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Full-Text Articles in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Speech-Language Pathologist Confidence In Dysphagia Management, Fiona May Fuller Mar 2021

Speech-Language Pathologist Confidence In Dysphagia Management, Fiona May Fuller

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study served to investigate the dysphagia-specific education and training that practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have received within their graduate programs, within their workplaces, and independently. In addition, SLPs’ perceptions of their preparedness for dysphagia management responsibilities after completion of a graduate-level Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program and the confidence they have in their own abilities to contribute to different aspects of dysphagia management were also investigated. An electronic survey was distributed to licensed SLPs via an email list provided by the Arkansas Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (ABESPA). Results revealed that although SLPs felt generally …


Therapy Approaches For Broca’S Aphasia: Consultative Vs. Clinician Directed, Stacey Nichole Mott Mar 2021

Therapy Approaches For Broca’S Aphasia: Consultative Vs. Clinician Directed, Stacey Nichole Mott

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation sought to explore the outcomes from two common therapy approaches, consultative and clinician directed, to language and communication rehabilitation for individuals with Broca’s aphasia. Both approaches are recognized as evidence-based and are used across many clinical settings. This single case study was performed using standardized assessment, informal measures, and a survey. The data collection reveals that there are positive outcomes to both methods of therapy. However, this study revealed a need to continue investigating the prevalence of use for both types of therapy approaches used by speech-language pathologists in various rehabilitative settings.


Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge And Implementation Of Thyroid Hormone Diseases And Allergies On Voice, Kirsten Combs Mar 2021

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge And Implementation Of Thyroid Hormone Diseases And Allergies On Voice, Kirsten Combs

Student Theses and Dissertations

There is little research that shows speech-language pathologists’ (SLP’s) knowledge of the impact of allergies or thyroid diseases related to voice disorders, or if they use this information during assessment and treatment. A survey was distributed to every licensed SLPs in the state of Arkansas, and 284 SLPs completed it. Only 20 participants asked clients if they have thyroid hormone diseases, whereas 256 asked about allergies. While treating, 236 participants reported that they consider allergies, but only 94 considered thyroid hormone diseases. On knowledge-based questions, the participants had an overall average of 84% for thyroid hormone diseases and 78% for …


Salivary Cortisol Levels Of Children With Reading Difficulties, Alexandria Gaines Jarrett Mar 2021

Salivary Cortisol Levels Of Children With Reading Difficulties, Alexandria Gaines Jarrett

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study was performed to measure the salivary cortisol levels of children with reading difficulties compared to children with typical reading performance. Participants were ages 6-11. They attended two sessions, where reading levels and cortisol levels were measured in order to determine the effect of reading performance on cortisol levels. An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare the cortisol levels for participants who had reading difficulties (experimental group) and the participants with typical reading performance (control group). Means of the cortisol levels were compared in order to reveal at what stage during reading tasks cortisol levels peaked. No statistical …


Facilitators And Barriers To The Use Of Aac By Practicing Slps, John Fred Chunn Mar 2021

Facilitators And Barriers To The Use Of Aac By Practicing Slps, John Fred Chunn

Student Theses and Dissertations

This survey was designed to help determine potential facilitators and barriers to the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) practicing in Arkansas. The questions within the survey consisted of short answers, rating scales, and yes or no questions. The categories of the survey included basic information, the SLPs’ practice, and the SLPs’ self-assessed confidence regarding AAC. The results indicated barriers included: less training at the undergraduate education, decreased use of AAC within therapy sessions, the cost of the device, intimidation to caregivers, and a lack of training for caregivers. However, a facilitator was that the …


Survey Of Current Therapy Methods For Treatment Of Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Brooke Elizabeth Darnell Mar 2021

Survey Of Current Therapy Methods For Treatment Of Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Brooke Elizabeth Darnell

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the current types of interventions SLPs are using when treating children with reading difficulties. This study utilized a survey to investigate not only the types of interventions, but also the SLPs’ opinions regarding the efficacy of these interventions. This study provided evidence to support the use of these methods as well as provided insight into the treatment of children with reading difficulties.


The Speech Language Pathologists’ Understanding Of And Interaction With The Functional Health Literacy Of Parents With Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Emily Elizabeth Gardner Mccullough Mar 2021

The Speech Language Pathologists’ Understanding Of And Interaction With The Functional Health Literacy Of Parents With Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Emily Elizabeth Gardner Mccullough

Student Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) experience with the functional health literacy skills of parents with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Method: Thirteen NICU SLPs electronically completed the survey on SurveyMonkey. Results: Results support the theory that the health literacy levels of parents in the NICU are limited resulting in multiple functional health literacy breakdowns per week. These SLPs are able to recount specific functional health literacy breakdowns, voice their concerns, and give ideas on how to improve. Conclusion: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are witnessing many health literacy breakdowns within the NICU, …


A Literature-Based Approach To Morphological Awareness Intervention, Morgan Stone Mar 2020

A Literature-Based Approach To Morphological Awareness Intervention, Morgan Stone

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of a literature-based approach to a morphological awareness intervention on the literacy and language skills of a fourth-grade child with a language impairment. One child, diagnosed with a language impairment, participated in this study. The intervention focused on increasing her knowledge of suffixes in morphologically complex words and teaching her to use this information to improve her vocabulary knowledge, reading, and reading comprehension. Clinically relevant gains were made in the areas of reading and reading comprehension. The results suggest that a literature-based approach in morphological awareness intervention is beneficial for improving the …


Gender Differences In The Knowledge-Base Of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kayla Williams Mar 2020

Gender Differences In The Knowledge-Base Of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kayla Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the earlier a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed, the better their chances for improved functioning. Previous studies have shown the importance of early intervention and parents’ roles in recognizing ASD in their children. Prior studies have not, however, examined which parent recognized the early warning signs. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to discover which gender had a better understanding of the early indicators of ASD. The primary investigator administered an online true/false and multiple-choice questionnaire regarding the developmental milestones associated with ASD to 110 students at Arkansas State University. The female …


Health Literacy Related To Modified Barium Swallow Studies, Katherine Johnson Mar 2020

Health Literacy Related To Modified Barium Swallow Studies, Katherine Johnson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy is an important factor in client outcomes. Inadequate health literacy can cause individuals to misunderstand health information, seek inappropriate medical treatment, avoid medical treatment, or result in problematic outcomes such as a decrease in health. The purpose of this study was to determine if patients who underwent a modified barium swallow study understood the information (purpose, process, results, and recommendations) regarding the study. There were 15 participants, which included 9 males and 6 females. The Short Assessment of Health Literacy-English (SAHL-E) was used to determine health literacy levels. Out of the 15 participants, 7 males and 5 females …


Student Knowledge Of Preterm Infant Feeding And Swallowing Therapy Protocols, Hailey Ashlyn Hickerson Mar 2020

Student Knowledge Of Preterm Infant Feeding And Swallowing Therapy Protocols, Hailey Ashlyn Hickerson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Given that SLPs have such a wide scope of practice, graduate programs have a large amount of curriculum to cover: language, cognition, articulation, swallowing, pragmatics, and other areas. As a result, graduate students may feel inadequately prepared to work in infant feeding and swallowing settings. If graduate programs adequately educate their students on infant feeding and swallowing, more SLP students may decide to pursue employment and specialize in infant feeding and swallowing intervention to aid in therapy services for vulnerable infants with feeding and swallowing difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine whether graduate school students feel adequately …


High School Students' Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kaitlyn Danielle Wiles Mar 2020

High School Students' Knowledge Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kaitlyn Danielle Wiles

Student Theses and Dissertations

There is a major gap and disparity in the age in which children are being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has shown that several factors can contribute to some children being diagnosed at later ages compared to others. Parental age and education are two factors that have been linked to a later diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine high school students’ knowledge of the characteristics and diagnosis of ASD. The primary investigator also examined the differences in knowledge between individuals enrolled in rural and urban area high schools. The study revealed some minor …


Exposure, Knowledge, And Experience Of Graduate Students In Communication Disorders On Treating Speech/Language Issues In Adults With Neurological Disorders Using Singing-Based Therapy, Tassie Lee Murphree Mar 2020

Exposure, Knowledge, And Experience Of Graduate Students In Communication Disorders On Treating Speech/Language Issues In Adults With Neurological Disorders Using Singing-Based Therapy, Tassie Lee Murphree

Student Theses and Dissertations

There are speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who use singing while in therapy to treat a variety of disorders for adults with neurological disorders. This study was conducted to investigate graduate student exposure to, knowledge of, and experience with utilizing singing in therapy with this population. Specifically, this survey was distributed to first- and second-year graduate students in communication disorders. The survey consisted of both general and specific questions to more effectively analyze the students’ familiarity levels with the topic, overall. The results indicated that the majority of students demonstrated limited knowledge of and exposure to singing in therapy. The students’ comfort …


Collegiate Rugby Players' Knowledge Of Concussions, Julia E. Bell Mar 2020

Collegiate Rugby Players' Knowledge Of Concussions, Julia E. Bell

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation sought to discover if collegiate rugby players who have had a concussion were more knowledgeable about concussions than the players who had not had a concussion. The investigation also looked at the general amount of knowledge that the collegiate rugby players had about concussions, including the effects and prevention measures. This study was performed using a survey distributed to the Arkansas State University club rugby team. The survey consisted of several questions about concussions, the side effects of concussions, and players’ opinions on prevention and education of concussions. The data collection revealed that there were differing amounts of …


Acoustic Characteristics Of Ghanaian Ewe Accented American English, Prudence Barbara Deladem Mortoti Nov 2018

Acoustic Characteristics Of Ghanaian Ewe Accented American English, Prudence Barbara Deladem Mortoti

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the acoustic characteristics that contribute to the perception of foreign-accentedness of English spoken by native Ewe speakers. Forty monosyllabic words spoken by four speakers were rated on accentedness by 109 participants; 51 with exposure to Ghanaian-accented-American English and 58 with none. The ratings and measurements of F1 and F2 values of the vowels were analyzed and compared. The results suggest that the perception of accentedness was influenced by the acoustic properties of vowels. Listeners rated L2 speakers as more accented than they did L1 speakers. Accentedness ratings did not correlate with comprehension of words, and finally, listeners …


Differences In Perceptions Of Singing Voice Quality In Vocal Performance And Communication Disorders Students, Kelsey Faye Joiner Nov 2018

Differences In Perceptions Of Singing Voice Quality In Vocal Performance And Communication Disorders Students, Kelsey Faye Joiner

Student Theses and Dissertations

Speech-Language Pathologists are responsible for diagnosing and treating voice disorders in voice professionals, including singers. The aim of the current study was to use the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain (GRBAS) scale to determine if there is a difference in how vocal music (VM) undergraduate students and Communication Disorders (CD) graduate students perceive singing voice quality. Two groups of participants, made up of 24 CD graduate students and 13 VM students, rated seven voice samples using original GRBAS training and data collection videos and corresponding packets. The groups’ responses were then analyzed. The results showed no significant difference between …


An Examination Of The Impact Of Dialect On First Graders’ Reductions Of Final Consonant Clusters In Spelling, Travis M. Nodine Nov 2018

An Examination Of The Impact Of Dialect On First Graders’ Reductions Of Final Consonant Clusters In Spelling, Travis M. Nodine

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare first grade African American English (AAE) and Mainstream American English (MAE) speakers’ spellings of final consonant clusters in Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Consonant (CVCC) words. Sixteen first graders participated in the study. The research questions under examination were: (a) Does dialect impact participants when spelling final consonant clusters in CVCC words?, (b) Does cluster type impact spelling final consonant clusters in CVCC words?, and (c) Do spellings differ based on various stimulus presentations? Nonparametric log-linear analyses were used to answer the research questions. For the experimental CVCC words, there was a significant interaction between group, task, …


Letter Reversals In L2 Learners And The Link Between Letter Reversals And Phonemic Awareness Skills, Bayley Renee Politte Nov 2018

Letter Reversals In L2 Learners And The Link Between Letter Reversals And Phonemic Awareness Skills, Bayley Renee Politte

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to find the prevalence of letter reversals in L2 students and a possible link between letter reversals and phonemic awareness skills. The participants were all bilingual children who spoke Spanish as their first language (L1) and English as their second language (L2). All participants were initially given a spelling test composed of words that contained letters that were often reversed. The spelling test was given to all participants prior to the Jordan Left-Right Reversals Test- Third Edition (JLRRT-3) (Jordan, 2011). The JLRRT-3 was standardized on both English and Spanish speaking children. The Dynamic Indicators …


Understanding Roles For Collaboration: Teacher And Speech-Language Pathologist, Brooke Myrick Nov 2018

Understanding Roles For Collaboration: Teacher And Speech-Language Pathologist, Brooke Myrick

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation sought to discover if graduating education students understood the role of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and if they realized the opportunities for collaboration. This study was performed using a survey distributed to education students in their final year of study. The survey consisted of general questions about SLPs in school systems and questions about the two professions working together. The data collected revealed a positive attitude toward collaboration but an overall confusion of what SLPs do in public-school settings. These students who were set to begin their teaching careers within months of the survey did not understand the …


The Impact Of Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning (Lamp) On Speech And Language Development In Children With Developmental Delays (Dds), Ella Corrine Mcdaniel Dec 2017

The Impact Of Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning (Lamp) On Speech And Language Development In Children With Developmental Delays (Dds), Ella Corrine Mcdaniel

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examined the impact of Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) on speech and language development in young, nonverbal or minimally verbal children with developmental delays. A non-experimental longitudinal observational case study design was used consisting of the weekly collection of speech and language samples to track speech and language growth. In addition, Realize Language information was downloaded and analyzed from each augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to further assess vocabulary use and growth. The data collected from the speech samples showed that the frequency of imitated words and spontaneous words increased in three of the four participants. …


A Concurrent Validity Study Of Listening Comprehension Measures In English Language Learners (Ells), Jessica A. Day Dec 2017

A Concurrent Validity Study Of Listening Comprehension Measures In English Language Learners (Ells), Jessica A. Day

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate valid measures of listening comprehension for English Language Learners (ELLs) in elementary school. The participants were Hispanic and recruited from the Hispanic Community Services Inc. in Jonesboro, AR. Each participant was administered a series of test batteries in the fall 2016 academic semester. The concurrent validity of the following assessments was determined through a correlational analysis: the Listening Comprehension subtest of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery- Revised (WLPB-R), the Listening Comprehension subtest of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test- Third Edition (WRMT-III), and the Test for Auditory Comprehension of Language- Third Edition (TACL-3). …


Should It Stay Or Should It Go? The Case Of Silent 'E' In Derived Word Spelling., Olivia Peek Goodon Dec 2017

Should It Stay Or Should It Go? The Case Of Silent 'E' In Derived Word Spelling., Olivia Peek Goodon

Student Theses and Dissertations

In English, sound-letter correspondence is not always consistent, and one letter or string of letters can represent many sounds. Additionally, there are many exceptions to spelling rules, making spelling difficult to master. Spelling is a linguistic skill. Children use a variety of linguistic strategies and spelling rules when spelling, including knowledge of morphology, phonology, orthography, and etymology. In the upper elementary years, derived word reading and spelling becomes integral to vocabulary growth and literacy development (Anglin, 1993). Taran and Shollenbarger (2011) found that 5th graders had a higher frequency of spelling errors involving derived words that originally ended in silent …


The Effectiveness Of Video Modeling In Word-Finding Therapy For Individuals Diagnosed With Aphasia, Hannah Catherine Harris Dec 2017

The Effectiveness Of Video Modeling In Word-Finding Therapy For Individuals Diagnosed With Aphasia, Hannah Catherine Harris

Student Theses and Dissertations

Aphasia, deficits in language due to neurological damage, can impact receptive and expressive language skills. A common characteristic of aphasia is anomia, or word-finding difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine if the type of modeling would impact the success of word-finding therapy on individuals diagnosed with aphasia. A quasi-experimental longitudinal alternating treatment single-group design was selected. Speech samples of two participants were collected over a three-month period. Duration of response time and the accuracy of target words were indicators of word-finding abilities. There were significant differences in the rate and accuracy of response for the target words …


Improving The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Hispanic Youth That Attend An After-School Program, Brooke Mccurley Dec 2017

Improving The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Hispanic Youth That Attend An After-School Program, Brooke Mccurley

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between vocabulary growth and reading comprehension as well as the improvement of reading comprehension in Spanish speaking English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants were recruited from Hispanic Community Services Inc. in Jonesboro, AR. Five first through third grade Spanish-English bilingual children participated. Reading comprehension was measured using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests–Third Edition. Vocabulary growth was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – III. After fall testing, participants received two hours of tutoring each week. Tutoring was individualized to target specific reading and writing skill areas for each child. In …


Stuttering And The Effects Of Mindfulness Training, Amber L. Lindley Feb 2017

Stuttering And The Effects Of Mindfulness Training, Amber L. Lindley

Student Theses and Dissertations

A mindfulness practice may give individuals who stutter a way to alter negative thought patterns (Robins et al., 2012), which may help them reduce struggle and avoidance behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mindfulness meditation on disfluencies, anxiety, and self-perceptions in adults who stutter. Four participants (3 males, 1 female) completed the study and were between the ages of 20 and 37. Pre- and post-treatment data were recorded using the SSI-4, BAI, MAAS and OASES. All participants attended guided meditation meetings for 30 minutes once a week for a total of six weeks. In …


Reading Comprehension Through Incidental Learning: Efficacy Of An After-School Literacy Program Utilizing The Barton Reading & Spelling System®, Sarah L. Gearhart Jan 2017

Reading Comprehension Through Incidental Learning: Efficacy Of An After-School Literacy Program Utilizing The Barton Reading & Spelling System®, Sarah L. Gearhart

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated reading comprehension gains through incidental learning for students participating in an after-school program utilizing the Barton Reading & Spelling System®. Participants included 78 students enrolled in a public school system in Northeast Arkansas. These students were compared to peers with similar reading difficulties who did not participate in the program. Reading comprehension gains through incidental learning were determined for all participants based upon national and state standardized assessment measures (e.g., Iowa Test of Basic Skills® (ITBS®), Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition (SAT-10), and the Arkansas Augmented Benchmark Examination (AABE)). No differences in performance were found between the …


Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students' Perceptions Of Cultural Competency Experiences, Ragen Elizabeth Bray Jan 2017

Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students' Perceptions Of Cultural Competency Experiences, Ragen Elizabeth Bray

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a 19-item survey to investigate whether graduate SLP students understand the spectrum of skills necessary to become “culturally competent,” and to assess the number and types of formal and informal activities used to achieve cultural competency instruction in the speech-language pathology curriculum. Graduate students enrolled in five accredited graduate programs for Communication Disorders in the state of Arkansas responded to the survey. Overall, results indicated that accredited university speech-language pathology programs in Arkansas are attempting to implement opportunities for expanding cultural awareness and sensitivity for their students. However, the results from the survey indicate that these programs …


Effectiveness Of Video Modeling As An Intervention Technique For Broca’S Aphasia, Elizabeth Dryer Jan 2017

Effectiveness Of Video Modeling As An Intervention Technique For Broca’S Aphasia, Elizabeth Dryer

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of video modeling to clinician modeling in the clinical setting for individuals with non-fluent Broca's aphasia and apraxia of speech. Words and phrases were targeted for each treatment approach. During 25 minute sessions, each participant was asked to spontaneously say the target words when given the target words in writing. Data were collected each session in terms of speed and accuracy of productions. Scores for 19 sessions for participant 1 and scores for 21 sessions for participant 2 were used for analysis. Paired Samples t-tests were conducted to examine each …


Influences Of An After-School Literacy Program: A Barton Reading & Spelling System® Efficacy Study, April Dawn Morgan Jan 2017

Influences Of An After-School Literacy Program: A Barton Reading & Spelling System® Efficacy Study, April Dawn Morgan

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to examine how many levels of the Barton Reading and Spelling System® (BRSS®) should be completed in order to achieve a target normative score on standardized tests which measure literacy skills, and to examine the efficacy of an after-school literacy program by comparing a group of similar students who did not participate. Standardized tests used were the Arkansas Benchmark Examination Literacy Subtest (ABLS) and the Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition English Language Arts Subtest (SAT-10 ELA). Average scores for students in the experimental group did not reflect target normative scores within the time frame …


The Influence Of Literacy Intervention On Mathematics Performance, Twana R. Watkins Jan 2017

The Influence Of Literacy Intervention On Mathematics Performance, Twana R. Watkins

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether participation in an after-school literacy program utilizing the Barton Reading & Spelling System® (BRSS; Barton, 2000; Barton, 2002) would significantly affect mathematics skills as measured by total mathematics scores on a state-mandated testing assessment. The study consisted of 38 age- and gender-balanced participants categorized into an experimental or control group based on participation in the after-school program. Independent samples t tests and a paired samples t test were used to analyze test score differences for the first (Year 1) and second (Year 2) testing opportunities after exposure to the BRSS program. …