Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring The Application Of Physiological Measures In Prelinguistic Aac Intervention, Chloe Putnam

2021 Honors Symposium

Prelinguistic communication is defined as that which comes before linguistic development and consists of nonverbal means of communication, such as gestures, eye gaze, vocalizations, and expressions (Franco, Davis, & Davis, 2013). In typical development, prelinguistic communication is evident in infants during the beginning stages of communication, before language emerges. However, some individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with communication limitations continue to use prelinguistic communication as a primary mode of communication later in life. The goal of completing this research is to explore the potential promise of the novel approach of applying physiological measures to AAC intervention for prelinguistic …

Computer-Assisted Challenge Point Intervention For Residual Speech Errors., Tara Mc Allister Byun, Elaine R. Hitchcock, Jose Ortiz

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose: This preliminary case series investigated the effects of biofeedback intervention for residual rhotic errors delivered within a modified challenge point framework. In the challenge point framework, practice difficulty is adaptively adjusted with the goal of enhancing generalization learning. This study more specifically evaluated the feasibility of a computer-mediated implementation of challenge point treatment for rhotic errors using a custom open-source software, the Challenge Point Program.

Method: Participants were five native English speakers, ages 7;3–15;5 (years; months), who had established but not generalized correct rhotic production in previous treatment; overall treatment duration was flexible. Treatment incorporated either electropalatographic …

Foster Parents' Knowledge And Perceptions Of Behavior And Behavior Management In Children With Adverse Childhood Experiences, Shelby Freeman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Circumstances that lead to placement in foster care and even the experience of foster care itself can be traumatic to children. These negative events and others, including abuse, neglect, and parental separation/divorce, are considered adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) {American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d.). Approximately 90% of all foster children have experienced one or more ACEs before or during their time in foster care (Dorsey et al., 2011). The emotional and physical impact that AC Es have on children can change the chemistry of their brain, which influences several key areas ofa child's development. Depending on the number and severity of …

Knowledge, Perception, And Implementation Of Oral Care In Patients With Head And Neck Cancer Before, During, And After Radiation Therapy, Abigail Smith

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of oral health education among head and neck cancer patients throughout various treatment periods and how this education influences their oral health practices, determine satisfaction with education and support based on initial symptoms as well as identify modifications to approaches to oral care education and further define a model for interprofessional practices to establish a role for speech-language pathologists in oral health education. A Qualtrics survey was distributed to gather information on oral care habits, determine habits, education, and satisfaction throughout radiation, completion of daily oral care, importance of oral …

Slp Practice And Assessment Of Bilingual Students In Illinois, Erin Zurek

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the practices used by Illinois school-based SLPs in assessing bilingual students and the challenges they face. A survey made on surveyplanent.com was distributed via email through the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association to gather information on typical bilingual assessment such as frequently used methods, resources available by district, and continuing education opportunities. Responses were analyzed via SPSS Statistics to understand any relationships between SLP language proficiency, years of experience, percentage of bilingual caseload, reports of graduate preparation, and continuing education opportunities with their bilingual assessment practices. The data was compared to similar …

Automatic Subtyping Of Individuals With Primary Progressive Aphasia, Charalambos Themistocleous, Bronte Ficek, Kimberly Webster, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Argye Hillis, Kyrana Tsapkini

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

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Objective:

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Ehealth Parent Education For Hearing Aid Management: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Karen F. Muñoz, Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Tyson S. Barrett, Courtney Kasin, Kelsey Baughman, Bailey Reynolds, Caitlyn Ritter, Makynzie Larsen, John J. Whicker, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Objective: Parents frequently experience challenges implementing daily routines important for consistent hearing aid management. Education that supports parents in learning new information and gaining confidence is essential for intervention success. We conducted a pilot study to test an eHealth program to determine if we could implement the program with adherence and affect important behavioral outcomes compared to treatment as usual.

Design: Randomized controlled trial

Study sample: Parents of children birth to 42 months who use hearing aids. Eighty-two parents were randomly assigned to the intervention or treatment-as-usual group. Four parents assigned to the intervention group did not continue after baseline …

Beyond The Treatment Protocol: Active Ingredients For Precision Voice Rehabilitation, Maria H. Bane

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Despite the growing body of research demonstrating voice therapy efficacy, only 12 of 100 people referred to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a voice evaluation will successfully complete therapy. One possible reason for this discrepancy is that clinical laboratory and clinical outcomes studies have focused on if voice therapy works while failing to explain how voice therapy works. While the if question is important, the yes or no response this question generates is of limited utility when those referred for voice therapy fail to complete. Consequently, the how question, which concentrates on the mechanisms and processes underlying effective voice therapy, …

The Effects Of Complex Listening Environments On Semantic Processing In Young And Middle-Aged Adults, Emily Ferguson B.S., Nicholas Stanley Ph.D. Au.D.

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

The purpose of this research study is to determine how young adults and middle-aged adults process speech in different complex listening environments. Young adult and middle-aged adult volunteers will complete a cognitive screening and audiological evaluation to establish inclusionary status for experimental speech understanding in noise testing. If they meet the requirements of the study and wish to participate further, they will continue with a semantic judgement task, in which they will be asked to listen and respond to words presented in different background noises. Within the task, participants will be asked to identify word pairs into either a "match" …

The Readability Of Cochlear Implant Brochures: A Potential Factor In Parent Choice, Jennifer Dannemarie La Scala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The early diagnosis of hearing loss can be a life-changing event for families. Parents are required to make several prompt decisions where they might be overwhelmed with all the information being shared with them. Patient education materials (PEMs) are often provided by clinical health professionals – yet these materials are often written above the average reading level of adults in the United States, thus presenting an additional challenge to many parents.

The purpose of this study was to examine the ease of reading cochlear implant (CI) brochures that are provided to parents who are making informed decisions about the management …

3d Mri Investigations Of The Musculus Uvulae In Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Riley Cashon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q) is the most common genetic cause for velopharyngeal dysfunction. Several velopharyngeal muscles in children with 22q have been shown to be hypoplastic, but no studies to date have examined the musculus uvulae in children with 22q. This study aimed to investigate the presence and characteristics of the musculus uvulae in children with 22q using3D modeling software MRI scans of 13 children (8 with 22q and 5 control participants) were used to measure the musculus uvulae using Amira 6 visualization modeling software. The muscle was segmented by selecting voxels displaying the musculus uvulae on successive oblique coronal …

Remote Supported Communication For Adults With Chronic Aphasia: A Serendipitous Study, Allie Hopper

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Supported communication is defined as anything that improves access to or participation in communication events or activities (King, Simmons-Mackie, & Beukelman, 2012). This thesis describes the results of a study that took place when a training program to provide graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) with “hands on” experience in providing supported communication to persons with chronic aphasia (PWA) was interrupted by the outbreak of Coronavirus-19 and switched to a remote delivery format to fulfil service and training obligations to the PWA and the CSD graduate students respectively. The study (1) describes the actions taken to covert a …

Predictors Of Poststroke Aphasia Recovery: A Systematic Review-Informed Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis, The Rehabilitation And Recovery Of People With Aphasia After Stroke (Release) Collaborators

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background and Purpose: The factors associated with recovery of language domains after stroke remain uncertain. We described recovery of overall-language-ability, auditory comprehension, naming, and functional-communication across participants’ age, sex, and aphasia chronicity in a large, multilingual, international aphasia dataset. Methods: Individual participant data meta-analysis of systematically sourced aphasia datasets described overall-language ability using the Western Aphasia Battery Aphasia-Quotient; auditory comprehension by Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT) Token Test; naming by Boston Naming Test and functional-communication by AAT Spontaneous-Speech Communication subscale. Multivariable analyses regressed absolute score-changes from baseline across language domains onto covariates identified a priori in randomized controlled trials and all …

Creating A Theoretical Framework To Underpin Discourse Assessment And Intervention In Aphasia, Lucy Dipper, Jane Marshall, Mary Boyle, Deborah Hersh, Nicola Botting, Madeline Cruice

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Discourse (a unit of language longer than a single sentence) is fundamental to everyday communication. People with aphasia (a language impairment occurring most frequently after stroke, or other brain damage) have communication difficulties which lead to less complete, less coherent, and less complex discourse. Although there are multiple reviews of discourse assessment and an emerging evidence base for discourse intervention, there is no unified theoretical framework to underpin this research. Instead, disparate theories are recruited to explain different aspects of discourse impairment, or symptoms are reported without a hypothesis about the cause. What is needed is a theoretical framework that …

Blocking Behavior In Brass Players: Connections Between Fluency In Speech And Music, Marissa Gonzales

McNair Scholars Manuscripts

Many professional brass musicians deal with an under-studied performance issue with no official term. Some labels are the Valsalva maneuver, musical stuttering, blocking, or task-specific dystonia. When a brass musician attempts to play, their core may tighten up, airflow stops in the larynx or oral cavity, and the note gets “stuck.” A similar physical reaction is seen when people stutter in speech. The goal of this study was to determine how similar blocking in brass musicians and speech stuttering are in four areas: physical symptoms, emotional connections, onset descriptions, and environments that can cause fluency or disfluency. A survey was …

Parental Awareness Of Early Intervention For Hispanic Children With Communication Disorders, Ruth Crutchfield, Sonya N. Salinas, Roy K. Chen

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Children at risk of delayed speech and language development and speech-language disorders come from a broad range of demographic backgrounds, including ethnicities, sexes, and socioeconomic statuses. A vast body of research in speech-language pathology has demonstrated that early intervention is crucial for helping children acquire the necessary communication skills they need to become effective communicators, successful students, and ultimately accomplished adults. Currently, commercials, billboards, online sources, and personal referrals are the methods most often used to promote awareness of early childhood intervention services. Method: This study aimed to identify whether the current promotional methods used to increase parental awareness …

Stepping Up And Taking The Lead: School-Based Slps' Perceptions And Attitudes Of Leadership, Millie Newport, Gabrielle Saliba, Mary C. Smith, Brenda Louw

ETSU Faculty Works

This research explores the personal perspectives of school-based SLPs regarding their training in, perceptions of, and experiences regarding leadership. Survey research was conducted, and school based SLPs acted as respondents. Results may inform education in leadership, both in student training and in continuing education. Leadership in the field of speech-language pathology is essential to not only advocate for better outcomes of clients and patients, but also to foster an environment for change and understanding for future generations of SLPs.

Repeated Word Production Is Inconsistent In Both Aphasia And Apraxia Of Speech, Tyson G. Harmon, Katarina L. Haley, Kevin T. Cunningham, Adam Jacks, Jessica D. Richardson, Peter E. Turkeltaub

Faculty Publications

Purpose: There is persistent uncertainty about whether sound error consistency is a valid criterion for differentiating between apraxia of speech (AOS) and aphasia with phonemic paraphasia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether speakers with a profile of aphasia and AOS differ in error consistency from speakers with aphasia who do not have AOS. By accounting for differences in overall severity and using a sample size well over three times that of the largest study on the topic to date, our ambition was to resolve the existing controversy.

Method: We analyzed speech samples from 171 speakers …

A Case Study Investigating Therapy Methods Used By Speech Language Pathologists Working With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Byers Van Volkenburg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was an in-depth examination of the experiences of five speech language pathologists (SLPs) working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during language therapy sessions. This case study aimed to better understand the various therapy techniques being used by the SLPs through interviews and a reflective journal kept by the researcher. It also sought to examine the ways those therapy techniques may have included creative dramatics. Through thematic analysis, major and minor themes emerged from the interviews. The main theme of the study was the importance of individualizing therapy for students with ASD. Individualizing therapy was supported by …

Kinematic And Acoustic Changes To Vowels And Diphthongs In Bite Block Speech, Christopher Dromey, Michelle Richins, Tanner Low

Faculty Publications

Purpose: We examined the effect of bite block insertion (BBI) on lingual movements and formant frequencies in corner vowel and diphthong production in a sentence context. Method: Twenty young adults produced the corner vowels (/u/, /ɑ/, /æ/, /i/) and the diphthong /ɑɪ/ in sentence contexts before and after BBI. An electromagnetic articulograph measured the movements of the tongue back, middle, and front. Results: There were significant decreases in the acoustic vowel articulation index and vowel space area following BBI. The kinematic vowel articulation index decreased significantly for the back and middle of the tongue but not for the front. There …

A Perceptual Study Of Cross-Language Influence On Vocal Fry Use In Women Exposed To Two Languages, Todd A. Gibson, Connie Summers

Faculty Publications

Cross-linguistic influence has been observed across all domains of language. However, nothing is known about the role of cross-linguistic influence in bilingual speakers’ use of vocal fry. Several recent studies have identified an upsurge in the use of vocal fry among female speakers of American English. We sought to identify cross-linguistic influence in vocal fry use by women living in the US and exposed to both English and Spanish. Participants were categorized as functionally monolingual in English (n = 25), functionally monolingual in Spanish (n =23) and relatively balanced bilingual (n = 10) based on responses to language experience questionnaires. …

A Longitudinal Study Of Interprofessional Education In Graduate Students From Rehabilitation Sciences, Sarah Elkington, Connie Summers, Celia Pechak, Patricia Lara, Francesca Hernandez

Faculty Publications

• Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. A longitudinal study evaluated the effects of interprofessional education (IPE) experiences on 71 rehabilitation science graduate students' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration (IPC). Physical therapy, OT, and speech-language pathology students rated their perceptions of IPC and their knowledge of other disciplines' roles across their first year of graduate school. IPE experiences are an important aspect of professional preparation. Primary Author and Speaker: Sarah Elkington Contributing Authors: Connie Summers, Celia Pechak, Patricia Lara, and Francesca Hernandez

Therapeutic Relationships In Aphasia Rehabilitation: Using Sociological Theories To Promote Critical Reflexivity, Felicity Bright, Stacie Attrill, Deborah Hersh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Background: Therapeutic relationships are fundamental in aphasia rehabilitation, influencing patient experience and outcomes. While we have good understandings of the components of therapeutic relationships, there has been little exploration of how and why therapists construct and enact relationships as they do. Sociological theories may help develop nuanced understanding of the values, assumptions and structures that influence practice, and may facilitate critical reflexivity on practice. Aims: To explore the potential for theoretical approaches …

The Effect Of Amplification On Cortical Synchrony In Children With Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, Garrett Cardon, Anu Sharma

Faculty Publications

Objective: The benefit of hearing aids as a clinical intervention strategy for children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) remains controversial. The goal of this study was to determine whether amplification through hearing aid use increased cortical phase synchrony in children with ANSD. Design: Using inter-trial coherence (ITC) of the EEG signal as a measure of cortical phase-locking, we examined differences in cortical phase synchrony in children with ANSD using both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. Study Sample: Participants in the cross-sectional and longitudinal portions of the study included 58 and 16 children with clinical diagnoses of ANSD, respectively. Results: Results …

Confident But Lacking Support: School Librarians And Students With Autism, Amelia Anderson, Selena Layden

STEMPS Faculty Publications

School librarians work with students across their organizations, including those with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about how prepared school librarians are to serve these students. Using a mixed-methods survey, this study sought to explore training school librarians have taken about ASD and students with disabilities, as well as the effects of training on librarian confidence and library services. Based on results, librarians who received training through their school district or professional development outside of coursework reported being more confident in supporting students with ASD in the school library.

The Struggle Of Differential Diagnosis For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: A Qualitative Case Study, Laken Cummins, Stephanie M. Schaaf, Megan Smetana, Jennifer Gaylord

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the controversial diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and the struggle many clinicians face with differential diagnosis through a retrospective qualitative case study following a participant who received the diagnosis of CAS. Research questions targeted the characteristics the participant presented with, whether they were consistent or not, as well as if they were unique to CAS or evidence of a phonological disorder, and the treatment approaches that were implemented throughout the participant’s history of receiving speech-language services and the effectiveness of those approaches. These research questions were answered through the records and documents obtained from the …

Identifying Molecular Pathways Underlying Noise-Induced Tinnitus, Mckenzie Rice

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Tinnitus is a serious neurological condition effecting 10-15% of adults, and can lead to other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and sleeping, anxiety, and depression. Currently there are no FDA approved drugs to prevent or treat tinnitus, mainly due to a lack of understanding of its cellular and molecular pathways. T- and L- type calcium channels have been implicated in the modulation of tinnitus, as well as the dysfunction of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. This study used the sound-based avoidance detection (SBAD) method in order to detect tinnitus and determine whether pharmacological treatments had an effect in mediating tinnitus. T-type …

Implementation Of Dual System Hypothesis In Speech-Language Pathology, Kelsey Hyde

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Over the course of the past few decades, dual system hypothesis has become the prevailing model of bilingual language development. This replaced the previously accepted unitary system hypothesis after decades of debate and research. It has also had an impact on the understanding of bilingual literacy development in children. This qualitative study investigates how this hypothesis influences and informs the work of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with bilingual children. For this study, four bilingual SLPs who work with bilingual children in various settings were interviewed regarding their views and education on bilingual language development for the purpose of understanding …

The Perception And Strategies Of Building Rapport With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Via Telepractice, Anna Cathryn Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Telepractice is a growing method in providing services in the profession of Speech-Language Pathology. One question with this growing method is, how do we build rapport when using telepractice? In this study, we intended to find what pediatric SLPs' perceptions and strategies of building rapport via telepractice is with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ages 5-12, and children’s age was considered as an influential factor. While previous studies have focused on perceptions, we wanted to know what SLPs are doing in order to build rapport with their clients when using telepractice. We reached out to 223 SLPs and there …

Musicians Who Use Cochlear Implants Proposal, Leanne Bunnell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this scoping review was to provide information about the current research related to audiological practices regarding the population of musicians who use cochlear implants technology. This scoping review included studies that investigated post implantation therapy/activities designed to assist users who were also musicians. A scoping review identifies trends and gaps in available evidence. This information can be used to inform on practices currently being used in the audiologic field and identify areas for further research. A scoping review was conducted in April 2021 to identify English-language peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2010 to March 2021. Thematic analysis …