Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Acoustic-Perceptual Relations Between Fundamental Frequency And Expressiveness In Speakers With Hypokinetic Dysarthria, Alena Portnova

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Hypokinetic dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that occurs in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and affects not only their speech intelligibility but also how their attitudes and emotions are perceived by listeners. People with PD have been judged as less happy, involved, friendly, and interested based only on their speech samples. A lack of speech expressiveness is one of the characteristics that is likely to be related to these negative listener judgments. Specifically, it has been suggested that a lack of fundamental frequency (F0) variation reduces speakers’ ability to express various emotions. To investigate whether speech expressiveness is related …

A Retrospective Analysis Of Hearing Screening Outcomes In Infants Whose Mothers Were Covid-19 Positive During Pregnancy, Sangamanatha Ankmnal Ankmnal Veeranna, Charles G. Marx, Hwanseok Choi, Clinton White, Kimberly Ward

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Background: This study examined hearing screening referral rates over a three-year period, including testing performed pre-pandemic (2019) and during the first two years (2020 and 2021) of the onset of the spread of COVID-19.

Methods: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of 8,130 hearing screening referral records from 2019 – 2021, obtained from a large regional level II trauma center. These records were generated from the universal hearing screening process which utilized automated auditory brainstem response devices.

Results: There was no significant change in the number of infants screened for hearing loss and hearing screening outcomes between the pre-pandemic and …

Factors Contributing To Late Identification Of Deaf/Hard Of Hearing Children In Louisiana, Danielle D. Mercer, Tri Tran, Dawne Mccabe, Terri Ibieta, Dana Hubbard

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

To ensure children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) receive supports they need to reach their full potential, it is imperative that they be identified as early as possible. Early Hearing Detection and Intervention benchmarks stipulate children who are D/HH be enrolled in early intervention no later than 6 months of age. A major barrier to early enrollment is late identification. We reviewed records of children identified as D/HH in Louisiana after 6 months of age for 2015-2020 birth cohorts to determine factors contributing to the late identification. Cases were examined in-depth after it was determined that a diagnosis was …

Increasing Pediatric Hearing Aid Use: Considerations For Clinical Practice, Karen Muñoz, Kali Markle, Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Michael P. Twohig

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: Hearing aid use can be variable for young children, and inconsistent wear time can undermine spoken language development. This study explored the effectiveness of hearing aid data logging (DL) awareness and coaching sessions on increasing hours of hearing aid use. We also collected qualitative data on challenges participants experienced managing hearing aid use.

Method: We used a single-subject design that included three conditions, during a 6-week period, in the same order for each participant. Condition A was baseline, Condition B was DL monitoring alone, and Condition C was remote coaching calls plus DL monitoring.

Results: Hours of hearing aid …

Early Experiences Of Parents Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing: Navigating Through Identification, Intervention, And Beyond, Gabriella Reynolds, Krystal L. Werfel, Morgan Vachio, Emily A. Lund

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Guidelines created by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing ([JCIH], 2019) were designed to aid in the early identification of infant hearing loss. Despite these guidelines, a quarter of children who fail their initial screening are lost to the follow-up process and many more do not receive care in line with the 1-3-6 guidelines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2018; JCIH, 2019). To acquire more information about the experiences of families and identify specific barriers to timely diagnosis and intervention, interviews were conducted with 13 parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing whose children were …

The Signed Linguistic Input Of Hearing Mothers To Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Aleah S. Brock

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This study investigated the distribution of ten facilitative language techniques (FLTs) in the linguistic input of hearing, signing mothers to their children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Four hearing mothers and their DHH children under the age of three participated in six, ten-minute caregiver-child interaction sessions via Zoom. The recorded sessions were coded for mother FLTs and child utterances. Results indicated that the mothers tended to use more initiative than responsive types of FLTs, consistent with findings of previous studies that examined the input of mothers who were using spoken-only language with their children who are DHH. …

Improving South Dakota Parents’ Knowledge Of Congenital Cytomegalovirus, Hannah M. Williams, Jessica Messersmith, Jacynda Gellhaus

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Introduction: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common infectious condition present at birth and the leading non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children. Despite CMV being common and preventable, knowledge of CMV remains low among individuals in the United States (Doutre et al., 2016). Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is also common among infants in the United States, but unlike cCMV, several studies have researched which educational methods have been most effective for improving parents’ knowledge of safe sleep practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether educational methods shown to be most effective for improving parents’ …

Adverse Childhood Experiences In Mothers And Their Children With Hearing Loss, Elizabeth A. Rosenzweig

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This study examined the relationship between maternal and child ACEs in children with hearing loss ages 3-12. One hundred twenty-four mother-child dyads completed assessments of mother and child ACEs. Adverse cChildhood eExperiences (ACEs) were measured using the Center for Youth Wellness Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (CYW ACE-Q; Burke Harris & Renschler, 2015).

Both maternal and child participants in this study reported higher levels of ACE exposure than previously reported in studies of the general population. Maternal and child ACEs were significantly correlated. White/Caucasian mothers experienced significantly fewer ACEs than mothers of other races/ethnicities. Children living in adoptive, foster, or guardianship …

Speech Intelligibility Assessment: Predicting “Noncompliant” Listener Behavior, Briggs Kroff

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Purpose: When researching speech intelligibility among people with dysarthria, convenience sampling has typically been used to recruit listeners. A new online crowdsourcing method, Mechanical Turk (MTurk), results in ecologically valid results, but outlier results are often removed from the analysis and considered "noncompliant". This study aims to examine whether there is a relationship between age, gender, speech/language/hearing impairment, and whether someone is "noncompliant".

Methods: 16 speakers, both with and without dysarthria, were recorded while they read prewritten sentences. Research participants found through MTurk then listened to the sentences and transcribed them. They also were asked questions including their …

Paths To Equity: Parents In Partnership With Ucedds Fostering Black Family Advocacy For Children On The Autism Spectrum, Elizabeth H. Morgan, Benita D. Shaw, Ida Winters, Chiffon King, Jazmin Burns, Aubyn Stahmer, Gail Chodron

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Racism and ableism have doubly affected Black families of children with developmental disabilities in their interactions with disability systems of supports and services (e.g., early intervention, mental health, education, medical systems). On average, Black autistic children are diagnosed three years later and are up to three times more likely to be misdiagnosed than their non-Hispanic White peers. Qualitative research provides evidence that systemic oppression, often attributed to intersectionality, can cause circumstances where Black disabled youth are doubly marginalized by policy and practice that perpetuates inequality. School discipline policies that criminalize Black students and inadequate medical assessments that improperly support Black …

N-Back Accuracy And Neural Activation In Dld, Ronald Gillam

Browse all Datasets

The present study was designed to explore the general cognitive mechanisms in WM that are often found to be impaired in children with DLD. A continuous auditory N-back task was used to probe cognitive abilities such as sustained attention, storage, updating, and inhibition in monolingual TD children and children with DLD. FNIRS was used to examine the hemodynamic response patterns in the left DLPFC and IPL as children performed 0-back, 1-back, and 2-back tasks. The 0-back task was used in our analysis as a control for sustained attention. The research questions were: 1) Are there differences in N-back response accuracy …

An Assessment Of 50 State Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Websites: Is Needed Information Being Provided For Parent Decision Making?, Nichole Westin, Donna Sorkin

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Growth of the Internet as an information resource has provided expanded opportunities for families to easily gather information on a range of topics, including health related topics. State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) websites and other electronic data sources are an important opportunity to support families seeking information on options for their children who have been identified as deaf or hard of hearing. A review was undertaken between August and September 2021 of the 51 US EHDI (state and DC) websites and related information (such as links to others’ sites) to determine if information that is specifcally discussed in …

“It’S About Walking Alongside A Family”: Practitioner Perspectives On Caregiver Coaching With Families Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Dorie Noll, Sheila Moodie, Ian D. Graham, Beth Potter, Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Practitioners utilize caregiver coaching in early intervention services, but coaching principles and practices are not well understood in the context of listening and spoken language (LSL) services with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The purpose of this study was to examine practitioners’ experiences with coaching, including definitions, training, and practices they utilize in their work with families. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews and video observation discussions, this study examined the perspectives of 14 practitioners providing LSL services to families at three intervention sites in the US and Canada. Results indicate that practitioners’ underlying beliefs about their …

Application Of Intervention Mapping To Address Lost To Intervention In Early Hearing Detection And Intervention, Torri Ann Woodruff-Gautherin, Kathleen Cienkowski

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: Detail the application of intervention mapping as a protocol for developing a novel way to address lost to intervention within the early hearing detection and intervention systems.

Design: Intervention mapping (IM) is an approach to behavior change that is typically utilized in public health initiatives. This six-step process walks health program developers, researchers, and policy makers through a rigorous research and community-based approach to understanding why a health concern or problem is present in a community. While using IM to address lost to intervention in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs, the focus is on why families, after …

A Systematic Review Of The Effects Of Lena-Based Feedback On Parent-Child Language Interactions In Families With Young Children, Beula M. Magimairaj, Naveen K. Nagaraj, Ana Caballero, Karen F. Munoz, Karl R. White

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Enhancing parent language interactions with children beginning in infancy is important because it results in better language abilities, social skills, and academic outcomes in children. A number of researchers have suggested that parent language interactions with children could be enhanced by giving parents feedback about their language interactions using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system. The LENA system records communication exchanges between a child and the adult caregiver and provides an automated analysis of adult word count, child vocalization count, and conversational turn count. We did a systematic review of the studies that investigated the use of LENA-based feedback to …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of The Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program, Aaron Michael Roman, Michelle O'Connor Kensey

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This study explores the knowledge and perceptions of the newborn hearing screening (NBHS) program from the perspective of nurses and nursing support staff. Registered nurses and nursing support staff (n = 84) completed a digitally administered survey that queried their understanding of JCIH guidelines, perceptions around NBHS administration, and parental anxiety. The results demonstrated that while most respondents felt comfortable and confident about NBHS administration, there was a significant difference in their understanding of appropriate screening milestones compared to JCIH recommendations. Participants further demonstrated an interest in additional learning opportunities related to the NBHS.

Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Screening/Diagnosis Outcomes, Nannette Nicholson, Ellen A. Rhoades, Rachel E. Glade, Laura Smith-Olinde

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose

We reviewed how Social Determinants of Health relate to health inequities and disparities for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs. Then, we examine links between specific sociodemographic factors (maternal age, maternal education, ‘race’/ethnicity) and hearing screening and diagnostic audiology follow-up for newborns in the U.S. and its territories.

Methods

Maternal demographic, hearing screening and diagnostic data extracted from publicly available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records were reported to CDC by personnel responsible for EHDI programs. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using analysis of variance and multiple regression techniques.

Results

Results showed no significant differences …

Likely Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Newborn Hearing Screening And Follow-Up Services In The United States In 2020, Kelly Dundon, Suhana Alam, Xidong Deng, Mia Morrison, Treeby Brown, Karl R. White, Linda Hazard, Macia Fort, Kirsten R. Coverstone, Craig Mason, Marcus Gaffney

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

This perspective aims to highlight aspects of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) newborn hearing screening and follow-up processes that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and considers factors that likely impacted follow-up after newborn hearing screening among infants born in the United States during 2020. Efforts to minimize the potential impact of missed or delayed identification of hearing loss in infants and young children will also be discussed to help guide future program improvement activities.

Training The Next Generation Of Practitioners In Early Intervention And Telepractice: Three University Models, K. Todd Houston, Lauri Nelson, Kristina Blaiser

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to shape the provision of family-centered early intervention services for children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and their families. In programs, schools, and centers, direct in-person contact with families have been significantly curtailed as a means to limit the exposure to and spead of the virus. Emergency remote learning has lead to an increase in telepractice, also referred to as teleintervention, as the designated model of service provision. Most early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, and teachers of the Deaf were not sufficiently trained to suddenly implement emergency remote teaching or telepractice services, but service providers had no …

Telepractice-Based Assessment Of Children Who Are Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing: Focus On Family-Centered Practice, Kristina M. Blaiser, Lauri Nelson, K. Todd Houston

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring is considered best practice to serve children who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) yet logistics related to provider shortages, distances between families, and illness make regular assessment difficult if not impossible. In the last ten years, telepractice has become a more commonly used service delivery model for serving children who are DHH and their families, however, many providers lack the training needed to adequately assess this population (Behl & Kahn, 2015). With explicit planning of the assessments and tools needed on both sides of the camera, providers can create a shared framework to collect the information needed …

A Review Of Current Pediatric Tele-Audiology Ehealth Platforms, Alex Meibos

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify current pediatric tele-audiology hearing technology platforms for young children with hearing loss and their families.

Method: An exploratory, descriptive design was used to evaluate features of available pediatric tele-audiology platforms for parents and audiologists to implement for young children. The study explored internet resources including hearing industry websites, for information related to specific eHealth platform features designed to support pediatric hearing devices currently available to audiologists and families.

Results: Of the websites reviewed, only four major technology companies were found to have pediatric tele-audiology ready platforms designed to support young children …

Intra-Operative Language Assessment For Adult Brain Tumor Survivors: A Systematic Review, Carissa Jolley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Awake craniotomy and language assessment procedures for brain tumor survivors can drastically affect patient outcomes and quality of life. The goal of intra-operative language mapping is to help preserve vital communicative functions. However, there is currently no standardized set of measures for intra-operative language assessment. This systematic review identified behavioral language measures used during intra-operative procedures and the resulting outcomes for adult brain tumor patients, with the aim of helping clinicians and researchers select intra-operative language assessments supported by the highest levels of evidence.

PRISMA guidelines were used to systematically identify articles. Patient demographic and medical information, neuroimaging data, intra-operative …

Usability And Feasibility Of A Spoken Language Outcome Monitoring Procedure In A Canadian Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program: Results Of A 1-Year Pilot, Olivia Daub, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Marlene P. Bagatto, Janis Oram Cardy

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Abstract

Purpose: Best practice recommendations for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs include routine spoken language outcome monitoring. The present article reports on pilot data that evaluated the usability and feasibility of a spoken language outcome monitoring procedure developed for Ontario’s Infant Hearing Program (IHP). This procedure included both Program-level monitoring using omnibus language tests from birth to 6;0 and individual vulnerability monitoring of key domains of spoken language known to be at risk in children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing.

Methodology: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the IHP piloted the new procedures for one year and provided feedback on the procedure …

Association Between Craniofacial Anomalies And Newborn Hearing Screening Fail Rate, Kaitlyn Sheapp, Ruth S. Marin, Larry Medwetsky

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Increased knowledge of the prevalence of various craniofacial anomalies and their associated risks for hearing loss can help guide 1) development of evidence-based practice regarding detection and documentation of risk factors at birth and 2) health care professionals to make appropriate recommendations for follow-up testing and monitoring.

Method: Records were reviewed for 39,813 infants born at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center and White Oak Medical Center between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 to determine the association between the presence of craniofacial anomalies and newborn hearing screening fail rates, as well as the prevalence of confirmed hearing …

Adaptation Of The Conditioned Assessment Of Speech Production In Spanish, Alliete R. Alfano, Daniel Gonzalez, David J. Ertmer

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the adaptation of the Spanish adaptation of the CASP.

Method: The authors adapted each segment into Spanish, then had 41 participants complete a survey to determine if each adapted segment was representative of the Spanish phonologic system. Thirty-six children (half with typical hearing, half with hearing loss) completed the CASP in English and Spanish. Paired samples t-tests were run to compare English and Spanish CASP scores between children with hearing loss and those with typical hearing.

Results: All segments were adapted as needed into Spanish. There was no statistical difference between …

Improving Newborn Hearing Screening Through Collaboration And Communication, Mary Duncan, Marissa Schuh, Shannon Haynes, Anita Taylor, Gwen Moreland, Raleigh Jones, Matthew Bush, Jennifer Shinn

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Hearing loss is the number one birth defect among children. There are significant consequences of delayed diagnosis and failure to obtain timely intervention, particularly for a child’s speech and language development. Design and implementation of successful newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs can be challenging. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate improved efficiency and effectiveness of a large NHS program through the implementation of a team approach engaging both ambulatory and hospital services.

Methodology: A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was used to develop an improved NHS program focused on improving patient care. The SWOT analysis …

“It Gives Me Confidence”: Caregiver Coaching From The Perspective Of Families Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Dorie Noll, Sheila Moodie, Ian D. Graham, Beth Potter, Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Caregiver coaching is utilized in early intervention services with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing to increase caregivers’ skills and confidence in supporting their child’s language development, but few studies have examined coaching from the perspective of the caregivers. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of caregivers’ experiences of coaching in the context of listening and spoken language intervention services. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews, this study examined 13 caregivers’ perspectives at three intervention sites in the US and Canada. Results indicate that caregivers perceive that practitioner characteristics, expectations, and the evolution of the …

Hearing Screening In North Carolina's Nicu And Well-Baby Nurseries: Impact Of Jcih 2019 And Covid-19, Jackson Roush, Shannon Culbertson, Chloe Gratzek, Jane Khin, Alexandra Mccormick, Stephanie Ortega, Madison Rock, Kathryn Sobon, Jenna Van Bosch, Hannah Siburt, Marcia Fort

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: Over an 18-month period in 2020–2021, the North Carolina Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program in collaboration with the North Carolina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program conducted a statewide examination of newborn hearing screening practices in North Carolina’s 24 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and 86 well-baby nurseries to determine how current protocols and procedures conform to those recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) in its Year 2019 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Programs. The COVID-19 pandemic emerged during the study period and motivated …

Language Revitalization: Strategies To Reverse Language Shift, Jessica Jamiel Martin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Language shift, the process by which a language loses speakers until it becomes extinct, is occurring in speech communities all over the world. This process is influenced by internal and external political, social, and economic factors unique to each community. As its causes and effects are not uniform, a universal model for reversing language shift does not exist. However, several broad principles can be applied across multiple contexts and situations for successful language revitalization. It is essential for the speech community to be the primary decision maker in any program. A thorough assessment of the community’s current status, challenges, and …

The Development Of Controlled Attention, Lexie Scott, Katelin Pyfer

Student Research Symposium

The ability to maintain items of information within working memory is depending on the ability to allocate attention to items within WM. Individual differences in WM capacity may bedependent on the amount of information that can be held and maintained in the focus of attention. A basic question in cognitive development is whether individuals increase the capacity of the focus of attention or the efficiency with which they can process information. We examined the differences in typically developing children versus adults in the capacity and efficiency of attention control. In our study, children and young adults completed a dichotic attention …