Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Impact Of Community-Based Go Baby Go Project On Interprofessional Collaboration, Sapna Chakraborty, Marc Willey, Lisa Proctor

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPEC) are essential components of healthcare teams in the United States. This study aimed to explore the impact of a community-based Go Baby Go (GBG) project that used assistive technology and environmental adaptation skills to provide interprofessional education and hands-on collaboration between occupational therapy and speech-language pathology graduate students. The interprofessional collaboration (IPC) experiences provided to graduate students were centered on shared lectures and labs on role delineation, evaluation, and treatment focused on modifications through assistive technology and environmental adaptation. The culminating experience included labs with three to four students from each discipline in a …

Evaluation Of Tele-Diagnostic Practice In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emily Graham Lerose

Wayne State University Dissertations

EVALUATION OF TELE-DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICES IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER By Emily Graham LeRose Advisor: Dr. Shelly Jo Kraft, PhD, CCC-SLP Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Following the social-distancing mandates of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder pivoted from an in-person method of evaluation, utilizing empirically supported “gold-standard” methods, to novel tele-diagnostic methods. This research investigated the efficacy and accessibility of autism diagnostic services using the tele-diagnostic platform of autism assessment by comparing retrospective patient data from periods of in-person assessment to tele-diagnostic assessment at one, large, urban hospital.

Diagnostic outcomes for these two …

Differences In Neural Encoding Of Speech In Noise Between Cochlear Implant Users With And Without Preserved Acoustic Hearing, Hwan Shim, Subong Kim, Jean Hong, Youngmin Na, Jihwan Woo, Marlan Hansen, Bruce Gantz, Inyong Choi

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cochlear implants (CIs) have evolved to combine residual acoustic hearing with electric hearing. It has been expected that CI users with residual acoustic hearing experience better speech-in-noise perception than CI-only listeners because preserved acoustic cues aid unmasking speech from background noise. This study sought neural substrate of better speech unmasking in CI users with preserved acoustic hearing compared to those with lower degree of acoustic hearing. Cortical evoked responses to speech in multi-talker babble noise were compared between 29 Hybrid (i.e., electric acoustic stimulation or EAS) and 29 electric-only CI users. The amplitude ratio of evoked responses to speech and …

Professional Development In Phonological Awareness For Early Childhood Educators In Low-Income, Urban Classrooms: A Pilot Study Examining Dosage Effects, Jayne E. Jaskolski, Maura Jones Moyle

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Providing high-quality literacy instruction in early childhood may positively affect the long-term outcomes of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Previous research has shown that educators are generally lacking in their own phonological awareness knowledge and skills which could negatively impact the provision of effective instruction in code-focused early literacy skills. The purposes of this pilot study were to examine the effects of differing dosages of professional development in phonological awareness on early childhood educators’ (ECEs) own phonological awareness skills and instructional practices, and to examine the effects on child outcomes. The comparison group consisted of 10 ECEs who were receiving professional …

Developing Ecologically Valid Clinical Tools For Persons With Tbi: Understanding The Role And Impact Of Distractions, Deanna Pinnow

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

There is a critical need for the development of ecologically valid clinical tools to assess real-life cognitive functioning in persons impacted by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Chronic cognitive impairments that are exacerbated by distractions are one of the core factors contributing to poor home and community re-integration post injury. Simulation-based digital platforms (i.e., virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) have become potential solutions for eliciting real-world cognitive performance in clinical settings. Yet, there is a paucity of research investigating the role and impact of distractions on cognition. As a result, there is no clear framework of measuring distractions to …

Evaluation Of Communication Sciences And Disorders Graduate Student Attitudes Related To Trauma-Informed Client Interactions, Jenica Joseph

Dissertations

Problem

Communication sciences and disorders (CSD) graduate students may have trauma histories and may be ill-equipped to identify and manage trauma responses in clients. This mixed-methods study examined graduate student attitudes towards implementing trauma-informed educational practice (TIEP) methods and trauma-informed patient care.

Method

The Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care (ARTIC) Scale (Baker et al., 2016) quantitatively measured pretest/posttest changes in CSD graduate student attitudes towards use of trauma-informed care with clients. Participants (n=43) were assigned to non-equivalent experimental and control groups. Groups received the pre/posttest and either an immediate (experimental) or delayed (control) trauma-informed educational session. Twenty-one participants completed focus …

The Effect Of Different Warm-Up Durations On Subjective And Objective Measures Of Singing In Choral Singers Over The Age Of 55, Jeremy A. Chesman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Choral singing is a popular activity in the United States. Choral singers are often encouraged to warm up vocally before they sing. Considering voice conditions, like presbyphonia, that can develop shortly after retirement, more research about vocal warm-ups is needed for those over the age of 55. This study assesses the effects of various durations of vocal warm-ups on subjective and objective measures of the singing voice using a within-groups design with randomized condition order. Nine participants performed vocal warm-ups for 0, 5, 10, and 15 minutes. A song sample was then recorded and sent to two expert raters who …

Incog 2.0 Guidelines For Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury: What’S Changed From 2014 To Now?, Mark Theodore Bayley, Shannon Janzen, Amber Harnett, Peter Bragge, Leanne Togher, Ailene Kua, Eleni Patsakos, Lyn S. Turkstra, Robert Teasell, Mary Kennedy, Shawn Marshall, Jennie Ponsford

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

IT IS CRITICAL TO KEEP clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) up to date through integration of the latest evidence. Therefore, it is with great excitement that the INCOG team presents the INCOG 2.0 Guidelines for Cognitive Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). In this brief introduction, we provide an overview of changes in the evidence from 2014; share insights into the current state and challenges implementing cognitive rehabilitation; and provide an overview of INCOG 2022.

Improving Caregiver Implementation Of Communication Supports For Young Children With Autism, Heather Coleman, Selena J. Layden, Lynda Gayle Horner

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the child's natural setting is critical for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to improve communication skills and promote generalization. Yet, to implement EBPs effectively, caregivers often require training. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of behavior skills training (BST) to teach a caregiver to implement a parent-implemented discrete trial training (DTT) intervention in their home. Using a multiple baseline design, one caregiver was taught to implement the intervention focused on three verbal behavior operants. Results demonstrated a functional relation between the BST and caregiver implementation. This study …

Scoping Review On Eye-Gaze As An Access Method For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Sara Elise Craig

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Eye-gaze is an access method used for people with severe motor impairments to communicate when other access methods for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are not feasible. The purpose of this research was to conduct a scoping review on eye-gaze as an access technique for AAC. This scoping review uses Light’s communicative competences (i.e., linguistic, operational, social, and strategic) as a framework to analyze recent literature.

Methods: Five databases were searched to find relevant articles that considered eye-gaze as an access method for communicative purposes. Results were charted and analyzed to determine which, if any, communicative competences and associated …

Plasma Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Is Associated With 18f-Smbt-1 Pet: Two Putative Astrocyte Reactivity Biomarkers For Alzheimer's Disease, Pratishtha Chatterjee, Vincent Doré, Steve Pedrini, Natasha Krishnadas, Rohith Thota, Pierrick Bourgeat, Milos D. Ikonomovic, Stephanie R. Rainey-Smith, Samantha C. Burnham, Christopher Fowler, Kevin Taddei, Rachel Mulligan, David Ames, Colin L. Masters, Jürgen Fripp, Christopher C. Rowe, Ralph N. Martins, Victor L. Villemagne, Aibl Research Group

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background:

Astrocyte reactivity is an early event along the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), posited to reflect astrocyte reactivity, is elevated across the AD continuum from preclinical to dementia stages. Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) is also elevated in reactive astrocytes observed using ¹⁸F-SMBT-1 PET in AD.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the abovementioned astrocyte reactivity biomarkers.

Methods:

Plasma GFAP and Aβ were measured using the Simoa^® platform in participants who underwent brain ¹⁸F-SMBT-1 and Aβ-PET imaging, comprising 54 healthy control (13 Aβ-PET+ and 41 Aβ-PET-), 11 …

A Scoping Review: Identifying Targeted Intervention Strategies For Workers With Occupational Hearing Loss, Adelle Liebenberg, Melinda Gardner, Valerie M. Nie, Carole L. James, Sue Reed

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

An apparent disconnect exist in workplaces regarding identification of occupational hearing loss (OHL) and implementation of specific strategies to prevent progression of OHL, evident through continued high incidence of OHL. This scoping review aimed to identify evidence regarding targeted intervention used by industry, specifically to prevent the progression of OHL for workers. The scoping review was undertaken using the PRISMA-ScR methodology. Search terms were based on three broad categories, hearing loss, workplace, and intervention. Initially 1309 articles were identified for screening and 1,207 studies not meeting the criteria were excluded. Full text reviews of 102 articles were completed and a …

Principles And Philosophies For Speech And Language Therapists Working With People With Primary Progressive Aphasia: An International Expert Consensus, A. Volkmer, J. Cartwright, L. Ruggero, A. Beales, J. Gallée, S. Grasso, M. Henry, R. Jokel, J. Kindell, R. Khayum, M. Pozzebon, E. Rochon, C. Taylor-Rubin, R. Townsend, F. Walker, S. Beeke, Deborah Hersh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a language-led dementia associated with Alzheimer’s pathology and fronto-temporal lobar degeneration. Multiple tailored speech and language interventions have been developed for people with PPA. Speech and language therapists/speech-language pathologists (SLT/Ps) report lacking confidence in identifying the most pertinent interventions options relevant to their clients living with PPA during their illness trajectory.

Materials and methods:

The aim of this study was to establish a consensus amongst 15 clinical-academic SLT/Ps on best practice in selection and delivery of speech and language therapy interventions for people with PPA. An online nominal group technique (NGT) and consequent focus …

Gender Diversity Cultural Responsiveness Education In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs: A Pilot Survey, Tara Dickinson, Molly Normandin, Rachel W. Mulheren

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose: Gender-affirming voice therapy aims to align a person’s voice and communication with their gender identity. Historically, transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) individuals have been marginalized and continue to face significant healthcare disparities. The goal of this research was to examine the self-perceived preparedness of recent speech-language pathology (SLP) graduates for working with TGNC clients. A survey was developed to include both multiple choice and open-ended questions. Topics included graduate-level training on working with TGNC individuals, perceived preparedness to work with this client population, educational resources sought by respondents, and suggested improvements for SLP graduate programs. Thirty recent (since 2016) SLP …

Improving Diagnostic Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Within The Hispanic Community In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bethany Waddey

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite the importance of early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Hispanic children are significantly under-diagnosed with ASD in comparison to non-Hispanic, white children due to barriers to ASD identification in this population. The purpose of this research is to determine the levels of ASD knowledge in the Hispanic community in Bowling Green, the barriers that may contribute to why ASD is underdiagnosed in Hispanic children, and how to mitigate these barriers. This research analyzes the results of a survey, called the “Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale- General Population Version”, administered to 51 participants from the Hispanic population of …

Differences Between Monolinguals And Bilinguals In Phonetic And Phonological Learning And The Connection With Auditory Sensory Memory, Laura Spinu, Jiwon Hwang, Mariana Vasilita

Publications and Research

Bilingualism has been linked with improved function regarding certain aspects of linguistic processing, e.g., novel word acquisition and learning unfamiliar sound patterns. Two non mutually-exclusive approaches might explain these results. One is related to executive function, speculating that more effective learning is achieved through actively choosing relevant information while inhibiting potentially interfering information. While still controversial, executive function enhancements attributed to bilingual experience have been reported for decades. The other approach, understudied to date, emphasizes the role of sensory mechanisms, specifically auditory sensory memory. Bilinguals outperformed monolinguals in tasks involving auditory processing and episodic memory recall, but the questions whether …

Exploring Correlates Of Student Preferences For Virtual Or In-Class Learning Among Neurodiverse Adolescents Using A Single-Case Design Methodology, Taryn A. Myers, John D. Ball, Mindy Gumpert, Mary Roberts

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

The purpose of the current study is to explore several correlates of adolescent students’ preferences for at-home virtual or in-class in-person learning in a single case of a school that serves students with learning differences. Correlates of interest were the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and the students’ self-reported learning engagement. Participants were recruited from a single independent school for students with neurodiversity and special learning needs, where they had high exposure to computer-/internet-assisted learning. Twenty-seven students responded to questionnaires measuring preferred learning modes, personality traits, and learning engagement. Despite teacher reports …

Let's Count The Ways We Can Utilize Technology To Improve Instructional Practices For Individuals With Autism, Heather Coleman, Annemarie L. Horn, Selena J. Layden, Christian Coogle

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

To maximize instruction and learning outcomes, it is essential that educators and family members who support individuals with autism have adequate training and support required to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity. Research shows various coaching methods, including self-coaching and classroom-based feedback, yield positive outcomes in terms of increasing practical application and sustained use of EBPs. With the growing prevalence of autism, it is essential to find effective coaching methods that can be utilized equitably across geographic locations and learning environments. Fortunately, technology affords educators and others the opportunity to receive quality coaching and feedback without facing traditional barriers (e.g., …

The Effects Of Exercise On Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Julia Hofacker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Project will look at the impact of various types of exercise on the speech, language, and behavior of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The goal of this research project is to determine how exercise can be implemented into speech and therapy programs in order to better improve the communication skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. To accomplish this, recent studies and publications will be analyzed to compare traditional therapy methods and therapy methods that include exercise. These studies will provide data on how various types of exercise impacted adolescents with autism spectrum disorder speech, language, behavior, …

It's Never Too Soon! Comparing Intercultural Learning Outcomes Of Undergraduate Students Via Face-To-Face And Online Teaching Modalities, Aparajita Jaiswal, Christi Masters, Lan Jin, Tanvin Inani, Annika Schenkel, Muna Sapkota, Lata Krishnan

Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: Providing culturally responsive care for a diverse patient population is critical for future speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Prior studies have shown gains in intercultural competence (ICC) from study abroad programs, face-to-face classes, and online courses; however, limited studies have investigated differences between face-to-face and online modes of delivery in speech-language pathology and audiology. The purpose of this study was (a) to evaluate whether there are quantitative differences in development of ICC in a direct comparison of a face-to-face and 100% asynchronous online introductory in communication dis-orders, and (b) to describe participants learning through the structural intercultural learning activities embedded …

Traumatic Brain Injury In Pediatrics, Natalie Deibel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is an acquired brain injury as a result of an external force to the head. Common causes for these injuries include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports, and abuse. The affected location of the brain, severity, and age at the time of injury affect what deficits are present. Resulting deficits can be in speech, language, behavior, motor, and cognition/executive functions (Manasco, 2020). Traumatic brain injuries can affect all ages. No parent wants to experience their child going through this. TBIs do not just affect the patient but also loved ones. During this difficult time, parents or caregivers …

Speech-Language Pathology Students' Perspective Of Working With Older Adults, Anna Hamill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There is an increasing demand for speech language pathologists (SLPs) willing to work with older adults. Demographic trends warn that the number of people over 65 will double by 2050 (Vincent, 2010). Studies reveal that only 37.3% of SLP students prefer to work with older adults after graduation (Leonard et al., 2016). Ageism is affecting speech-language pathology and related health care professions. Research within the last five years has shown that ageism towards older adults exists across multiple medical professions in all fields and settings (Heape et al., 2020). Interdisciplinary fields report negative feelings towards older adults (Ortiz-Rubio et al., …

Passive Earplug Including Helmholtz Resonators Arranged In Series To Achieve Broadband Near Zero Occlusion Effect At Low Frequencies, Kevin Carillo, Franck Sgard, Olivier Dazel, Olivier Doutres

Études primaires

The use of passive earplugs is often associated with the occlusion effect: a phenomenon described as the increased auditory perception of one's own physiological noise at low frequencies. As a notable acoustic discomfort, the occlusion effect penalizes the use and the efficiency of earplugs. This phenomenon is objectively characterized by the increase in sound pressure level in the occluded ear canal compared to the open ear canal. Taking inspiration from acoustic metamaterials, a new design of a three-dimensional printed “meta-earplug,” made of four Helmholtz resonators arranged in series, is proposed for achieving near zero objective occlusion effect measured on artificial …

Tagalog And English Core Communication Boards For Tagalog-English Bilingual Children In The Philippines, Vianca A. Ocampo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A large proportion of children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to communicate are bilingual. Although many AAC devices allow access to each of the bilinguals’ languages, the devices are designed in such a way that access is limited to a single language at a time. Further, most devices contain translated vocabulary from English into the bilinguals’ other language. This study aimed to fill this gap by identifying core vocabulary words from narrative language samples of 4-year-old bilingual children to create ecologically valid communication boards. The language samples were analyzed to obtain the most frequently and commonly produced …

Investigating The Quality Of Life For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Scale Using Rasch Methodology, Laura C. Chezan, Jin Liu, Ruiqin Gao, Erik Drasgow

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Our purpose in this study was to provide additional psychometric evidence of the Quality of Life for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (QOLASD-C) scale. We used Rasch modeling to investigate the QOLASD-C functioning, the characteristics of the items comprising the scale, and the item functioning across subgroups of children with ASD based on gender and race/ethnicity. Results showed that QOLASD-C was unidimensional, met the local independence assumption, and measured quality of life (QOL). The items showed excellent fit to the model and good discriminating ability between low and high QOL. Most items showed a moderate difficulty level. No differential item …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy For Children With Disruptive Behaviors And Autism: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Korrie Allen, John Harrington, Lauren B. Quetsch, Joshua Masse, Cathy Cooke, James F. Paulson

Psychology Faculty Publications

A relatively large number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit disruptive behavioral problems. While accumulating data have shown behavioral parent training programs to be efficacious in reducing disruptive behaviors for this population, there is a dearth of literature examining the impact of such programs across the range of ASD severity. To evaluate the effectiveness of Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based treatment for children with problem behaviors and their families, in reducing disruptive behaviors among children (4–10 years) with ASD (without intellectual disabilities). Fifty-five children (85.5% male, 7.15 years; SD 1.72) were enrolled from pediatric offices and educational …

Enhancing Nonverbal Communication Through Virtual Human Technology: Protocol For A Mixed Methods Study, Analay Perez, Michael D. Fetters, John W. Creswell, Mark Scerbo, Frederick W. Kron, Richard Gonzalez, Lawrence An, Masahito Jimbo, Predrag Klasnja, Timothy C. Guetterman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Communication is a critical component of the patient-provider relationship; however, limited research exists on the role of nonverbal communication. Virtual human training is an informatics-based educational strategy that offers various benefits in communication skill training directed at providers. Recent informatics-based interventions aimed at improving communication have mainly focused on verbal communication, yet research is needed to better understand how virtual humans can improve verbal and nonverbal communication and further elucidate the patient-provider dyad.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to enhance a conceptual model that incorporates technology to examine verbal and nonverbal components of communication and develop a …

Effect Of Nodule Size And Stiffness On Phonation Threshold And Collision Pressures In A Synthetic Hemilaryngeal Vocal Fold Model, Mohsen Motie-Shirazi, Matías Zañartu, Sean D Peterson, Daryush D Mehta, Robert E Hillman, Byron D Erath

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Synthetic vocal fold (VF) replicas were used to explore the role of nodule size and stiffness on kinematic, aerodynamic, and acoustic measures of voiced speech production. Emphasis was placed on determining how changes in collision pressure may contribute to the development of phonotrauma. This was performed by adding spherical beads with different sizes and moduli of elasticity at the middle of the medial surface of synthetic silicone VF models, representing nodules of varying size and stiffness. The VF models were incorporated into a hemilaryngeal flow facility. For each case, self-sustained oscillations were investigated at the phonation threshold pressure. It was …

Transition Class: A Bridge From Early Intervention To Early Childhood Special Education, Jamie Mahurin-Smith, Ciera M. Lorio

Faculty Publications – Communication Sciences and Disorders

Transitions are widely acknowledged to present challenges for young children with special needs. In the US system, the transition from early intervention (EI; services for children aged 0–3) to early childhood special education services (ECSE; services for preschool children) is a process known to cause uncertainty and anxiety for families. This paper describes a transition class offered by a midwestern US EI agency; children receiving EI services are eligible to participate beginning at age 2;6. Agency personnel chart the children’s progress each week. For this study, researchers reviewed de-identified weekly progress reports for the 40 transition class participants who attended …

Impact Of Accent On Receptive Language Assessments For Bilingual Children, Katherine Stariknok

Honors Theses and Capstones

Language assessments are used to screen and diagnose children with language disorders. Many speech-language pathologists (SLP) practicing in Spanish in the United States do not speak Spanish as their first language, so they are administering these assessments in accented speech. This study aims to find what effect an SLP’s accent will have on a bilingual child’s language assessment. Initial findings show that participants were largely able to understand words in the L2 accent, with most of the errors due to several repeating consonantal features (i.e., voicing alone; place and manner of articulation). The broader impact of this work is to …