Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Iowa Conference On Communicative Disorders [Program, 2021], Iowa Conference On Communicative Disorders

Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders Programs

The Iowa Conference on Communicative Disorders provides continuing education activities in speech- language pathology that are acceptable to the State of Iowa and the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Areas of emphasis include adults and pediatrics.

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 …

Serving Culturally And Linguistic Students Identified With A Communication Disability In The K-12 Educational Environments, Lashell Dauterman

Theses and Dissertations

As more and more students enter public schools with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds that require services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, facilitators must be more sensitive to the needs, especially in the area of communication. Augmentative and alternative communication devices and other assistive technology are required by law to be utilized with individuals identified as disabled. However, due to the challenges that exist in properly identifying and implementing intervention plans for children who require services as English language learners and special education, communication needs are often misidentified or not provided. Another issue that exists is the lack …

Exploring The Diagnostic Journey Of A Preschool-Aged Female: A Retrospective Case Study, Lindsay Nicole Crafton

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the diagnostic route of a preschool-aged female initially suspected of having ASD with communication deficits and explore her journey to seek and receive services. In any diagnostic experience, it is imperative that caregivers understand the steps to seek appropriate evaluations and receive necessary services to improve their child’s quality of life. While there are some systemic procedures in place aimed to identify children with communication disorders or other developmental concerns such as ASD early; the ultimate responsibility falls on the caregiver to follow up and follow through. Although diagnostic criteria for …

Assessment Planning By Speech Language Pathologists: Implicit Bias And Clinical Decision-Making, Melinda Yax

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The following thesis is comprised of three research articles focused on the topics of implicit bias, clinical-decision making, and cultural competency in the field of speech-language pathology. The first article is a reflection piece in which I thoughtfully lay out my journey towards cultural humility in addressing my biases through different educational and personal experiences. The second article presents and discusses the results of the qualitative research I conducted on speech-language pathologists looking at the effect of implicit bias on clinical decisions. And finally, the third article discusses the importance of having cultural humility rather than cultural competency, specifically regarding …

The Impact Of Faculty Feedback On Student Perceptions Of Faculty-Student Relationships, Lauren Trejo

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitive study examined four communication sciences and disorders (CSD) graduate students’ experiences with feedback from CSD faculty members to understand how it affected their relationships with faculty. Review of the literature revealed the importance and impact of feedback; however, it offered little research examining feedback within the field of CSD. Graduate students who completed their undergraduate degrees in CSD were interviewed to reflect on feedback experiences they received from faculty during their undergraduate and graduate education. The students were presented with two mock papers with differing feedback styles and were asked their reactions to the feedback. It was discovered …

Experiences Of People With Aphasia Communicating With Healthcare Providers, Madelaine Bull

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder, often resulting from a stroke, that impacts millions of Americans. People with aphasia (PWA) may frequent the hospital for a number of services poststroke and are often accompanied by their primary communication partners (PCP), the person with whom the PWA communicates with the most. This qualitative study explored the experiences of four dyads of PWA and their PCPs’ perspectives on communicating with healthcare providers (HCPs). Findings indicated that there are attributes of HCP interactions which contribute to patient-perceived success, such as collaboration with PCPs, and aphasia knowledge. These attributes were also associated with patient-centered …

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 …

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" …

A Critical Review Of Apraxia Of Speech And Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Madison Joan Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

The theories and neural bases of Apraxia of Speech (AOS) have long been debated. In 1861, Paul Broca identified two patients with speech/language impairments who became the basis for the theory on aphemia, now known as apraxia. Broca noted of patients with AOS that “there are cases in which the general faculty for language remains unaltered; where the auditory apparatus is intact; where all muscles—including those of speech and articulation—are under voluntary control; and where nevertheless, a cerebral lesion abolishes articulated language” (Broca, 1861/2000). The term “apraxia” was first introduced by Hugo Liepmann in 1908 and was described as “the …

The Influence Of The Psychophysical Assessment Paradigm On Pitch Discrimination For Adults (And A Pilot Sample Of Children), Ashley G. Flagge, Lucile Puranen, Madhuri S. Mulekar

Ashley Flagge Publications

Pitch discrimination ability has been of research interest due to its potential relationship to language and literacy. However, assessment protocols for pitch discrimination have varied widely. Prior studies with both children and adults have produced conflicting performance findings across different pitch discrimination research paradigms, though they have consistently shown that discrimination accuracy is based on the psychophysical assessment method applied. In the present study, we examined pitch discrimination performance among convenience samples of 19 adult women and ten female children across six different adaptive psychophysical measurement conditions. We found pitch discrimination performance in both groups to be impacted by the …

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 …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Aphasia Therapy, Depression And Quality Of Life In Post-Stroke Patients After Rehabilitation At 12 And 26 Weeks After Stroke: A Verse Sub-Study, Alia Rashid Khan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background: Depression is a common consequence of stroke, and people with aphasia (PWA) post-stroke have a higher risk of developing depression compared to stroke survivors without aphasia. However, current stroke interventions featuring aphasia therapy tend to neglect the effect of the treatment on mood. There is also a lack of evidence on the impact of stroke education and counselling on PWA in early stroke recovery. Additionally, the research on post-stroke depression often excludes or insufficiently describes PWA in study populations. The influence of direct aphasia therapy on depression in PWA is undetermined. This sub-study investigated: i) the effect of …

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 …

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 …

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 …