptive Study Of Service Delivery Employing Collaborative Classroom-Based Or Pull-Out Service Delivery, Courtney L. Benefiel

Masters Theses

This study investigated whether there was a difference in SLP behaviors during 40 minutes of speech-language intervention using a collaborative classroom-based model of intervention versus 40 minutes of traditional pull-out intervention. Additionally the study evaluated whether there was a difference in the amount of child practice productions of IEP goal behaviors during 40 minutes of speech-language intervention provided in the classroom versus 40 minutes of intervention provided in the pull-out speech room. One-half of the subjects participated in the collaborative classroom-based model, while the other half participated in the traditional pull-out intervention. Four hours of classroom-based or pull-out treatment were …

Comparison Of Traditional Pull-Out Therapy Versus Collaborative Classroom-Based Services On Articulation Skills, Pamela S. Davidson

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the improvement of articulation skills of children who received speech services through collaborative classroom-based intervention versus those who were provided services through traditional pull-out therapy. Nine children in first and second grades were treated using a collaborative classroom-based model and eleven first and second grade children were provided treatment in a pull-out setting. All twenty students were assessed using the Secord Contextual Articulation Tests (S-CAT) (Secord & Shine, 1997) at the beginning and end of the study. Children treated in the classroom setting weekly received 30 minutes of intervention time from …

The Effects Of Collaboration Versus Traditional Service Delivery On Reading And Listening Comprehension With School-Aged Students, Megan E. Grimaldi

Masters Theses

This study investigated improvement of reading comprehension and listening comprehension in school-aged students in first through third grades at two different elementary schools. Approximately half of the students at each school received collaborative classroom-based language lessons from the teacher and speech-language pathologist. The other half of the students at each school received regular instruction from the classroom teacher without input from the speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist provided services to the students with speech or language IEP goals in the collaborative classrooms primarily in the classroom during these language lessons. The students who received speech or language services in the …