Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Deaf Students And Their Classroom Communication: An Evaluation Of Higher Order Categorical Interactions Among School And Background Characteristics, Thomas Allen, Melissa Anderson

Melissa L. Anderson

This article investigated to what extent age, use of a cochlear implant, parental hearing status, and use of sign in the home determine language of instruction for profoundly deaf children. Categorical data from 8,325 profoundly deaf students from the 2008 Annual Survey of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children and Youth were analyzed using chi-square automated interaction detector, a stepwise analytic procedure that allows the assessment of higher order interactions among categorical variables. Results indicated that all characteristics were significantly related to classroom communication modality. Although younger and older students demonstrated a different distribution of communication modality, for both younger and older …

Supporting Recovery In The Deaf Community: Creating Continuum Of Behavioral Health Care In Central Massachusetts, Melissa L. Anderson, Neil S. Glickman, Lisa Mistler, Susan Jones, Monika E. Kolodziej, Douglas M. Ziedonis

Melissa L. Anderson

Across the U.S., there is a paucity of mental health and substance abuse services for Deaf individuals. Without the availability of communication accommodations and specialized clinical expertise, Deaf individuals seeking behavioral health services contend with access limitations, misdiagnoses, and superficial treatments. Moreover, while the assessment and treatment of co-occurring disorders and the infusion of trauma-informed care are key components of effective treatment in the mainstream literature, the investigation and application of these initiatives to the Deaf population has not yet occurred. The proposed poster will outline the current state of specialized behavioral health services for Deaf individuals in Central Massachusetts, …

Black Deaf Individuals' Reading Skills: Influence Of Asl, Culture, Family Characteristics, Reading Experience, And Education, Candace Myers, M. Diane Clark, Millicent Musyoka, Melissa Anderson, Gizelle Gilbert, Selina Agyen, Peter Hauser

Melissa L. Anderson

Previous research on the reading abilities of Deaf individuals from various cultural groups suggests that Black Deaf and Hispanic Deaf individuals lag behind their White Deaf peers. The present study compared the reading skills of Black Deaf and White Deaf individuals, investigating the influence of American Sign Language (ASL), culture, family characteristics, reading experience, and education. (The descriptor Black is used throughout the present article, as Black Deaf individuals prefer this term to African American. For purposes of parallel construction, the term White is used instead of European American.) It was found that Black Deaf study participants scored lower on …

Melissa L. Anderson: Apa/Apags Award For Distinguished Graduate Student In Professional Psychology, Melissa Anderson

Melissa L. Anderson

Presents a short biography of the winner of the American Psychological Association/American Psychological Association of Graduate Students Award for Distinguished Graduate Student in Professional Psychology. The 2012 winner is Melissa L. Anderson for her ongoing commitment to understanding, treating, and preventing domestic violence in Deaf women and underserved populations in general. Anderson is passionate in her efforts to study the factors underlying violence toward women and in applying psychological science to intervene in and prevent such abuse. She is dedicated to improving the quality of life and well-being of underserved women and ensuring that services and programs become accessible to …

Violence Against Deaf Women: Effect Of Partner Hearing Status, Melissa Anderson, Caroline Kobek Pezzarossi

Melissa L. Anderson

Using a sample of Deaf female undergraduate students, the current study sought to investigate the prevalence, correlates, and characteristics of intimate partner violence victimization in hearing-Deaf and Deaf-Deaf relationships. Initial results suggest that similarities in hearing status and communication preference are associated with increased levels of negotiation within these relationships. However, compatibility in these areas did not co-occur with significant decreases in physical, psychological, or sexual partner violence. Recommendations for future research as well as implications for clinical and educational practice are outlined.

Supporting Children With Disabilities At School: Implications For The Advocate Role In Professional Practice And Education, Stella Ng Phd

Stella Ng PhD

Purpose: School settings are a common practice context for rehabilitation professionals; health advocacy is a common and challenging practice role for professionals in this context. This study explored how pediatric practitioners advocate for children with disabilities at school. Specifically, we examined everyday advocacy in the context of school-based support for children with disabilities.

Method: Our theoretical framework and methodological approach were informed by institutional ethnography, which maps and makes visible hidden social coordinators of work processes with a view to improving processes and outcomes. We included families, educators, and health/rehabilitation practitioners from Ontario. Of the 37 consented informants, 27 were …

Language Ability, Executive Functioning, And Behaviour In School-Age Children, Courtney Karasinski

Courtney Karasinski

Background: Many children with language impairment present with deficits in other areas, including executive functioning (EF), attention and behaviour. Similarly, many children receiving services for attention or behaviour problems have deficits in language ability. Aims: To evaluate the relations among EF, language ability and behaviour problems in a sample of school-age children with a wide range of language and behaviour profiles. The following research questions were addressed: Does performance on EF tasks predict language ability? Do language ability and EF predict problems with attention, internalizing and/or externalizing? Methods & Procedures: EF was defined as referring to the separable, yet related, …