Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Examining Acoustic And Kinematic Measures Of Articulatory Working Space: Effects Of Speech Intensity, Christopher Dromey, Jason A. Whitfield, Panika Palmer

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of speech intensity on acoustic and kinematic vowel space measures and conduct a preliminary examination of the relationship between kinematic and acoustic vowel space metrics calculated from continuously sampled lingual marker and formant traces. Method: Young adult speakers produced 3 repetitions of 2 different sentences at 3 different loudness levels. Lingual kinematic and acoustic signals were collected and analyzed. Acoustic and kinematic variants of several vowel space metrics were calculated from the formant frequencies and the position of 2 lingual markers. Traditional metrics included triangular vowel space area and …

Speech Adaptation To Kinematic Recording Sensors: Perceptual And Acoustic Findings, Christopher Dromey, Elise Hunter, Shawn L. Nissen

Faculty Publications

Purpose

This study used perceptual and acoustic measures to examine the time course of speech adaptation after the attachment of electromagnetic sensor coils to the tongue, lips, and jaw.

Method

Twenty native English speakers read aloud stimulus sentences before the attachment of the sensors, immediately after attachment, and again 5, 10, 15, and 20 min later. They read aloud continuously between recordings to encourage adaptation. Sentence recordings were perceptually evaluated by 20 native English listeners, who rated 150 stimuli (which included 31 samples that were repeated to assess rater reliability) using a visual analog scale with the end points labeled …

Improved Knowledge Following An Interprofessional Interpreter-Use Training, Celia Pechak, Connie Summers, Joanna Velasco

Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Language barriers between patients and their healthcare providers are associated with negative outcomes. One approach to bridge language discordance is to offer interpreter-use training. This study’s purpose was to evaluate the effects of an interprofessional interpreter-use training on speech-language pathology (SLP), doctor of physical therapy (DPT), and master of occupational therapy (MOT) students. METHODS: Seventy-one students (18 SLP, 32 DPT, and 21 MOT) participated. Participants first completed an online module and then participated in a 3-hour interprofessional training consisting of lecture, role-play, and reflection. Each completed an interpreter-use knowledge assessment and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) before …

Chapter Three - Neural Correlates Of Sensory Abnormalities Across Developmental Disabilities, Garrett Cardon

Faculty Publications

Abnormalities in sensory processing are a common feature of many developmental disabilities (DDs). Sensory dysfunction can contribute to deficits in brain maturation, as well as many vital functions. Unfortunately, while some patients with DD benefit from the currently available treatments for sensory dysfunction, many do not. Deficiencies in clinical practice surrounding sensory dysfunction may be related to lack of understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie sensory abnormalities. Evidence of overlap in sensory symptoms between diagnoses suggests that there may be common neural mechanisms that mediate many aspects of sensory dysfunction. Thus, the current manuscript aims to review the extant …

Evidence-Based Clinical Decision Making For Bilingual Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Guide For Clinicians, Vanesa Smith, Connie Summers, Vannesa Mueller, Alejandra Carillo, Gabriela Villaneda

Faculty Publications

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are treating an increasing number of bilingual clients, including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). There is not a clear consensus among professionals regarding which language should be used in intervention when treating bilingual children with ASD. For this reason, it is imperative that SLPs ensure that they are making evidence-based decisions. This article will review the current research that examines bilingualism in children with ASD along with research focused on the language of intervention in bilingual children with ASD. We present a clinical scenario with common concerns presented to SLPs in their work settings and …

Proactive Social Validation Of Methods And Procedures Used For Training Speech Production In Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Lucy Hardy, Katarina L. Haley

Faculty Publications

Background: Social validation evaluates the importance and acceptability of treatment goals, procedures, and outcomes. Previous studies for treatments that train speech production in aphasia have applied social validation during the post-treatment period or to treatment protocols that are already fully developed.

Aims: The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the social validity of goals and procedures experienced in speech production treatment for people with aphasia and (2) evaluate the feasibility of procedural choice-making during such tasks.

Method: Seven people with aphasia and eight speech-language pathologists were interviewed about previous treatment that targeted speech production. Participants were also observed …

Polysyllabic Shortening In Speakers Exposed To Two Languages, Todd A. Gibson, Connie Summers

Faculty Publications

Polysyllabic shortening is used to maintain stress-timed rhythm in English, but used negligibly in Spanish. It is unknown how polysyllabic shortening is influenced when individuals are exposed to one language that employs it and one that does not. We calculated polysyllabic shortening for 35 functionally monolingual English-speaking adults and 19 relatively balanced Spanish–English bilingual peers who repeated English and Spanish nonwords. Results showed that speech motor patterns learned early in life might be sufficient to block cross-linguistic transfer of polysyllabic shortening despite limited language proficiency, and bilingual speakers appear to signal membership in the majority language by increasing polysyllabic shortening.

Supporting Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Understanding And Coping With Complex Social Emotional Issues, Kaitlyn P. Ahlers, Terisa P. Gabrielsen, Danielle Lewis, Anna M. Brady, April Litchford

Faculty Publications

Core deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) center around social communication and behavior. For those with ASD, these deficits complicate the task of learning how to cope with and manage complex social emotional issues. Although individuals with ASD may receive sufficient academic and basic behavioral support in school settings, supports for dealing with complex social emotional issues are more difficult to access, even though these issues significantly impact student learning. When addressing these challenging social- and emotional-based issues, school and professional personnel need more specific instructional skill sets and resources to effectively and compassionately support students with ASD. In this …

The Efficacy Of A Literature-Based Social Communication Intervention On Teacher Report Of Withdrawal For Children With Language Impairment, Cammy G. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that children with language impairment (LI) often have deficits in social communication. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a social communication intervention targeting emotion understanding on teacher perceptions of withdrawal in six elementary-aged boys with LI. The intervention incorporated four elements into treatment sessions: a) Story sharing of children's literature that was rich in emotional content and prosocial behaviors; b) Story enactment of the same children's literature; c) identification and discussion of pictures of facial expressions; and d) journaling to help internalize and reflect on emotions and social behaviors targeted. Two withdrawal subscales …

Development Of An Early Expository Text Comprehension Assessment: A Pilot Study, Stacey Christianson

Theses and Dissertations

Literature supporting the use of informational texts with preschool children has increased in recent years. However, many preschool classrooms still focus on narrative text, and teachers are often unsure how to provide support for children's comprehension of informational texts. An assessment addressing preschool children's informational text comprehension will help teachers understand what children can do with informational texts and point out demands or tasks that children should be able to handle. A comprehension assessment for preschool children focusing on text purpose, text features, text retell, and comprehension of text structures has not been available. To fit this need, recent effort …

The Ability Of Five Children With Language Impairment To Describe Mental State In Story Narratives In Spontaneous And Prompted Conditions: Does It Help To Ask?, Naomi Asai

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have shown that children identified with Language Impairment (LI) have marked difficulty with producing story narratives compared to their typically developing peers. One particular area of weakness seen in the narratives of children with LI is their ability to incorporate internal states, specifically internal response, internal plan, and emotion words. The current study examines five children with LI and their descriptions of mental and emotional states of characters in story narratives under spontaneous and prompted conditions. Participants produced story retells based on a series of wordless picture books taken from the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument. Story retells were …

Effect Of Speaker Age And Dialect On Listener Perceptions Of Personality, Brittni Elizabeth Bergstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The association between dialect and perceived personality traits has been studied for a number of years. The purpose of this study was to examine how the dialect, the gender of both the speaker and the listener, and the perceived age of the speaker affected the listeners' perception of the speaker's personality. The spontaneous speech samples were drawn from existing corpora. There were 48 speakers, 24 New Zealanders and 24 Utahns. Each dialect group was stratified into three age groups (young, middle, older), and within each age group there were an equal number of males and females. The listener group included …

Quantifying Lingua-Palatal Contact Patterns Of Fricative Productions By Non-Native Students Enrolled In A University German Language Course: An Electropalatography Study, Kate Erin Lester

Theses and Dissertations

Electropalatography (EPG) is a computer-based tracking system designed to provide real-time visual biofeedback of articulatory contacts occurring during speech production. Historically, EPG technology has proven functional within the treatment and assessment of speech disorders however, application of EPG technology to assist in second language learning has remained limited. The present thesis is part of a larger study examining the effectiveness of using EPG as an advanced instructional tool for assisting second language (L2) learners of German. Fricative productions ([ç], [x], /s/, and /∫/) within real words were gathered from 12 native English speakers enrolled in a second semester university level …

Using A Social Communication Intervention To Increase Emotion Word Use In Children With Language Impairment, Breeana Lee Bell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention to increase the production of emotion words in five children with language impairment. Participants were between the ages of 5;11 (years; months) and 11;3 (at the onset of enrollment in treatment) and had been identified with language impairment. Each participant completed between three and six baseline sessions, 20 twenty-minute intervention sessions, and three follow-up sessions. Tasks included story reading, story enactment, and journaling. Each session was recorded and then coded for emotion category (sadness, anger, fear, and surprise), errors made, type of production, and valence agreement. Total …

Perceptual Analysis Of Children's Adaptation To An Electropalatography Sensor, Kasey Marie Duffield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to observe childrens adaptation to an electropalatographic (EPG) sensor. Sound recordings of six children between the ages of 7;0 and 9;11 sampled at 30-minute intervals over a two-hour period of wearing an EPG sensor were perceptually evaluated to quantify the children's adaptation over time. Twenty native speakers of American English evaluated the pronunciation of a series of words with embedded stops and fricatives produced with and without an EPG sensor in place. When collapsed over speaker and stimulus type, listener ratings decreased significantly after inserting the EPG sensor. Ratings then increased significantly after the …

Measuring Subtypes Of Withdrawal In Children With Language Impairment, Emma Maille Coombs

Theses and Dissertations

Children with language impairment (LI) often demonstrate increased levels of withdrawal, specifically the reticent and solitary-passive subtypes. Although it is recognized that there are several subtypes of withdrawal, the relationship between withdrawal and children with LI is complex and unclear. The aim of this study was to examine items on the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS) to better understand the nature of withdrawal in children with LI. A factor analysis of TBRS scores of 355 participants was conducted to ensure that individual items on each subscale were measuring the same construct. An invariance analysis was also performed to ensure items …

Effects Of Conversational Modalities On Driving And Speaking Performance, Katy Glenn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the bidirectional effects of simulated driving and conversations using different speaking modalities. Participants included 30 males and 30 females with no history of speech, language or hearing disorders. The participants were divided into three age groups: 20s, 40s, and 60s. They completed a driving simulation task in isolation and also while speaking on a hand-held or hands-free cell phone or with a passenger in the car. Speech measures included speaking time ratio, mean, and standard deviation of intensity, as well as mean and standard deviation of fundamental frequency in semitones. Driving measures …

Development Of Word Recognition Materials For Native Cebuano Speakers, Sarah Mickele Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

Within recent decades speech audiometry materials have been developed in various languages in order to more accurately identify and evaluate hearing impairment in native speakers. This advantage, however, is not available to native Cebuano speakers. The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Cebuano bisyllabic word lists for use in measuring word recognition ability. This process began with recording 260 commonly used bisyllabic Cebuano words by a native speaker noted for his quality and pleasantness of speech in his native tongue. These recordings were then evaluated by 20 normally hearing native …

Solitary-Pretend Play In Children With Language Impairment And Their Typically-Developing Peers, Mallory Paige Scofield

Theses and Dissertations

Children with language impairment (LI) are more likely to be socially withdrawn than their typically-developing peers. This withdrawal can lead to negative outcomes later in life. This study focuses on a subtype of withdrawal labeled as solitary-pretend play, which involves parallel play and solitary-dramatizing. The effectiveness of the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS) to measure the construct of solitary-pretend play was considered in a group of 256 children. First, confirmatory factor analysis was used on the entire sample to assess the TBRS questions. The TBRS ratings of 128 children with LI and 128 typically developing peers were then compared, with …

Comparison Of Early Literacy Ipad Applications: Children's Engagement, Shawnii Lyman

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of digital mobile applications (apps) designed to promote early literacy skills has surged in the last few years. This study explored children's affect and engagement as they interacted with three apps: Endless Reader, Hideout: Early Reader, and Preschool Matching Game: Rhyming Words. The study consisted of 12 children, age 4 to 5, who interacted in pairs with each of the apps while their classroom teacher facilitated the experience. The researchers examined videos and transcripts of the children's actions and nonverbal expressions as they encountered the apps. Transcripts included verbal and nonverbal information with codes assigned …

Combined Aphasia And Apraxia Of Speech Treatment (Caast): Systematic Replications In The Development Of A Novel Treatment, Julie L. Wambaugh, Sandra Wright, Shannon C. Mauszycki, Christina Nessler, Dallin Bailey

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a modified version of a newly developed therapy for aphasia and acquired apraxia of speech (AOS), Combined Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech Treatment (CAAST).

Method: Four speakers with chronic AOS and aphasia received CAAST in the context of multiple baseline designs. Dependent variables included language measures (i.e. production of correct information units (CIUs)) and speech production measures (i.e. speech intelligibility and percent correct consonants (PCC) in sentence repetition).

Result: Three of the participants demonstrated improved CIU production with treated picture sets and two also demonstrated generalization to untreated …

Incorporating Spanish Language Instruction Into Health Sciences Programs In A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Connie Summers, Vannesa Mueller, Celia Pechak, Jeri J. Sias

Faculty Publications

Patient-provider language discordance is a growing problem in health care among Spanish-speaking patients. To produce graduates capable of linguistically competent care, three university programs are incorporating Spanish language instruction into their curricula (pharmacy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology). We review these three models of Spanish language training and summarize the lessons learned to date. Differences in the training models reflect fundamental differences regarding the use of spoken language in the disciplines.

Vocal Fry Use In Adult Female Speakers Exposed To Two Languages, Todd A. Gibson, Connie Summers, Sydney Walls

Faculty Publications

Summary: Objective. Several studies have identified the widespread use of vocal fry among American women. Popular explanations for this phenomenon appeal to sociolinguistic purposes that likely take significant time for second language users to learn. The objective of this study was to determine if mere exposure to this vocal register, as opposed to nuanced sociolinguistic motivations, might explain its widespread use. Study Design. This study used multigroup within- and between-subjects design. Methods. Fifty-eight women from one of three language background groups (functionally monolingual in English, functionally monolingual in Spanish, and Spanish-English bilinguals) living in El Paso, Texas, repeated a list …

Perceptions Of Mentoring Slps And Clinical Fellows During The Clinical Fellowship, Maria Resendiz, Connie Summers, Roxanna Ruiz-Felter, Elizabeth Belasco, Katherine Fox

Faculty Publications

The clinical fellowship (CF) is completed by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) after graduating with a master’s degree. The clinical fellow is supervised by a mentoring SLP who meets the qualifications set forth by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The current study focused on differences and similarities in expectations during the CF by the mentoring SLP and clinical fellow. Participants were asked about knowledge and skills for which clinical fellows are evaluated at the end of the CF in the areas of assessment and treatment. Clinical fellows wanted more help with assessment and less assistance with treatment. Mentoring SLPs felt assistance was …

Language Of Intervention In Bilingual Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Connie Summers, Vanessa Smith, Vannesa Mueller, Victoria Alexander, Amelie Muzza

Faculty Publications

Selecting the appropriate language of intervention for bilingual children with language impairment is difficult, especially for bilingual children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as their families are often encouraged by professionals to select one language only for communication. The limited evidence supports the use of bilingual language interventions when working with bilingual children with ASD. The current study sought to expand this limited work by presenting preliminary data of the effects of a bilingual and monolingual treatment condition on the language skills of two bilingual children with ASD (ages 3 and 5) using an alternating treatment, single-subject design. The two …

The Effects Of Stimulus Rate On Abr Morphology And Its Relationship To P1 Caep Responses And Auditory Speech Perception Outcomes In Children With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder Evidence From Case Reports, Garrett Cardon, Rosemary J. Mcknight, Hannah Glick, Anu Sharma

Faculty Publications

Objective: Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) affects approximately 5–15% of children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). ANSD is characterized by the presence of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) and an absent or abnormal auditory brainstem response (ABR). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of slow-rate ABR in predicting the auditory cortical development and auditory speech perception outcomes in case studies of children with ANSD. Design: ABR waveform characteristics were collected at slow stimulation rates (5.1 clicks/second) and a fast stimulation rates (>11–31.1 clicks/second, rates typically used in a clinical setting) in three case reports of children …

Examining The Reversal Of Vocal Fold Dehydration Using Aerosolized Saline In An Excised Larynx Model, Maya Elena Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have found vocal fold hydration to be crucial for healthy function of the vocal mechanism. Surface tissue hydration facilitates efficient vocal fold oscillation. The composition of vocal fold surface fluid includes protective water and mucus layers, similar to the fluid that covers the mucosa and epithelia of the upper airway. Laryngeal dehydration has been linked to several factors such as mouth breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, dry air exposure, upper airway hypersensitivity, and certain diseases or behavioral voice use factors. Laryngeal dehydration affects phonation threshold pressure (PTP) and phonation threshold flow (PTF), defined as the pressure and flow observed …

Corticosteroid-Laba Inhalers Increase Phonation Threshold Pressure (Ptp) And Flow (Ptf) In Rabbits, Christopher Dromey, Kristine Tanner, Heidi J. Robison, Maya Elena Stevens, Ray M. Merrill, Julie Barkmeier-Kraemer, Ben Christensen

Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study examined the effects of a combination corticosteroid plus long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist inhaler (IC) on rabbit phonation. Methods: White New Zealand male rabbits were assigned randomly to experimental and control groups (n = 11 per group). The experimental group received twice-daily doses of Advair HFA™ (fluticasone propionate 45 mcg and salmeterol 21 mcg) via a veterinary facemask with 1-way valve and spacer; the control group received aerosolized saline. After 8 weeks, animals were euthanized, larynges excised, frozen, and subsequently thawed and mounted on a standard bench apparatus. Phonation was elicited during 15 successive trials, and phonation threshold pressure …

Effects Of Laryngeal Activity On Articulation, Christopher Dromey, Katherine M. Black

Faculty Publications

Abstract—This study examined the effects of three speech conditions (voiced, whispered, and mouthed) on global average measures of articulatory movement during sentence production. Participants were 20 adults (ten males and ten females) with no history of speech, language, or hearing disorders. They produced six target utterances in the three speaking conditions. Movements of the following articulators were recorded with an electromagnetic articulograph: Mid tongue, front of tongue, jaw, lower lip, and upper lip. The kinematic metrics were averages derived from movement strokes defined by minima in the speed record of each articulator. These measures revealed a number of significant changes …

Effects Of Voice-Sparing Cricotracheal Resection On Phonation In Women, Christopher Dromey, Kristine Tanner, Mark L. Berardi, Lisa M. Mattei, Jenny L. Pierce, Jonathan J. Wisco, Eric J. Hunter, Marshall E. Smith

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Individuals with idiopathic subglottic stenosis (SGS) are at risk for voice disorders prior to and following surgical management. This study examined the nature and severity of voice disorders in patients with SGS before and after a revised cricotracheal resection (CTR) procedure designed to minimize adverse effects on voice function. Method: Eleven women with idiopathic SGS provided presurgical and postsurgical audio recordings. Voice Handicap Index (VHI) scores were also collected. Cepstral, signal-to-noise, periodicity, and fundamental frequency (F0) analyses wereundertaken for connected speech and sustained vowel samples. Listeners made auditory-perceptual ratings of overall qualityand monotonicity.Results: Paired samples statistical analyses revealed that …