Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

The Raphe-Hippocampal Tract And Its Age Differences: Diffusion Tensor Imaging And Probabilistic Tractography Study, Ashley Sekul

Honors Theses

The raphe-hippocampal tract links the raphe nuclei to the hippocampus and is responsible for the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. The hippocampus is key in regulating emotional and stress responses. This study utilized diffusion tensor imaging which uses Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to provide scans of the brain for analyzing differences in the raphe-hippocampal tract as one ages. In this specific study, 491 samples were visually analyzed to gather data about the fractional anisotropy of the raphe nuclei in both male and female brains ranging from 6 to 85 years old. Through the ranking of images, some were discarded, and …

Assessment Of Orofacial Myofunctional Profiles Of Undergraduate Students In The United States, Rachel Yockey

Honors Theses

Background: Previous research indicates a high prevalence of orofacial myofunctional disorders in the general population. It was further reported that orofacial dysfunction may have wide ramifications, such as teeth displacement, articulation errors, swallowing difficulties, middle ear infections, and frequent colds. The purpose of this study was to examine orofacial myofunctional profiles of undergraduate students in the United States.

Method: The English version of the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) was used to assess 55 undergraduate university students (age range:18 to 23 years). In addition, each participant completed a standard hearing screening, as well as a hearing history questionnaire.

Results: In our …

Audibility, Cost-Acceptibility And Cosmetic Appearance Of Iqbuds Boost In Adults Over The Age Of 50, Madison Dacus, Vishakha Rawool

Honors Theses

Background: Hearing loss affects 48 million Americans and up to 86% of all adults with hearing loss may not wear hearing aids. Untreated hearing loss is associated with social withdrawal, depression, stress, loss of income, and dementia. Even so, people still tend not to buy or wear hearing aids for a variety of reasons. One recently suggested solution to this problem is low-cost, over the counter (OTC) hearing aids, nicknamed “hearables” This study evaluated the audibility, cost-acceptability and cosmetic appearance of one OTC, IQBuds BOOST.

Methods: Fourteen men and 12 women over 50 years with a hearing loss participated in …

Perspectives Relating To Multicultural Training With Speech-Language Pathologists, Evy Jewell Hayes

Honors Theses

The goal of this project is to assess whether Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) feel adequately prepared and comfortable interacting with multicultural clients. To assess if an SLP feels prepared to interact with, to assess, to teach, or to treat a multicultural client, a 25-question survey was developed. The survey included questions pertaining to the SLPs’ experiences with other cultures, both professional and personal, if the SLP speaks more than one language, and if the SLP has received any formal training on how to interact with multicultural clients. The survey was sent out via email to 814 licensed SLPs practicing in pre-school, …

Whole Word Vs Phoneme Error Scoring For Audiological Word Recognition Testing, Jennifer C. Arnoult

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible alternative method of scoring for word recognition testing. The current whole word scoring method is inefficient and often inconsistent with a client’s pure tone average scores, and previous research has suggested that phoneme error scoring may be a more effective and accurate scoring method. This project analyzed the audiogram and word recognition test scores of seventeen adult clients. The test used was the standard twenty-five-word list NU-6 test. The researchers analyzed the results from whole word scoring and phoneme error scoring of the same tests and compared the results to …

Self-Disclosure Of Stuttering To Various Social Referent Groups And Its Relationships With Psychological Distress, Katrina Rourke

Honors Theses

Purpose: Research has shown that there are benefits associated with verbal disclosure of stuttering. However, most of the existing literature on stuttering disclosure has focused on how it affects listener perceptions of people who stutter, and little is known about speaker-focused outcomes of verbal stuttering disclosure. The purpose of the current study was to investigate who people who stutter verbally disclose to (e.g. friends, co-workers, neighbors) and if relationships between extent of disclosure and distress vary depending on the confidant’s social referent group. The seven social referent groups of focus were family, friends, romantic partners, people in the workplace, healthcare …

A Comparative Study Of Esl Children's Improvement In Reading, Writing, Listening, And Speaking Using The Grapeseed Program, Morgan Mainess

Honors Theses

GrapeSEED is a program currently administered in the Berrien Springs Public School System that is specifically designed to improve literacy (reading and writing), listening, and speaking skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) chi ldren. This study analyzed whether the GrapeSEED program would significantly improve participants' development when compared to their pre-tests. Empirical observational data was additionally collected at Mars Elementary during the 2018-2019 academic year. A statistical analysis indicated significant advancement in listening and literacy with increased improvement for younger participants in the GrapeSEED program.

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the improvement in participant's development in the …

Auditory Verbal Hallucinations In Schizophrenia, Katherine Joiner

Honors Theses

The primary auditory cortex being linked to the AVHs could be due to it being overly sensitive when being stimulated by processing found internally, opposing to outward stimulation. The 173 individuals who were available for both structural data and resting state, 83 were found to have schizophrenia or schizoaffective. Resting state echo planar image (EPI) volumes had 32 slices of 4mm 64x64 matrix with 4mm thickness (voxel size = 3x3x4mm), with repetition time (TR) of 2000ms and echo time (TE) of 29ms. A total of 150 volumes (5 minutes) were used in the analysis. The auditory cortex in the SZ …

Learning Style Preferences In Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology And Audiology Students, Callahan Shirk

Honors Theses

Learning styles can be described as an individual’s unique way of assimilating new information based on his/her preferences and methods of acquiring knowledge. The awareness of a student’s learning style preference can be beneficial to both students and instructors. The goal of this project was aimed at identifying the learning style preferences of undergraduates in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology programs within the state of Mississippi. The researchers surveyed 137 participants involved in this study by utilizing the Kolb Learning Style Inventory and the VARK Questionnaire. Results from this study revealed that students enrolled as undergraduates in Speech-Language Pathology and …

“Evaluating Knowledge And Perspectives Of Behavior Analytic Language Strategies In The Clinical Practice Of Speech-Language Pathology”, Mackenzie Sturman

Honors Theses

Research shows that principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be beneficial to language acquisition. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the responsibility of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals with various speech and language impairments, and work directly with language instruction. However, there is limited knowledge of the degree to which SLPs use concepts of behavior analytic language interventions in clinical practice for individuals of varying language and communication disorders. This study investigated the extent to which practicing SLPs use language strategies from ABA in their clinical practice. A qualitative approach was utilized by conducting individual semi-structured interviews with four practicing …

Effects Of Stuttering Frequency, Speaking Rate And Treatment On Speech Naturalness In Adults Who Stutter, Emily Hausman

Honors Theses

Purpose: Individuals who stutter can often exhibit speech patterns that sound unnatural compared to individuals who do not stutter. Unnaturalness can be due to several underlying factors including the presence of stuttering itself and the unintended consequences of treatment approaches that alter speech motor patterns. Understanding factors that impact speech naturalness within the stuttering population can help improve the clinical management of the disorder. The current study investigates the relationship between pause duration, speech rate and stuttering frequency, and listener ratings of speech naturalness in a group of adults who stutter (AWS) before and after participation in a stuttering treatment …

An Exploration Of Resources Available To Deaf Children Attending Public And Deaf Community Schools, Katelyn Reid

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore current literature surrounding the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages that Deaf children experience while attending mainstream schools compared to the experiences of Deaf children attending all-Deaf and signing schools. A literature review was conducted using the terms: “mainstream schools” , “signing schools” , “resources” , and “Deaf children” were used. Areas of specific interest included social skills, academic performance, overall mood, and the availability of classroom and communication resources. A review of the literature in these four specific areas revealed mixed findings about which academic environment is more beneficial for Deaf children. …

Speech-Language Pathologist Preferences For Treatment Types For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Meeghan Hoose

Honors Theses

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), also known as developmental apraxia is, “a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak” (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). While the child knows what he/she wants to say, the signals going from the brain to the mouth are not delivered correctly, resulting in the mouth not moving appropriately to produce the desired sounds. There are several methods used by speech-language pathologists to treat CAS including moto-programming, a linguistic approach, a combination of motor-programming and linguistic methods, sensory cuing and rhythmic approaches. Through surveying local practicing school speech-language pathologists, I will learn their preferred …

Efficacy Of A Three-Week Intervention Program For Children In The Areas Of Language, Articulation, Phonological Awareness, And Auditory Processing, Zoey Caballero

Honors Theses

Competency in the areas of language, articulation, phonological awareness, and auditory processing are essential for children to succeed academically. For the past four summers, select professors and graduate student clinicians in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department at Andrews University have conducted an intensive three-week therapy program for school aged children to target these areas. By comparing pre/post-test scores, the purpose of the study is to obtain statistical evidence for specific therapy interventions in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the intensive therapy program.

Acoustic Reflex And Extended High-Frequency Testing In Relation To Tinnitus, Deborah Kim

Honors Theses

Tinnitus, a growing concern among adults, is the perception of sound without an external acoustic source. Tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing, and clicking and is typically caused by noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of noise, which damages the cochlea, and can be temporary or permanent. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are any common factors or characteristics in Acoustic Reflex, standard pure tone and/or Extended High-Frequency testing results between two groups: people who report and do not report tinnitus. This study explores whether Acoustic Reflex testing …

Exploring A Connection Between Learning And Student Perception Of Place, Katelyn Roberts

Honors Theses

The quality of the physical environment is understood to impact overall health, wellbeing, and capacity to learn and engage in daily life. This pilot study explores how students in the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences program at Western Michigan University view the effects of indoor and outdoor nature spaces at the College of Health and Human Services on the East Campus of Western Michigan University on their learning experience. Results of the study suggest that there are significant relationships between the participant’s perception of interesting qualities in the College of Health and Human Services and feeling a sense of connection …

The Effect Of Familiarity On Joint Attention In Children With Asd, Rachel Jenkins

Honors Theses

Joint attention is the ability to share focus on an object with a conversational partner and the awareness that this attention is shared (Moore, Dunham, & Dunham, 2014). Joint attention is an important building block for learning, language, and social development (Mundy & Newell, 2007; Thurm, Lord, Lee, & Newschaffer, 2007). However, previous research has documented that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have significant deficits and delays in the acquisition of joint attention when compared to typically developing peers of similar chronological ages (Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1994; Osterling & Dawson, 1994; Chiang, Soong, Lin, & Rogers, 2008). …

Parents’ Perspectives On Early Intervention For Children With Speech And Language Delays, Alissa Ann Williams

Honors Theses

Parents play an important role in the success of a child’s language development. Further, research on early intervention has documented that parents can successfully learn and implement at-home therapy that results in positive language development of children with developmental disabilities. While the effectiveness of early intervention has been well-documented, there is little research exploring parents’ perspectives on early intervention and their involvement in therapy at home. The purpose of this study is to fill that gap by examining: 1) how informed and involved parents report feeling regarding their child’s therapy, 2) how parents perceive their relationship with their child’s speech-language …

Descriptive Study Of Reading Comprehension Skills In Individuals With Down Syndrome, Katherine Hubbard

Honors Theses

Problem Statement: Previous research has documented that individuals with Down syndrome are able to read and have identified strengths and weakness demonstrated within the reading domain, but research on their reading comprehension abilities is scarce. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze strengths and weaknesses of reading comprehension in individuals with Down syndrome, including within the word identification and language comprehension subdomains. Methods: Reading comprehension, word identification, phonological decoding, language comprehension, vocabulary, and syntax were the dependent variables in this study. Nine standardized assessments/subtests were used to measure these variables in 11 adolescents and adults with Down syndrome. …

Interactions Between Contextual And Phonetic Information In Children’S And Adults’ Perception Of Non-Native Speech, Alexis P. Zosel

Honors Theses

Phoneme categorization (i.e., the ability to differentiate between different speech sounds) is not an easy task, as individuals must integrate multiple sources of information, including both acoustic and contextual information. When a talker has a foreign accent, the listener may place more weight on sentential context because of the ambiguity of the acoustic/phonetic information. For example, listeners are more likely to classify a word that is phonetically ambiguous between goat and coat as goat if the sentential context is “The boy milked the ___,” and this is especially the case when listening to a non-native (compared to native) talker (Schertz …

Examining Social Pragmatic Communication: Evidence From Parent And Professional Questionnaires, Katelyn Adams

Honors Theses

Hyter (2007) defined pragmatics as “daily interactions among groups of people with varying worldviews, each influenced by a history of social practices” (p.131). People use aspects of pragmatics in their everyday life depending on the context of their current social situation. For example, one’s pragmatic language could differ in a day from talking with a boss at work to having a conversation with a friend on the phone. These variations in conversational processes result in the assessment of pragmatics being a difficult task.

In this honors thesis, I examined results from Dr. Yvette Hyter’s assessment battery, the Assessment of Pragmatic …

Speech Naturalness Before And Following Treatment In Adults Who Stutter, Alexis Novelli

Honors Theses

Purpose: The speech of persons who stutter can often sound unnatural. This can be due to a variety of factors including the presence of stuttering itself and/or the unintended consequence of speech-altering treatment. Understanding factors that contribute to speech naturalness within the stuttering population can direct improved management approaches. This study examines associations between speech task, behavioral measures of stuttering, and selected acoustic measures on listener ratings of speech naturalness for a group of adults immediately before and after participation in an intensive fluency-shaping treatment program. A secondary aim of this study is to assess the use of a novel …

Efficacy Of A Three-Week Intervention Program For A School-Aged Children In The Areas Of Language, Literacy, Phonological Awareness, And Auditory Processing, Nicole Weis

Honors Theses

Research demonstrates that competency in the areas of language, phonological awareness, and auditory processing is vital to academic success in children, as well as in navigating adult life. The study's purpose is to measure the efficacy of an intensive, three-week summer camp therapy program for school-aged children in addressing these areas, and to identify areas of strength and weakness in the program and interventions implemented. Programs utilized during the summer camp included Visualizing and Verbalizing(TM), Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing(R), On Cloud Nine(R), Color My Conversation, Differential Processing Training Program(TM), as well as science experiments, and snack and crafts time.

Azbio Sentence Accuracy For English As A Second Language Adults In Quiet And Background Noise, Alexandra Wiist

Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to examine indications of a significant difference in listening ability between native English speakers and English as a Second Language (ESL) students in quiet and background noise specifically on the AZBIO Sentence test. Three Language groups were analyzed: Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. AZBIO lists were used to assess ESL students' ability to repeat sentences. An analysis of errors was completed to determine variance and similarities between the four language groups. Native English speakers had no difficulty repeating sentences in either condition, ESL students' data suggested more difficulty in both quiet and background noise and …

The Frequency Attenuations Of Foam Ear Plugs Affected By User Error Of College Students, Alyse J. Lemoine

Honors Theses

This paper examines the relationship between the attenuating ability of foam ear plugs at low and high frequencies and the effects of incorrect ear plug fitting by college students. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (1998) recommends the use of a hearing protection device (HPD) such as ear muffs or ear plugs to avoid noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). However, when not inserted properly, a HPD's effectiveness can be adversely affected by user error and present as a decrease in attenuation. Attenuation is measured and presented on packaging as the noise reduction rating (NRR). A high NRR affected …

Measuring The Effects Of Prosthetic Tactile Pacing On Overt Stuttering Frequency In Adults Who Stutter, Sydney Elizabeth Gully

Honors Theses

While the cause has been historically enigmatic, persistent stuttering exhibits distinct behavioral, neural and genetic characteristics. Throughout many years, a variety of motoric treatments have attempted to ameliorate overt stuttering behaviors; however, most therapeutic options provide unstable, effortful, and/or unnatural sounding results with high relapse rates. Conversely, research documents natural sounding speech coupled with stable and effortless reductions in overt stuttering frequency when a person who stutters is exposed to speech feedback of a second speech signal (i.e. choral speech). The most prolific clinical use of this technology is a prosthetically introduced auditory second speech signal; yet its current application …

The Effects Of Prosthetic Tactile Feedback On Persons Who Stutter, Meliah Kayla Grant

Honors Theses

Vibrotactile speech feedback has been documented to enhance fluency in adults who stutter. Based on these data, researchers at the University of Mississippi have developed a prosthetic device that captures the speech signal of the speaker, converts this signal into tactile stimulation, and administers vibratory speech feedback to the speaker through a handheld stimulator. This patented device, as tested with a handheld tactile stimulator, has been documented as producing significant fluency enhancement comparable to that of other auditory speech feedback prosthetic devices. The purpose of this present study is to collect data measuring the effects of tactile speech feedback on …

Speech Language Pathologists And Prosody: Knowledge And Clinical Practices, Sarah Elizabeth Fischer

Honors Theses

Prosody is an important aspect of language as it signals linguistic contrasts, conveys pragmatic distinctions, and expresses emotional affect. However, prosody is impaired in several populations, and such impairments can negatively affect intelligibility and the social perception of the speaker. Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) are the professionals responsible for treating such impairments, yet the knowledge base of SLPs regarding prosody is unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate SLPs' knowledge of assessing, treating, and diagnosing prosodic impairments by using a survey (n=269). While a majority of SLPs surveyed agreed that prosody is within their scope of practice, they …

A Survey Of Speech-Language Pathologists' Use And Understanding Of Evidence-Based Practice, Emma Kate Thome

Honors Theses

Problem Statement: Prior research on evidence-based practice (EBP) in speech-language pathology is both limited and inconsistent regarding the frequency in which SLPs engage in EBP, their understanding of EBP, and the emphasis that their employers place on EBP. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to assess SLPs' understanding and use of EBP. In addition, this study investigated the potential barriers SLPs face when attempting to engage in EBP including employer emphasis and opinions toward EBP. Methods: SLPs (n=176) from across the United States participated in an online survey designed to assess their understanding and use of EBP. Participants …

The Impact Of Higher Education On Linguistic Culture In Senegal And The Midwest United States, Kelsey Gough

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of globalization on linguistic culture in populations of people from both Senegal and the Midwest United States. This study will also specifically highlight any similarities and differences present between those who have a higher education and those that do not. These similarities and differences were revealed by asking the research question: How has the process of globalization impacted beliefs about language held by people from various educational levels in Senegal and the U.S. Midwest?

Data regarding globalization’s effect on the attitudes people have about language, linguistic culture, were retrieved from …