Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Toolkit For Users Of Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids, Sabrina Malasarte

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Untreated hearing loss oftentimes has significant adverse effects on the quality of life of older adults. The associations include, but are not limited to loneliness, isolation, anxiety, and a decrease in cognitive function. Hearing aids significantly improve audibility, social interactions, and decrease feelings of loneliness or isolation. However, despite technological advances, and evidence of positive outcomes associated with hearing aid use, uptake and continued use of hearing aids remain low. Accessibility and affordability are considered barriers to uptake. Purchasing a prescription hearing aid from an audiologist is the traditional approach to receiving an amplification device, but the advent of over …

Best Practices For Healthcare Providers When Communicating With Individuals With Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review, Ashley Mccaig

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature to gather information about strategies to use when communicating with people with hearing loss, specifically in healthcare settings or environments where face masks are frequently used. The compiled literature was used to establish the best practices for healthcare providers to use when communicating with their patients with hearing loss, especially when utilizing face masks.

Methods: A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using the Google Scholar, PubMed, and MEDLINE Complete databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to …

Articulatory Activity Of The Tongue, Jaw, And Lips During The Second Passaggio Transition Of The Soprano Voice, Richard C. Lissemore

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation describes three experiments designed to explore the acoustic and articulatory activity of a perceptible change in the soprano voice known as the secondo passaggio, or second transition, which typically occurs for the [ɑ] vowel between D♮5 (587 Hz) and F♮5 (698 Hz). Acoustically, the transition involves a shift in resonance strategy from second resonance tracking of the second harmonic (f_R2/2f_o) to first resonance tracking of the fundamental frequency (f_R1/f_o). To quantify the acoustics of the transition, we employed the measure L₁-L₂, the …

Audiological Evaluation Of Persons With Dementia: A Systematic Review, Yehudis Hoch

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Dementia and hearing loss are both prevalent, age-related conditions and recent research has established a correlation between the two. Audiological evaluations of persons with dementia are important due to a likely comorbidity of dementia and hearing loss, the detrimental effect that hearing loss has on cognition and cognitive tests, and because the similar presentation of the two conditions can cause hearing loss to be overlooked. Hearing loss intervention is critical for this population due to the positive effects that amplification has on cognition, social engagement, and listening effort. Despite the importance of hearing assessment and intervention, audiological evaluation of …

Development Of The Hearing Emotion/Activity Restrictions On Teenagers (Heart), Robin G. Axelrod

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEARING EMOTION/ ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS ON TEENAGERS (HEART)

By: Robin Axelrod

Advisor: Barbara Weinstein

Background:

The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly is a self-assessment tool used to assess and quantify the impact of hearing loss on emotional and social wellness in the geriatric population. However, there is not an existing version for the teenage population. Hearing loss has the potential to impact social, emotional, and academic domains in the daily lives of teenagers with hearing loss. In this study, a new self-assessment tool called the Hearing Emotion/ Activity Restrictions on Teenagers (HEART) was created and distributed via …

A Phase-1 Trial Of Intensive Hybrid Stuttering Modification/Fluency Shaping Therapy, Jessica Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in frequency stuttering behaviors, speech rate, and feelings/attitudes following the University of South Florida Program for Advanced Treatment of Stuttering (USF-PATS), a hybrid stuttering modification/fluency shaping program intended for teenagers and adults who stutter moderately to very severely.

Method: Baseline and post-treatment speech samples for participants (N = 3) were analyzed for speech rate and presence of stuttering behaviors (repeated movements, fixed postures, and superfluous behaviors) across conditions (monologue and reading). An abbreviated thematic analysis was completed to analyze feelings/attitudes post-treatment.

Results: Results revealed a decrease to zero and near-zero …

Assessing The Reliability Of The Pairwise Variability Index For Differential Diagnosis Of Apraxia Of Speech, Celeste Sinko

University Honors Theses

Differential diagnosis of apraxia of speech (AOS) from other speech and language disorders is a prevailing challenge in the field of speech language pathology. Presently, existing measures for assessing AOS consist of perceptual rating scales, such as the Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale developed by Duffy, Strand, Clark, and Josephs. While perceptual rating scales are the current gold standard for assessment and diagnosis of AOS, they require a high degree of clinical expertise, and are susceptible to rater bias and rater drift. Thus, there exists a need for quantitative, objective measures for differential diagnosis of AOS. The purpose of this …

“Neur-Aud-Diversity”: Young Adults With Adhd Are More Impulsive And Can Be Accurately Selected From Their Neurotypical Peers Using False Alarm Rates In Masked And Unmasked Auditory Tasks, Katelyn Hobbs

Dissertations, 2020-current

Objective diagnostic measures are desired for those with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) to overcome current subjective measures. Listeners with ADHD are more impulsive than their neurotypical peers (those without a neurological disorder). Greater impulsivity can lead to lower thresholds on an informational masking task. It was hypothesized that people with ADHD would have lower thresholds on an informational masking task, however, no significant difference was found between the groups’ thresholds (t ₄₀=.49, p=.62, Cohen d=.16). A significant difference was found when comparing the initial false alarm rates from the long testing period with the final false alarm rates (p=.035, …

Magnitude Estimations Of Angular Motion: Test-Retest Reliability, Elizabeth C. Pahygiannis

Dissertations, 2020-current

Dizziness and imbalance are one of the most common complaints of people 65 years and older, as it affects 20-30% of this population and puts one at a higher risk of falling (Iwasaki & Yamasoba, 2015). Vestibular impairments are identified through measures of vestibular reflexes such as the VOR. However, the extent of impairment observed through the VOR may not correlate with the patient’s perceptions of their symptoms (Kobel et al., 2021).A large portion of patients with vestibular symptoms cannot be diagnosed with the testing that is currently available (Agrawal et al., 2009). Magnitude estimation is a psychophysics technique used …

Functional Connectivity Of The Hippocampus In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Noah Watts

Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological developmental disorder that affects around 1/44 of individuals in the United States. ASD individuals tend to struggle with things such as communication and socialization. This disorder has been found to affect many brain regions; however, autism’s effect on the hippocampus has been heavily understudied. Since the hippocampus is not commonly referred to as the brain region affected by autism, the importance of the hippocampus in ASD may have been unrecognized. While ASD hippocampi have been very narrowly researched (only size and shape), there is compelling evidence that the hippocampus could be another part …

Exploring Speech Experiences, Cpib Scores, And Aac Assessment Experiences Of Autistic Aac Users With Intermittent, Unreliable, Insufficient, And/Or Expensive Speech, Karina Rayl, Pang Lee Herr, Brandon Eddy, Amy Donaldson, Stephanie Fuller, Alyssa Zisk

Student Research Symposium

There is growing evidence from the perspectives of speaking autistic people that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports their self-expression and communicative agency. Despite the evidence supporting the communication effectiveness of AAC, autistic adults have reported that professionals often prioritized speech as the ideal communicative method rather than offering AAC as a communication option. This study will investigate autistic adults’ AAC assessment experiences and explore whether a modified version of the Communication Participation Item Bank (CPIB) self-rating questionnaire could be an effective tool to document the internal states of intermittent, unreliable, insufficient, and/or expensive speech. Surveys will be distributed to …

Respiratory-Swallowing Coordination In Motor Neuron Disease: A Scoping Review, Mariam Z. Mansoor

Student Research Symposium

Respiratory-swallowing coordination (RSC) is essential for providing efficient breathing and optimal swallowing function. Most commonly used methods of measuring RSC include nasal thermistry, and respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) to determine direction and durations of airflow. Outcome measures include swallow apnea duration (SAD) and respiratory phase pattern (RPP), i.e., direction of airflow pre- and post-SAD. The goal of the current project was to conduct a scoping literature review of RSC, focusing on the motor neuron disease (MND) population, including people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A multi-engine literature search was conducted in 2023-24 via PubMed and Google Scholar. No limitations were …

Second Language Impacts On First Language Processing, Natalie Robison, Sarah C. Creel, Sarah Elkington, Judith Kelholt, Amy Lin, Carolyn Quam

Student Research Symposium

This line of research investigates attrition (loss of fluency) of native Mandarin language (L1) proficiency with increasing proficiency in English. English uses pitch to denote intonation (e.g., “it’s there?” versus “it’s there!”), while Mandarin uses pitch to indicate word meanings; e.g., /he/ means “drink” with a high, level tone, or “river” with a rising tone. The present study delineates between two alternative explanations for the prior finding (Quam & Creel, 2017) that English proficiency correlates with attrition of Mandarin tones, but not vowels. This pattern could be explained by 1) language assimilability (L1-L2 Assimilability Hypothesis), or 2) by tone being …

Impact Of Testosterone Therapy On Voices In Trans-Masculine People: A Scoping Review, Samuel E. Hedine, Jeff Conn, Deanna Britton

Student Research Symposium

Treatment of trans people by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) dates back to at least the 1980s. However, the majority of early research on the voices of trans people focused on trans-women. More recently, the field of speech-language pathology has garnered more interest in the effects of testosterone therapy in trans-masculine individuals. The goal of this project is to review current research, and compile the known effects of testosterone therapy in the trans-masculine population on common acoustic indices of voice production, including fundamental frequency (pitch), decibels/sound pressure level (dB SPL; loudness) and cepstral peak prominence (voice quality). A scoping literature search was …

Feesability Of Laryngeal Endoscopy Simulation Labs In Student Training: A Scoping Review, Anna Thut

Student Research Symposium

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) involves passing a flexible endoscope through the nose and down the throat to provide a detailed view of the throat, airway, and vocal folds. With the scope in place, people can eat and drink, allowing the clinician to evaluate for safe swallowing. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) use FEES for diagnostic evaluation and to gauge therapy progress and effectiveness. Simulation training on a low or high-fidelity model may provide a bridge for SLP graduate students to gain competency before being introduced to FEES in a clinical setting. This review aims to gather evidence on the use …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Mask Mandate On Effective Communication Between Healthcare Providers And Deaf/Hoh Patients, Antonia J. Conti, Alexa Gingerich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries mandated the use of facial masks in public environments, especially in healthcare settings.[3] While this was beneficial in reducing the spread of the coronavirus disease, it created many challenges for the deaf/HoH community.[4] In particular, it limited effective communication between healthcare providers and deaf/HoH patients. It was found that masks limit word recognition for both deaf/HoH and non-deaf/HoH individuals. Additionally, both surgical and N95 masks hinder word recognition for deaf/HoH individuals and significantly impact communication during medical appointments.

Effects Of Personality Type On Cochlear Implant Use, Quality Of Life, And Perceived Auditory Experience, Nicholas Stanley, Gina Mejia, Wilder Roberts, Ashley Flagge

Data and Datasets

Prior audiologic research suggests that the personality traits of cochlear implant (CI) users likely influences their rehabilitation. Research has primarily focused on the “Big Five” personality domains (Agreeableness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality, and Open-Mindedness) with limited information available on the underlying facets. The aim of this study was to better understand how personality domains and facets were related to CI user’s quality of life, barriers to CI use, and perceived hearing ability. Twenty-six adult CI users completed an online survey which included a demographic questions and a series of questionnaires: the Cochlear Implant Use Questionnaire (CIUQ), the Cochlear Implant Quality …

Exploring Asynchronous Pronunciation Training Through Context-Aware Pronunciation Applications, Claire L. Schweikert

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This paper provides a survey of various research articles on context-aware asynchronous pronunciation training applications. First, a set of seven articles is reviewed and summarized. Next, they are synthesized over the three main topics of 1) automated speech recognition, 2) non-native speaker considerations in language learning, and 3) future directions for research and development within computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT). Research in the areas of acoustic and pronunciation modeling (both implicit and explicit), pedagogical considerations for CAPT application design, Goodness of Pronunciation algorithm scoring, accent recognition and neutralization, and more are discussed.

Examining School-Age Children's Use Of Rare Words In Expository Discourse: Applications Of Computerized Analysis, Serena Jae Pedroza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the school-age years, children use varied discourse styles to convey information. In addition to conversational and narrative discourse, they learn to use expository discourse to explain complex topics. Previous studies have found that compared to conversation, expository discourse samples are generally more syntactically complex (Lundine et al., 2018; Nippold et al., 2005). In addition, the vocabulary used in expository discourse may be more advanced than that in other discourse types. One way to explore vocabulary use in discourse is to measure the rarity of words within samples of discourse. The purpose of this study was to compare typically developing …

Understanding The Clinician's View Of Pragmatics In Pediatric Therapy, Shelby Oliver

Honors Theses

Pragmatics is one of the most integral components of language, yet it often seems to receive little attention in therapy settings. Previous research indicates the importance of intentionally targeting pragmatic skills for children with language disorders and/or autism spectrum disorders, as well as the lack of current pragmatic evaluations. This thesis used an online survey to record how clinicians view pragmatics, how they evaluate pragmatics, and how they target pragmatics. Participants were all certified clinicians, and the research survey featured a variety of open and closed questions. Results revealed a deep pragmatics knowledge base. However, results indicated the use and …

Full-Body Movements In Speech Treatment Sessions: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perspectives, Natalie Hurdle

Honors Theses

This author aims to determine the speech-language pathologist’s perspective on the use of full-body movements during speech therapy sessions with children with autism. A survey was distributed to speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology aides/ speech-language teachers. The author used the source, Qualtrics, to obtain and analyze data. The findings of the current study were promising, as most speech-language pathologists were incorporating full body-movements and reported beliefs that this positively impacted children’s engagement. This study provided additional knowledge about the benefits of using full-body movements in speech treatment sessions and some insight on how much time is misused when full-body movements …

Parkinson's Disease And Voice Perception: A Little Bit Louder Now!, Samantha Manes, Taylor Desimone

Graduate Student Research: Capstone Competition

This proposed study aims to address gaps in research literature on Parkinson’s disease by investigating the neural mechanisms involved in PD patients' perception of volume using electroencephalography (EEG). By examining brain activity during voice perception tasks, the research seeks to uncover specific areas within the brain that may contribute to the lack of awareness of speaking softly. Insights gained from this study could inform the development of targeted interventions to improve communication and overall quality of life for PD patients. Ultimately, the research aims to provide a louder voice to those affected by Parkinson's disease, enhancing their ability to engage …

Using Aac To Build Young Beginning Communicators’ Inclusion In Song Routines, Sydney Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on preschool-aged beginning communicators’ ability to participate linguistically during song social routines. The AAC used during the intervention phase were visual scene displays (VSDs). VSDs are color-realistic photos, often depicting real people, that are context-rich for the user. VSDs are less demanding and offer the user a way to communicate their thoughts, feelings, or emotions in a more contextualized way. The present study used a multiple-baseline across participants approach. The primary dependent measure was the linguistic participation of each participant using the VSD. The results indicated that each …

Spatial Hearing In Simulated Reverberant Classroom Environments, Gabriel Seth Evan Weeldreyer

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Spatial hearing provides access to auditory spatial cues that promote speech perception in noisy listening situations. However, reverberation degrades auditory spatial cues and limits listeners’ ability to utilize these cues for segregating target speech from competing babble. Hence, spatial unmasking—an intelligibility benefit from a spatial separation between a target and masker—is reduced in reverberant environments as compared to free field. This work tests the hypothesis that interaural decorrelation, the result of increasing reverberation, will broaden the perceived auditory source width with a cascading effect of reduced auditory spatial acuity and subsequently poorer spatial unmasking. To understand the perceptual consequences of …

Funding Mechanisms For School Aged Children Who Qualify For Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Hailey Johnson

Senior Honors Projects

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices are used by individuals of all developmental ages who have difficulties with speech. Those who qualify to use an AAC device are able to practice independence, communicate their needs, and are able to engage in more opportunities where conversation with spoken communication is necessary. This comprehensive review of AAC within the school-aged population provides a detailed look at their overall use within the public school setting, and the funding mechanisms available to users and their families for these expensive devices. Interviews with a Speech and Language Pathologist, and a parent of a child with …

How Speech-Language Pathologists Account For Self-Determination Across The Progression Of Dementia, Emilee Mcgahee

Master's Theses

Dementia diagnoses are continuing to increase, with the number of diagnoses expected to reach 231 million globally by 2050 (World Alzheimer’s Report, 2019). With this comes a greater need for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) who are able to best treat those who are diagnosed. Providing person-centered and strengths-based treatment approaches for people with dementia (PWD) has been proven to increase positive engagement responses while decreasing negative engagement responses (Skrainer et al., 2007). The primary objective of this research study was to assess treatment approaches used by SLPs in dementia care setting, along with how SLPs provide person-centered dementia treatment throughout the …

Gestalt Language Processing In Accredited Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs, William Harris

Master's Theses

The language development and usage of autistic individuals has become a controversial topic in many of the disciplines and professions providing support to these individuals. As a result, two theories of language processing have been proposed. Analytical language processing suggests that children process and develop language from its most simple form, a phoneme, to its most complex form, a word or phrase. However, the theory of gestalt language processing proposes that some children may instead extract larger, more complex language such as whole words and phrases first and break it down to the simpler language. Gestalt language processing is often …

Supplemental High-Tech Augmentative And Alternative Communication Experiences: A Study On Graduate Student Self-Efficacy, Confidence, And Knowledge With Pre-Service Training, Emily Sikes

Master's Theses

Providing assessment and intervention with high-tech augmentative and alternative communication is within the scope of practice of American Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPS). Therefore, SLPs should be able to properly identify and implement assessment, intervention, and caregiver coaching strategies in this area of practice. Due to the lack of confidence ratings of current SLPs in providing assessment and intervention in AAC that is found in current research, this study was designed to find plausible solutions for which confidence ratings can be increased beginning at the graduate level of a Speech-Pathology Master’s program. The researchers sought to answer the following questions: “Do students …

The Stigma Of Deaf: Managing A Stigmatized Identity And Well-Being, Renca Dunn

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

The Deaf identity encompasses cultural, linguistic, and social dimensions that significantly influence the lives of Deaf individuals. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide will be living with some degree of hearing loss (2021). While there may be a growing number of people who have some type of hearing loss, there is a distinct group who identify their hearing loss as part of a culture and community. The Deaf community has a rich history, culture, language, and linguistic heritage. The development of the Deaf identity is influenced by factors such as family, education, and …

The Role Of The Speech-Language Pathologist With Survivors Of Traumatic Brain Injury From Intimate Partner Violence And Providers’ Knowledge Of This Role, Nicolle Mcadams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intimate partner violence occurs globally at alarming rates. Many experience adverse health impacts such as traumatic brain injury. Healthcare providers do not know the role of the speech-language pathologist, or the rehabilitation needs of survivors.

Aims: This scoping review aims to identify speech-language pathology services for survivors of intimate partner violence with a resulting traumatic brain injury, and knowledge of healthcare providers on the rehabilitation needs of this population. A search was completed in May to October 2023, resulting in a total of 13 articles reviewed.

Main contributions: Speech-language pathologists lack knowledge to provide services to intimate partner violence survivors …