Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

The Effects Of Symbol Organization Strategy On Syntactical Language Production In First Grade Children, Daniel Thomas Baier

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is the process in which a person's disordered speech is augmented or assisted with communication technology. This study investigated the effects of vocabulary organization using branching capabilities of a high technology device on sentence construction. Information about vocabulary organization strategies might be important for addressing the language and literacy deficits that were noted in previous research with AAC users. The study attempted to investigate whether or not vocabulary organization in a grammatical sequence across one page or multiple pages would improve non-AAC users abilities to retell a story using AAC technology. Six students participated in …

Impairment In Dichotic Listening Following Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm, Paul Michael Evitts

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Dichotic listening involves the simultaneous presentation of stimuli binaurally and was initially a method for determining cerebral dominance or laterality of hemispheric function. Since its inception, dichotic listening has evolved into a method for assessing neurologic pathology. An interruption in the central auditory pathways will result in a detectable asymmetry of dichotic scores. Impaired dichotic listening has been well documented in numerous neurological etiologies, but dichotic listening in patients who present anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm has yet to be documented. Due to the location of the ACoA and the substrates of innervation, central auditory pathways responsible for the transmission …

Incidence Of Voice Disorders In Teachers Who Coach, Todd Allen Bohnenkamp

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Eighteen teachers who coach, representing school districts in northeast and southeast Iowa participated in this study. Voice recordings were analyzed acoustically, and perceptually rated to quantify voice quality. Videostroboscopy was used to visualize laryngeal anatomy and function to confirm suspected voice pathologies yielded from the acoustic data. A questionnaire was used to collect vocal history information from each coach. Utilizing these objective and subjective methods, it was determined that 39% of these coaches had a voice disorder at the time of testing. These coaches often would change their teaching style when confronted with a voice problem; however, a high percentage …

A Divided Attention Task To Measure Functional Auditory Comprehension Deficits In Aphasia, Bruce Dewayne Bane

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This experiment assessed auditory comprehension in the presence of a divided attention task. Words and nonwords were embedded within the commands of the first subtest of the Revised Token Test (RTT) to comprise the divided attention RTT (dRTT). A statistically significant poor performance was found on the dRTT compared to the RTT. Further, the subjects' performance was found not to change from the beginning to the end of the dRTT suggesting that learning and fatigue were not meaningful variables in their performance. The position of the distractor (e.g., opposite the verb, color adjective, noun, or randomly placed) had mixed affect …

Metaphonological Performance Of Children With Phonological Disorders: Phoneme Specific Influences, Alecia Ann Fett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Phonological awareness skills are demonstrated in daily aspects of life, as young children reflect upon and manipulate sounds and words of their language through early literacy experiences. These social interactions contribute to the organization of emerging reading skills. Deficits in explicit knowledge of the phonological structure of a language could present difficulties in phonological awareness and production (Kamhi & Catts, 1986). Recent researchers have proposed that children's performance on metaphonological tasks can affect performance on reading tasks (Stackhouse, 1997). However, there is a lack of literature investigating the interrelationship between phonological production skills and phonological awareness in children with phonological …

Asperger's Syndrome : A Review Of Literature, Tracy L. Gappa

Graduate Research Papers

This paper contains a review of literature on Asperger's Syndrome (AS). This disorder is characterized by deficits in social interaction skills and communication skills (such as the absence of eye contact or facial expressions). Individuals with AS also insist on routines in behaviors, and pursue a relatively narrow range of interests and activities. Etiology is thought to be multifactoral. Studies have indicated that AS may be influenced by genetic factors as well as pre-, peri-, and postnatal trauma. The disorder is also more common among boys than girls.

In this paper, the general clinical features of AS are reviewed, with …

A Case Study Of An Electively Mute Child, Robert Driscol

Graduate Research Papers

Selective mutism is characterized by the appropriate use of language in certain settings, with a consistent lack of language use elsewhere. The child is often viewed as shy, and it is assumed that the shyness is temporary and will be outgrown. The purpose of this paper is to explore the problem of selective mutism in school aged children for whom silence may extend for many months or even years. Selective mutism will be further defined, and frequency, duration, and a summary of treatment methods will be discussed. A case study that illustrates positive outcomes of a behavioral approach will also …

Pure-Tone Thresholds And Otoacoustic Emission Strength As A Function Of Language Delay In Children, Emily Ann Haisman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the relationship between ultra-high frequency hearing loss and delays in speech and language development in 10 language delayed children and 10 nonlanguage delayed children. The study utilized both pure-tone sensitivity measures and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) strength to assess hearing capability. Behavioral audiometric thresholds were obtained at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, 10000, 12500, 16000, 18000, 19000, and 20,000 Hz with standard air conduction audiometry and ultra-high frequency air conduction audiometry. DPOAE strength was measured at approximately 1000, 1100, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 8000, 12000, 16000, and 20000 Hz using a standard …

Low-Cost Videoconferencing For The Clinical Management Of Speech & Language Disorders, Dale Lee Burgess

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Videoconferencing allows participants separated by distance to see and hear each other in real time. Traditionally, videoconferencing has been associated with expensive, room-based systems that limit the number of potential users. Recent advances in technology have made it possible to videoconference via desktop computers using inexpensive software programs. This has allowed broader participation in videoconferencing, thus, making it a more affordable means of communication. The purpose of this study was to determine if desktop videoconferencing (DVC) could be used in the clinical management of individuals with communication disorders. One of the potential advantages of DVC over traditional therapy programs is …

The Development Of Choice-Making In Infants And Toddlers With Down Syndrome, Amy Rebecca Bond

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Choice-making is involved in daily aspects of life. The ability to express choices is particularly important to individuals with disabilities for increasing adaptive behavior and enhancing communicative development and autonomy. However, there is a lack of literature relating to the development of choice-making in infants and toddlers. Research has shown that choice-making behaviors develop in the context of other developmental abilities among typically developing children (Lorang, 1995). The primary purpose of this study was to identify which specific developmental abilities emerge concurrently with choice-making behaviors in children with Down syndrome. The current investigator hypothesized that behaviors similar to those of …

Lexical Learning As A Function Of Categorization Training In Young Developmentally Delayed Children, Deanna L. Coffin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lexical training is often the focus of young developmentally delayed children's early intervention programs, yet little is known about the most efficient way to train new vocabulary items with this population. Current literature links categorization skills to the rapid increase in normal developing children's vocabulary. The present study attempts to address the issue of whether or not taxonomic or thematic categorization training is an effective means of enhancing lexical learning. Subjects were 12 developmentally delayed children ages 2:8 to 5:11. They participated in four or five separate sessions: (a) pretesting session(s), (b) thematic categorization training, (c) taxonomic categorization training, and …

The Ability Of Children With Specific Language Impairment To Comprehend Contrastive Stress In Sentences, Nicole M. Vancleave

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Recently, researchers have studied the ability of children with specific language impairment to produce various prosodic cues, including contrastive stress (Ellis Weismer, 1992). However, there is a lack of information about the abilities of such children to comprehend this information. The purpose of the present study is to examine the capabilities of children with specific language impairment to comprehend contrastive stress in a variety of sentences.

Comparison Of The Effects Of Inhaled Asthma Medications On Vocal Quality Measures, Andrew J. Chenowith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs and upper respiratory tree. As such, it has been shown to interfere with respiration resulting in lower vital capacities, prolonged inspirations, short expirations, coughing, wheezing and multitude of other symptoms. Speech and voice symptoms have been described including short phrases, reduced loudness, hoarseness, and low pitch. Medical treatments for asthma include a variety of anti inflammatory agents as well as bronchodiolators. By far, most anti inflammatory agents used today include inhaled corticosteroid medications. While oral corticosteroid management of asthma produced symptom relief, the adverse side effects ranging from mood changes, voice change, …

Voice Quality Of Individuals Exhibiting Mass Lesion: A Comparison Of Acoustic And Perceptual Measures, Heidi M. Elliott

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Traditional methods for assessing voice disorders have been based on the perceptual judgments of trained listeners/professionals. These methods have been criticized due to the subjectivity of these ratings. The recent development of computer applications in communicative disorders has led to the availability of objective measures of voice characteristics. However, the specific measures useful in the diagnosis of voice disorders related to vocal pathology are not well established. The purpose of the study was to determine if there were differences in acoustic measures and perceptual judgments between pathological (mass lesion) and normal voice speakers. A total of 35 pathological (mass lesion) …

Influence Of Physical Fitness Level On Susceptibility To Tts As Measured By Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions, Lisa Renee Battani

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Recent research suggests that physical fitness level may influence hearing sensitivity to noise (Ismail et al., 1973; Manson, Alessio, Huchinson, & Cristell, 1992). Frequency-specific changes in hearing acuity resulting from noise overexposure have been detected in human subjects using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) (Whitehead, Lonsbury-Martin, & Martin, 1992). A decrease in DPOAE amplitude was reported at frequencies at which behavioral thresholds were reduced following a noise exposure (Harris, 1990; Lonsbury-Martin & Martin, 1990; Martin, Probst, & Lonsbury-Martin, 1990). The purposes of this study were to: 1. Examine the relationship between physical fitness level and susceptibility to a temporary noise-induced …

Laryngeal Compensation And Linguistic Stress In Children With Velopharyngeal Dysfunction, Ann Kathryn Lundberg

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Analysis of the durational data of the hypernasal subjects revealed that these subjects produced significantly longer primary stressed syllables. This result may indicate a type of laryngeal compenstation on the part of these speakers. Since they did not rely on an increase in frequency when producing stress, they may have used an increase in duration to compensate. Therefore, a deviance in the upper vocal tract may be causing differences in the physiology of the lower vocal tract for this population.

Further research is needed in this area to substantiate the present study. More information should be obtained in the area …

Communication Repair Strategies Utilized By Hearing-Impaired And Normal-Hearing Children, Mary Kay Herder

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study was designed to examine the abilities of normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired (HI) children to repair communication breakdowns utilizing non-primary modalities (writing, drawing , showing, etc.) when listeners did not comprehend their primary mode of communication . The subjects for this study were 8 children with moderate to profound hearing losses. Hearing status for the HI subjects was no better than PTA of 39 dB HL (ANSI, 1969). The HI subjects ranged in age from 5 years, 2 months to 13 years, 1 month with a mean age of 8 years, 4 months . Each HI subject was …

The Effects Of Sign Language Upon The Fast-Mapping Abilities Of Autistic Children, Maria Trese Cashman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fast-mapping is the process of storing information in memory about a newly encountered lexical item after only one or very few encounters with the word. Best (1986) investigated the fast-mapping abilities of autistic, mentally retarded, and normal adolescents. The results revealed that fast-mapping occurs in the autistic population. It was unknown, however, whether the presence of a visual sign stimulus would assist autistic individuals in the fast-mapping process. The purpose of the present research was to study the effects of sign stimuli on the word learning abilities of autistic children. Two autistic subjects between the ages of 11 and 12 …

The Production And Transcription Of Syllabic Stress In Young Children, Diane Marie Brammer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The reliability of listeners' transcription of young children's syllable stress has not been the focus of any experimental study. Goffman (1985) reported poor reliability between listeners' judgments of syllable stress productions by two-year-old children. Two possible reasons for the poor reliability were hypothesized. First, the children may not have been consistently altering the acoustic parameters which signal stress (fundamental frequency, intensity, and duration). Second, listeners may have focused upon different acoustic parameters when making their judgments. The purpose of the present two-part study was to initiate the study of adult transcription of children's production of stress in words. Experiment I …

Locus Of Control And Self-Perceptions Of Stuttering Severity In Adult Stutterers Versus Nonstuttering Peers, Rebecca Lynn Hansen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

One purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between locus of control and stuttering severity among adult stutterers. A second purpose was to determine if locus of controI orientation was different for stutterers compared to their nonstuttering peers. Six teen stutterers and sixteen nonstutterers from across the United States participated. They were matched according to age, sex, and educational level. The two groups of subjects completed two locus of control scales: The Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966) and the Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB : Craig, Franklin, & Andrews, 1984) . The stuttering …

Vocal Stress Patterns And Stuttering: A Study Of Predictive Value, Julie Anne Christy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The relationship between stuttering and linguistic stress was observed within four adult stutterers. A specially designed test passage was read by each of the subjects five successive times. The passage contained 18 test syllables, nine were stressed and nine were non-stressed as indicated by dictionary diacritical markings. Six measurements of acoustic indicators of stress, including fundamental frequency, intensity, and duration, were obtained for each subject for the fluent adapted productions of the test syllables and the immediately preceding syllables. Correlated t-tests were computed to determine if significant differences existed between stressed and non-stressed phonetically matched syllables for each of the …

Speech-Language Clinicians’ Responses To Client Progress, Cheryl Lynn Ferguson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Training institutions for speech-language pathologists endeavor to provide student clinicians with a wide variety of academic and clinical experiences. To that end, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) also requires that students receive sufficient exposure to a wide variety of speech-language disorders in order to meet certification requirements. However, the notion that student clinicians should experience successful dismissal is not addressed by training institutions or the literature. The purpose of this investigation was to determine under what conditions students at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Speech and Hearing Clinic dismiss clients and to find out how many of them experience …

The Effects Of Artistic Three Dimensionality On Preschoolers’ Perception Of Line Drawings, Barbara Lynn Froyen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to compare different forms of stimuli for eliciting children's knowledge of their language. The study compared black-and-white drawings employing cues to depth, movement, and form. Pictures from various commercially available receptive and expressive language tests were selected. Three-dimensional representations of the same linguistic concepts were developed by the investigator. Selected test stimuli and their three-dimensional counterparts were administered to 30 preschool-age children. Responses to both stimuli were judged as correct or incorrect by the scoring conventions of the test from which the items were selected. Study results indicated that within each dimension tested, pictures …

Response Latency In Fluent And Disfluent Preschoolers, Sue Ann Kenlee Hook

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to investigate the possibility that disfluent preschoolers manifest a more impulsive cognitive tempo as compared to a language-matched control group of subjects. Nine disfluent and nine control subjects responded to two tasks designed to measure response latency from which a measure of impulsiveness could be determined. One was a classic match-to-sample figures task and the other involved verbal descriptions of ·irregularities represented in a set of pictures. Response latencies (in ms) and the number of errors made were tallied for the first task and response latencies were measured in 1/100 second for the second …

Performance Of Aphasic Listeners On An Expanded Rtt Subtest Presented Verbally And Non-Verbally, Ann Elizabeth Folkestad

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A controversy exists in the literature concerning the nature of aphasia. Some authorities believe that aphasia involves a loss of the linguistic elements of language. Other investigators maintain that aphasia is a performance deficit founded in a reduced ability to use essentially-preserved linguistic competence. This study addressed aspects of the above controversy. Asked specifically was the question of whether the mechanism underlying aphasia involves a neurolinguistic loss and thus, is specific to language, or alternately, involves a non-language specific interference with the accessing of retained capacity. This investigation examined the following issues: whether there are one or several patterns of …

The Generalization Of The Reduction Of Stopping To Untrained Phonemes Following Syllable Practice, Lynn K. Grimes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This investigation was concerned with the generalization which occurred from trained to untrained phonemes in which the process of stopping was operating. Two male subjects aged 5-3 and 4-0, who used the process of stopping, were chosen for this study on the basis of an examination of their articulation errors and the results of ten 15- word deep tests. A 48-item probe test, to assess the frequency of stopping for selected phonemes, was administered three times to establish baseline. Syllable practice was then conducted with four phonemes for each subject alternating between practice on a single phoneme and practice on …

A Perceptual Study Of Emotion In Esophageal Speech, Charles Carlisle Ellis

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to investigate the perceivability of emotion in esophageal speech. Specifically, the questions under study were: (1) Are naive listeners able to accurately perceive emotional intention from auditory samples of esophageal speech? (2) Are the listeners' judgments of emotion from esophageal speech made with as much confidence as similar judgments made on normal laryngeal speech? A perceptual paradigm was utilized in which listeners made emotion judgments from speech samples of one laryngeal and one esophageal speaker. Two master audiotape recordings were constructed. Each contained a listening corpus of 75 randomly distributed grammatically complete, content-constant sentences. Each audiotape …

Perception And Production Of /R/ In Four-Year-Old Children: A Comparison Of Two Points In Time, Mary Pamela Hauser

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The literature suggests a relationship between the perception and production of speech sounds. Data has been gathered from normal and sound-defective children who were three years, five years, and older. No comparative research has been done with four-year-old children. Furthermore, no longitudinal data has been gathered on a single group of children. This study was essentially a replication of the Bronsema (1974) research. Specifically, it compared the self-perception and other-perception performances of Bronsema's research population, in 1975, the year following the Bronsema study. The examiner tested the children, who were now four years old, and compared the 1975 inter-group results, …

The Immediate Recall Performance Of Language Deviant Children For Three Kinds Of Verbal Materials, Donna L. De Shaw

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Current research on language deviant children has included studies of two facets of short term memory-span and accuracy. Investigators have found the language deviant have shorter spans, and that they reproduce material with errors. Menyuk (1969) hypothesized that the difficulty lay either "in their short term memory capacity or the perceptual devices used" (p. 155). Weiner (1972) listed a number of possible sources of difficulty in repeating material including the manipulation of verbal symbols. Such manipulation may fit the encoding process of Aaronson's (1967) model of short term memory which includes an "encoding" stage where items are readied for retention …

A Study Of Latency Of Response In A Speech Sound Discrimination Task, Constance R. Heaton

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The results of many traditional speech sound discrimination studies have been inconclusive as to the relationship between articulation skill and discrimination ability . Further , these results have allowed researchers to only speculate as to the nature of the cognitive processing involved in making a choice decision . Recently some investigators in speech pathology have measured reaction time in speech sound discrimination studies . The results suggest that reaction time can be useful in the analysis of item difficulty as related to errors in discrimination. The purpose of the present study was to compare on a "same" - "different" sound …