Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

The Role Of Early Intervention In Parental Self-Efficacy For Parents Of Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Children, Carrie Davenport, Derek Houston, Kristina Bowdrie, Rachael Frush Holt

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: To investigate the effects of age at enrollment in early intervention (EI) and dosage of EI services (frequency and intensity) on parental self-efficacy (PSE) and to determine whether parents with better PSE demonstrate more involvement in deciding Individualized Family Service Plan goals (IFSP), services, and amount of services.

Method: Sixty-five parent-child dyads were included in this retrospective between-subjects study. PSE was measured using the Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy (DesJardin, 2003). Dosage of EI services and parent/professional involvement in IFSP decision-making were measured using a Child Demographic Questionnaire.

Results: Statistically significant correlations were not found between age at …

Developing A Spoken Language Outcome Monitoring Procedure For A Canadian Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Program: Process And Recommendations, Olivia Daub, Janis Cardy

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Abstract:

Purpose: Routine spoken language outcome monitoring is one component of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs for children who are hard-of-hearing and learning a spoken language. However, there is no peer-reviewed research that documents how spoken language outcome monitoring may be achieved, or what processes EHDI programs can use to develop these procedures. The present paper describes the process used by a Canadian EHDI program, and the final recommendations that were developed from this process.

Methodology: Through consultation with the program’s stakeholders, consideration of the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing’s recommendations, and drawing on our own expertise in …

The Effects Of Early Intervention On Language Growth After Age 3 For Children With Permanent Hearing Loss, Lisa Davidson, Andrea Osman, Ann E. Geers

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Purpose: The overall goal of this study was to examine language performance in children with permanent hearing loss who were enrolled in a Listening and Spoken Language program. The influence of time spent in Early Intervention (EI) on language trajectories and ability to attain age-appropriate language skills was examined.

Methods: Retrospective data were obtained from children (N=48) who attended Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) for various lengths of time between 2004 and 2017. Children were grouped into those who had received EI prior to age 3 years versus those who did not. Standardized tests of receptive and …

The Impact Of Technology On The Developing Visual And/Or Auditory Memory In School-Aged Children, Cameron Mayer

Honors Theses

This study aimed to determine whether time spent on technology impacts the developing auditory or visual memory in school-aged children. A survey was completed with the child participants to acquire a catalog of time spent on both technological devices and non-technological activities. Tests included a visual and auditory memory assessment adapted from the Preschool Language Scales Fifth Edition (PLS-5). The results indicated that there was no significance between the time spent on technology and the visual and auditory memory scores. However, the researchers did find that the auditory mean scores were significantly different from the visual mean scores across the …

Exploring The Impact Of Animal-Assisted Therapy On Children’S Literacy Skills In Speech-Language Interventions, Samantha Wingate

Honors College Theses

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a therapeutic approach that uses therapy dogs to improve the clinical goals of individuals who need rehabilitative support. While AAT research within the health professions is developing, there is support showing that this type of milieu therapy has potential benefits when working with children with literacy concerns. Within the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), AAT can be used by speech-language pathologists to establish goal-directed therapy sessions to improve children’s literacy skills. This paper will highlight current literature that explores the use of AAT within literacy interventions, the use of evidence-based measures, and the feasibility …

Maternal Pragmatic Language Difficulties In The Fmr1 Premutation And The Broad Autism Phenotype: Associations With Individual And Family Outcomes, Jessica Klusek, Angela John Thurman, Leonard Abbeduto

Faculty Publications

Broader phenotypes associated with genetic liability, including mild difficulties with pragmatic language skills, have been documented in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and mothers of children with fragile X syndrome (FXS). This study investigated the relationship between pragmatic difficulties and indicators of maternal well-being and family functioning. Pragmatic difficulty was associated with loneliness in mothers of children with ASD or FXS, and with depression, decreased life satisfaction, and poorer family relationship quality but only in mothers of children with FXS. Results suggest that subtle maternal pragmatic language difficulties are a risk factor that that may contribute to …

Predictors And Characteristics Of Aac Service Delivery Among Post-Professional Speech-Language Pathologists, Meredith Gohsman, Rachel Johnson

College of Health Sciences Posters

In the United States, approximately four million individuals are unable to use verbal speech to meet communication needs (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modalities support the needs of these individuals, offering temporary or permanent solutions to meet an individual’s communication needs across environments (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Tasked with the use of AAC to support individuals with communication impairments, speech-language pathologists are directly involved in AAC service provision (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2016). Past research has identified barriers to AAC service provision and use of AAC modalities, including lack of perceived competence, time, financial support, and availability …

Social Engagement Of Nursing Home Residents: A Comparison Of Two Observation Methods, Annika Gabbard

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In Kentucky, low levels of physical activity and social engagement negatively impact health. This problem led to the creation of Bingocize®, an exercise program that combines the game of Bingo with intermittent exercises in a group setting to increase levels of positive affect, physical health, and, the focus of this study, social engagement. Since clear benefits of social engagement have been established, measurement and documentation of this behavior can assist in determining the level of potential benefit from Bingocize®. The purpose of this study was to compare the opinions of healthcare workers who have experience with Bingocize® on two measures …

A Survey Of Slp Graduate Students Pre- And Post-Telepractice Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kelly Allison Frost

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many university programs in speech-language pathology who offer clinical training as part of their graduate program, transitioned to a telepractice service delivery model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the current research project was to survey graduate student opinions and perspectives on the telepractice service delivery model before and after training. Graduate students enrolled in a SLP distance program at WKU participated in a summer clinical internship and were asked to complete pre- and post-surveys about their remote clinical experience. Pre- and postsurveys were completed by 27 graduate students who were enrolled in the summer clinical internship …

An Assessment Of Communication Between Speech-Language Pathologists And Intervention Specialists In Schools, Sarah Painter

Honors Projects

The American Speech-Language Hearing Association states that Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) should collaborate with other professionals, including Intervention Specialists (ISs). In recent decades, there has been a shift from pull-out therapy, where students are removed from the classroom for services, to push-in therapy, which takes place within the classroom. This shift has resulted in greater overlap in SLP-IS caseloads. However, there is little known about the collaborative practices of these professionals. This study aimed to close the gap by using surveys to address two main research questions.

1) What is the focus, modality, and frequency of collaboration between SLPs and ISs? …

Nonword Repetition In Spanish-English Bilingual Children, Katherine Beyer

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Listeners' Perception Of Children And Adult’S Word-Final /L/, Julia Sanders

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Development And Implementation Of Computer-Based Learning Modules On Alternative Communication For Pediatric Nurses And Nursing Students, Amanda Kaye Simmons

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose and Rationale. To develop, implement, and assess computer-based learning modules (CBLs) on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with pediatric nurses and nursing students for knowledge outcomes, self-efficacy, and perceived relevance and effectiveness. Effective communication ensures all parties can understand and express themselves clearly, through any means necessary, often including AAC tools, supports, and strategies. Communication is essential in healthcare but there is limited research with pediatric nurses. Previous research with a single hospital indicated a need for nurse education on AAC. This research used focus groups and interviews to understand pediatric nurse and nursing student knowledge about AAC. The …

Effects Of Personal Fm System Use During Phonological Awareness Instruction For Children At Risk For Dyslexia, Gabriella Rose Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

Students with reading impairments, including dyslexia, account for the largest proportion of students receiving special education services in the United States (NCES, 2016). Developmental dyslexia is characterized by slow and inaccurate word decoding (Lyon et al., 2003). This word decoding difficulty results from deficits in phonological awareness, a sound-based skill (Swan & Goswami, 1997). Classrooms are known to have high levels of background noise and are inconsistent with recommendations for optimal listening (Picard & Bradley, 2001) or accepted standards (ASHA, n.d.). Furthermore, degraded acoustic conditions have been related to poorer performance on speech-recognition tasks even for children with normal hearing …

Phonological Variation Among Young Spanish-English Dual Language Learners On An English Sentence Repetition Task, Sarah Kate Coleman

Senior Theses

Purpose - There is a need for research informing best practices for assessing the language abilities of bilingual children, as well as research regarding typical phonological development of bilingual children. The purpose of the present paper is to contribute broadly to informing bilingual phonological assessment practice by examining phonological variation in Spanish-English speaking children’s English sentence repetition responses and the relation between these phonological variations and performance on the English sentence repetition task.

Method - 20 Spanish-English speaking kindergarteners completed the English sentence repetition task of the Bilingual English-Spanish Assessment (BESA; Peña et al., 2014). The phonological variations present in …

Systematic Review Of Factors Impacting Reading Impairment Rates In Studies Of Children With Developmental Language Disorder (Dld), Kayla Dewey

Senior Theses

This systematic review examined studies of individuals with developmental language disorder (DLD) to examine the rate of co-occurring reading impairment. We hypothesized that recruitment method, age, and the type of diagnostic reading assessment would be associated with different rates of reading impairment in individuals with DLD. We searched the database PsycINFO for peer-reviewed academic articles containing specific keywords related to DLD/SLI and Dyslexia, resulting in a total of 286 studies. These articles were then filtered to ensure that all articles analyzed in the present study only examined children below the age of 18, were a study of children with DLD/SLI, …

Best Practice In Dementia Communication: Determining The Effectiveness Of Pre-Recorded, Presentation-Based Learning For Cnas Working In Residential Care Facilities, Mary Kate Hoeve

Masters Theses

The dramatic increase in the aging population and predicted rise in individuals diagnosed with a dementia-related disorder in the next 30 years has sparked an increase in the exploration of gerontology and best practice in dementia care (Curyto & Vriesman, 2016). Additionally, each person living with dementia spends less than two percent of their day engaging in social communication with a care worker (Ward et al, 2005). With a significant increase in the development of dementia-related disorders and minimal social interaction, understanding the manifestations of dementia and methods of effective communication between individuals with dementia-related disorders and direct care workers …

Voice Therapy: Racial Disparities In Adherence And Clinically Significant Outcomes, Amber D. Burks

LSU Master's Theses

Voice therapy is evidence-based, behavioral intervention that can reduce functional and organic voice disorders. Despite its proven effectiveness, non-adherence to voice therapy is still an issue. Research shows that an estimated 65% of patients who initiate voice therapy drop out before reaching therapeutic goals. Voice therapy outcomes are largely dependent on patients’ adherence to treatment regimens, but there is limited information concerning factors that may be associated with voice therapy adherence and therapeutic outcomes for patients who successfully complete voice therapy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate which demographic factors could be associated with higher adherence rates to …

The Ethics Of Patient And Public Involvement Across The Research Process: Towards Partnership With People With Aphasia, Deborah Hersh, Mark Israel, Ciara Shiggins

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Conducting Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in health research is a way of building knowledge that incorporates the experience of service users, adds research impact, and helps avoid wasting resources on findings that have little relevance to people or cannot be implemented. We argue that there is a need to extend ethical considerations currently focused on research participants with aphasia to encompass and guide expectations of involvement in partnerships with people with aphasia across the research lifecycle.

Method:

We use the 2018 revision of the Australian National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research as the framework for this …

Three's Company: Collaborative Instructional Design On A Librarian-Instructor Team, Brittany L. O'Neill, Allen Leblanc, Deirdre Larsen

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

This session will describe a unique collaboration that resulted in development of a strategic research assignment design supported by relevant information literacy sessions. This effort stems from an existing relationship between research librarians and an instructor who was previously a graduate assistant in Research & Instruction Services and became an instructor of a general education course in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Through this collective, a synergistic arrangement developed where librarians contribute to research assignment design and the instructor contributes to developing the information literacy sessions to prepare students for finding, evaluating, and understanding relevant scholarly articles early in their college …

The Impact Of Technology On The Developing Visual And/Or Auditory Memory In School Aged Children, Cameron Mayer

Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs

This study aimed to determine whether time spent on technology impacts the developing auditory or visual memory in school-aged children. A survey was completed with the child participants to acquire a catalog of time spent on both technology devices and non-technological activities. Tests included a visual and auditory memory assessment adapted from the Preschool Language Scales Fifth Edition (PLS-5). The subtests were expanded upon in order to incorporate an auditory element. The results indicated that there was no significance between time spent on technology and visual and auditory memory scores. This was likely caused by the small sample size. However, …

Reliability Of Speech-Language Pathologists’ Categorizations Of Preschoolers’ Communication Impairments In Practice, Bj Cunningham, Janis Oram Cardy

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Abstract

Method

Results

Increasing Access To Augmentative And Alternative Communication Services For People With Complex Communication Needs During Covid-19 And Beyond, Cristina L. Pujol, Anamaria Nevares, Michelle Schladant

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected the disability network across the world. In the United States, there are millions of people who cannot use their natural speech to communicate. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), a form of assistive technology (AT), helps people with complex communication needs (CCNs) to communicate with others. Examples of AAC include printed pictures and speech-generating devices. A team of professionals work together with the person with CCNs and their caregivers to choose the right type of AAC. Often, people with CCNs need face-to-face and ongoing AAC support. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this population already faced …

The Acoustical Characteristics Of An Individual With Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia Receiving Botox Injections, Hope Noelle Higginbotham

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the qualitative and quantitative vocal characteristics of an individual with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) who was treated with botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. ADSD is a voice disorder that affects voice muscles and is characterized by rigid movement of the vocal folds and inconsistent speech. The participant was acoustically recorded and completed a diary regarding vocal changes before and after Botox injections to compare vocal changes that occurred over time. In addition, the participant qualitatively reported information regarding her perceptions of the changes in her vocal quality with the injections. The results indicated …

Speech-Language Pathologist Confidence In Dysphagia Management, Fiona May Fuller

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study served to investigate the dysphagia-specific education and training that practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have received within their graduate programs, within their workplaces, and independently. In addition, SLPs’ perceptions of their preparedness for dysphagia management responsibilities after completion of a graduate-level Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program and the confidence they have in their own abilities to contribute to different aspects of dysphagia management were also investigated. An electronic survey was distributed to licensed SLPs via an email list provided by the Arkansas Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (ABESPA). Results revealed that although SLPs felt generally …

Therapy Approaches For Broca’S Aphasia: Consultative Vs. Clinician Directed, Stacey Nichole Mott

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation sought to explore the outcomes from two common therapy approaches, consultative and clinician directed, to language and communication rehabilitation for individuals with Broca’s aphasia. Both approaches are recognized as evidence-based and are used across many clinical settings. This single case study was performed using standardized assessment, informal measures, and a survey. The data collection reveals that there are positive outcomes to both methods of therapy. However, this study revealed a need to continue investigating the prevalence of use for both types of therapy approaches used by speech-language pathologists in various rehabilitative settings.

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge And Implementation Of Thyroid Hormone Diseases And Allergies On Voice, Kirsten Combs

Student Theses and Dissertations

There is little research that shows speech-language pathologists’ (SLP’s) knowledge of the impact of allergies or thyroid diseases related to voice disorders, or if they use this information during assessment and treatment. A survey was distributed to every licensed SLPs in the state of Arkansas, and 284 SLPs completed it. Only 20 participants asked clients if they have thyroid hormone diseases, whereas 256 asked about allergies. While treating, 236 participants reported that they consider allergies, but only 94 considered thyroid hormone diseases. On knowledge-based questions, the participants had an overall average of 84% for thyroid hormone diseases and 78% for …

Salivary Cortisol Levels Of Children With Reading Difficulties, Alexandria Gaines Jarrett

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study was performed to measure the salivary cortisol levels of children with reading difficulties compared to children with typical reading performance. Participants were ages 6-11. They attended two sessions, where reading levels and cortisol levels were measured in order to determine the effect of reading performance on cortisol levels. An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare the cortisol levels for participants who had reading difficulties (experimental group) and the participants with typical reading performance (control group). Means of the cortisol levels were compared in order to reveal at what stage during reading tasks cortisol levels peaked. No statistical …

Facilitators And Barriers To The Use Of Aac By Practicing Slps, John Fred Chunn

Student Theses and Dissertations

This survey was designed to help determine potential facilitators and barriers to the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) practicing in Arkansas. The questions within the survey consisted of short answers, rating scales, and yes or no questions. The categories of the survey included basic information, the SLPs’ practice, and the SLPs’ self-assessed confidence regarding AAC. The results indicated barriers included: less training at the undergraduate education, decreased use of AAC within therapy sessions, the cost of the device, intimidation to caregivers, and a lack of training for caregivers. However, a facilitator was that the …

Survey Of Current Therapy Methods For Treatment Of Reading Fluency And Comprehension, Brooke Elizabeth Darnell

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the current types of interventions SLPs are using when treating children with reading difficulties. This study utilized a survey to investigate not only the types of interventions, but also the SLPs’ opinions regarding the efficacy of these interventions. This study provided evidence to support the use of these methods as well as provided insight into the treatment of children with reading difficulties.