Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Band Directors: Risk Factors For Vocal Dysphonia, Brianna Bumpous

Student Theses and Dissertations

The voice is an extensively utilized tool for high school marching band directors, which places them at risk for vocal disorders due to the profession's demands. Responsibilities such as leading rehearsals, teaching instrumental techniques, and directing require extensive vocal use in acoustically challenging environments, including football fields, large open indoor practice areas, and loud acoustic spaces. Research exists regarding vocal health for teachers, coaches, and musicians, yet little research has been conducted for high school marching band directors. This non-experimental exploratory study aimed to analyze if high school marching band directors experience dysphonia due to their occupation and if female …

Psychological Impacts Of Caring For Individuals With Fluent Versus Nonfluent Aphasia, Allisyn Rae Converse

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation sought to explore the mental health differences between caregivers of individuals with fluent aphasia versus caregivers of individuals with nonfluent aphasia with a focus on their levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. This study had a quantitative, non-experimental between group research design, utilizing a Qualtrics survey including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress scale to collect all data. Both caregivers of individuals with nonfluent and fluent aphasia can experience psychological impacts of serving as a caregiver such as elevated stress, anxiety, and depression. However, this study reveals that caregivers of individuals with nonfluent aphasia …

The Knowledge And Perceptions Of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Agricultural Education Students, Madyson Hufstedler

Student Theses and Dissertations

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a preventable yet widespread occupational hazard, especially among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to high levels of noise from equipment, machinery, and firearms (Lander et al., 2007; Milz et al., 2008). Young and future farmers may be particularly vulnerable due to early and prolonged exposure combined with limited awareness about the risks of noise and the importance of hearing protection (Balanay & Kearney, 2015; Martin et al., 2006). This study examined the perceptions and knowledge of NIHL among 83 students (76 high school and 7 college) in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. A pretest–posttest …

Cv: Erica Brkovic (Speech-Language Pathology), Erica Brkovic

Rehabilitation Sciences Department Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Cognitive Dysfunction In Women With The Fmr1 Premutation During Midlife: The Lassi-L Reveals Curvilinear Cgg-Dependent Risk Buffered By College Education, Jessica Klusek, Jillian Gierman, Amanda Fairchild, Andreana M. Benitez, Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, Marsha R. Mailick

Faculty Publications

Background

The FMR1premutation (FXPM) is a common genetic variant (∼1:151 females) linked to increased risk for neurodegenerative disease. Midlife cognitive phenotypes remain poorly defined.

Objective

To characterize episodic memory performance in midlife FXPM women and examine potential risk moderation via genetic (i.e., FMR1CGG repeat expansion size) and environmental (i.e., college degree attainment) influences.

Methods

Eighty-eight FXPM women and 84 matched controls, aged 30–55, completed the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L), a measure of specific episodic memory processes sensitive to subtle Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related cognitive and neuropathological changes.

Results

FXPM women demonstrated deficits in proactive semantic …

A Model For Enhancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, And Belonging In A Speech Pathology And Audiology Program, Elizabeth Oommen, Peggy Goetz, Brian M. Kreisman, Megan Nickelson, Morgan Bykerk

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Purpose: The SPAUD department at Calvin University recognized the need for initiatives that focused on intentionally enfolding and supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), international, and third culture students in a competitive major like communication sciences and disorders (CSD). These initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practices, specifically: (1) to support retention and empowerment of students through peer mentoring and small group meetings; and (2) to equip the department to empower faculty and students to thrive together in the program and in their vocation through capacitybuilding.

Study design/methodology/approach: This is a case study paper outlining …

Interprofessional Collaboration In Inpatient Rehabilitation For Patient With Thiamine Deficiency-Related Sensorimotor And Cognitive Deficits – Case Report, Christina Thomas, Tahreem Hashmi, Joanne Delgado-Lebron, Rania Massad

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose: We aim to describe the clinical presentation, interprofessional management, and functional outcomes of a patient with thiamine deficiency. Problem: Thiamine deficiency can result in peripheral polyneuropathy and cognitive deficits that limit function and participation. Despite deficits that warrant interprofessional neurorehabilitation, previous reports focus narrowly on medical management. Case: A 36-year-old female was admitted to inpatient rehabilitation with a diagnosis of Guillain Barre. She underwent evaluation by the interprofessional team that revealed cognitive deficits inconsistent with Guillain Barre. Further medical workup identified a thiamine deficiency. Comprehensive treatment included supplementation managed by the physiatrist; promotion of motor learning and neuroplasticity to …

Cortical Hierarchy And Aphasia Severity: The Sensorimotor–Association Gradient Modulates Lesion Effects Within Language-Specific Networks, Ida Rangus, Natalie Busby, Nicholas Riccardi, Sigfus Kristinsson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Roger Newman-Norlund, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Aphasia severity after stroke varies widely and is not fully explained by lesion size or location. We propose that incorporating the brain’s sensorimotor-association (S-A) gradient, reflecting cortical hierarchy, offers a biologically grounded framework for predicting language outcomes. In 236 individuals with chronic left-hemisphere stroke, we examine whether the hierarchical position of lesions in language-specific (LS) and domain-general (DG) areas modulates aphasia severity. We parcellate lesions using a cortical atlas and weigh them by each region’s S-A rank. We apply hierarchical linear regression to test whether S-A ranking and its interaction with lesion volume improves prediction of Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Aphasia …

Cv: E. Maria Wheeler (Speech-Language Pathology), E. Maria Wheeler

Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Cv: E. Maria Wheeler (Speech-Language Pathology), E. Maria Wheeler

Rehabilitation Sciences Department Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Person-Centered Care In Adult Auditory Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review, Marien Alet Graham, Nannette Nicholson, Rachel Glade, Sonja Delport, Faheema Mahomed-Asmail

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective To scrutinise the efficacy of person-centered care (PCC) in enhancing outcomes for adults navigating hearing loss through a comprehensive examination of literature on PCC in auditory rehabilitation (AR). Design A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting standards. A context framework guided the research question. Study Sample Structured searches across multiple databases identified 36 records which were categorised by research design, mapped by the first author's country, and depicted by number of publications per year. Six identified elements of PCC were anaylzed …

Aura: An Ai-Powered Multimodal Prototype For Adaptive Apraxia Of Speech Therapy And Communication Support, Omotayo Omoyemi, Rachel K. Johnson

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Apraxia of Speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder that significantly limits communication and requires intensive, long-term therapy. Access to consistent treatment is often constrained by shortages of speech-language pathologists, high costs, and limited opportunities for continuous monitoring outside clinical settings. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) provide new opportunities to support scalable and personalized speech therapy.

This paper presents AURA (Adaptive Understanding and Relearning Assistant for Apraxia), a multimodal AI framework designed to support speech therapy, progress monitoring, and communication for individuals with AOS. The system integrates speech analysis, machine learning–based error detection, reinforcement learning for adaptive therapy, and …

Gender, And Socioeconomic Status In School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Decision-Making For Adolescents With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Critically Appraised Topic, Geneva Renee Toledo

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

Purpose: Adolescents are at greater risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI), and TBI-related symptoms may contribute to disciplinary actions that increase their risk of entering the school-toconfinement pipeline. Given the disproportionate representation of racially marginalized male adolescents within this pipeline, this critically appraised topic (CAT) examined how race, gender, and socioeconomic status may influence school-based speech-language pathology (SLP) services and clinical decision-making following TBI. Method: A structured search of five electronic databases was conducted to identify studies examining speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) clinical decision-making and management of adolescents with TBI in relation to race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Relevant studies were …

Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity Among Children And Adolescents With And Without Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Xiao Liang, Raffy C.F. Chan, Justin A. Haegele, Sean Healy, Richard H. Xu, Chang Liu, Ming Chen, Minghui Li, Hui Zhang, Cindy H.P. Sit, David H.K. Shum

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

Physical inactivity is a health concern for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) as it directly increases their risk of developing various health problems. Evidence on differences in accelerometer-assessed physical activity between children and adolescents with and without NDDs is inconclusive. And age- and body mass index (BMI)-related effects on physical activity remain unclear.

Methods

The systematic literature searches were performed in 6 databases up to March 2025. Methodological quality was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scales. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. Hedges' g was used to express the effect size index with 95 % confidence interval …

Single Intratympanic Injection Of Proprietary Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Oto-413) In Subjects With Speech-In-Noise Hearing Impairment: A Randomized, Dose Escalating, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1/2 Study, Alan C. Foster, Jeffery J. Anderson, David R. Moore, Morgan Oktela Fuentes, Yiwei Wang, Peter G. Volsky, K. Paul Boyev, Victoria A. Sanchez

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and tolerability and exploratory efficacy of OTO-413, an intratympanic-administered, sustained release formulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a thermoreversible gel, in participants with speech-in-noise hearing difficulties.

Methods

This was a single dose, dose-ascending, randomized, double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 study conducted at 7 enrolling clinical sites in the U.S. 110 participants (56% female) enrolled had self-reported speech-in-noise (SIN) difficulties that were confirmed by a SIN test and were randomized to OTO-413 or Placebo. OTO-413 dose range was escalated from 0.01 mg to 1.5 mg within 7 Cohorts. Safety evaluations included monitoring for treatment-emergent adverse events, …

Beyond Mean Length Of Utterance: Novel Measures For Characterizing The Spoken Language Of Autistic Children, Janine Mathee-Scott, Courtney E. Venker

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

Mean length of utterance (MLU) is a common measure of expressive language complexity in young children, including autistic children. However, means, by nature, obscure some information about spread and variability in data. Thus, we aimed to examine a new approach to characterizing linguistic complexity in autistic children by investigating the validity of two novel measures—range of length of utterance (RLU), standard deviation of length of utterance (SDLU)—alongside established measures: MLU and total utterances (TU).

Method:

Participants were 40 autistic children (12 girls, 28 boys; M_age = 41.78 months). Children participated in 10-min, play-based language samples with their caregivers. …

Vestibular Migraine And Ssri Withdrawal: A Case Presentation, Grace Fairchild, Sarah Redding, Ashley Flagge

V&B Presentations

No abstract provided.

Aphasia Treatment Research: A Decision-Making Tool To Guide The Design Of Phased Trials From The Collaboration Of Aphasia Trialists (Cats) Trials For Aphasia Panel, Erin Godecke, Emily Brogan, Rebecca Palmer, Marian C. Brady, Frank Becker, Caterina Breitenstein, Sonia Brownsett, Julius Fridriksson, Katerina Hilari, Argye E. Hillis, Paola Marangolo, Miranda L. Rose, Shirley Thomas, Donna C. Tippett, Julie Bernhardt, Kathryn S. Hayward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials with meta-analyses indicate that speech and language therapy for aphasia after stroke is effective in improving communication. However, high-quality evidence to identify an intervention’s target population (who), regimen (what), timing (when), and dose (how much) is lacking. The predominance of underpowered aphasia trials and comparative studies with design limitations may be attributed to: 1) the perceived complexity of designing trials of interventions for a complex behaviour such as human communication, 2) the lack of funded research in the field and 3) a lack of training and understanding in the field of aphasiology regarding …

How Autistic Children Define Novel And Real Words, Henry James Tomiser

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Word knowledge is highly valuable to Autistic individuals, and although much research has characterized Autistic children’s vocabulary breadth (i.e., the number of lexical entries), less attention has been paid to vocabulary depth (i.e., the richness with which one understands a given word). In this exploratory post-hoc study, 11 Autistic children (one assigned female at birth) participated in novel and real word learning paradigms in which child-friendly referents were paired with CVCV word forms. Participants were then asked to provide open-ended definitions of the words. Definitions were parsed into meaningful subunits, or semantic features. Semantic features were coded by type of …

Guitar Amplifier Directivity, Rachel C. Edelman, Brian E. Anderson, Samuel D. Bellows, Timothy W. Leishman

Directivity

No abstract provided.

Modifiable Risk Factors And Hearing Loss: The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020, Yulu Zheng, Tingting Li, Zhiyuan Wu, Yahong Zhu, Zheng Guo, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To explore the associations between major modifiable risk factors and hearing loss.

Methods: This serial cross-sectional study was conducted within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020 in the United States. Associations were assessed using modified Poisson regression and within-sample population attributable fraction (PAF).

Results: Eight thousand seven hundred and seventy adults aged 40–85 years were included in the analyses, the mean (SD) age was 58.0 (11.7) years, with 4002 men (45.6%). Hearing loss was associated with low educational attainment with prevalence ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval (1.15, 1.31); low income 1.11 (1.04, 1.19); diabetes 1.10 (1.03, 1.18); …

Advancing Interprofessional Communication: Preliminary Outcomes Of A Novel Collaboration Framework In A Student Head Injury Clinic, Natalia Noce, Kelly Ann Pena, Susan Paparella, Andrew Lynch, Erin Keller, Aaron Dallman, Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

When healthcare providers practice interprofessional practice, care improves, and medical errors are reduced. Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) principles and the Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Patient Performance and Safety (TeamSTEPPS®) frameworks are utilized in healthcare education to develop interprofessional collaborative practice skills, but there is little understanding of how these skills change over time. We sought to evaluate the development of interprofessional collaborative practice skills by examining graduate occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology students' first-hand reports of their experiences over time in an interprofessional head injury clinic. We employed an applied interpretive qualitative research approach longitudinally collecting …

Vestibular Migraine And Ssri Withdrawal, Grace Fairchild, Sarah Redding, Ashley Flagge

V&B Posters

No abstract provided.

A Review Of Replications Over 88 Years Of The American Speech-Language Hearing Association Journal Publications, Andrea L.B. Ford, Jessica S. Riccardi, Austin Thompson, Helen L. Long, James C. Borders, Scott R. Schroeder, Alisa Baron, Mariam El Amin, Danika L. Pfeiffer

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty Publications

Purpose: This review aimed to determine the prevalence of replication studies in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders and examine longitudinal changes in this prevalence across American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journals from 1936 to 2024. It is a conceptual replication of Cook and colleagues' review of replications in special education journals.

Method: Our data source comprised 17,843 journal articles published in seven ASHA peer-reviewed journals between 1936 and 2024. We identified 3,903 articles, excluding duplicates, that had at least one instance of replicat*. Two research team members screened articles independently, and then one research team member coded each article, …

Independence Of Spectral Contrast Effects Across Different Frequency Regions In Speech Perception, Christian E. Stilp, Matthew B. Winn

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Identification of speech sounds is influenced by spectral contrast effects (SCEs), the perceptual magnification of spectral differences between successive sounds. SCEs result in the categorization of a target sound being biased away from spectral properties in the preceding acoustic context. Given remarkable consistency in the magnitudes of these contrast effects within the same frequency region, it was hypothesized that they would also show stable relationships across different frequency regions. In this study, normal-hearing listeners’ phoneme categorization and contrast effects were assessed where phonetic contrasts were driven by changes in low-frequency F₁ (“big”-“beg” continuum), mid-frequency F₃ (“dot”-“got”), or high-frequency …

When Speech Speaks Louder Than Truth: Language Variation And Credibility In The Courtroom, Melanie E. Spinnie

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study aims to investigate how linguistic variation affects perceptions of credibility in courtroom settings. It focuses on how jurors, judges, and other individuals in the legal system may exhibit bias (consciously or unconsciously) based on how a defendant or witness speaks-- this could include speech disorders as well as differences in dialect, accent, and speech style. Through review of relevant literature, review of a relevant historical case, conducting a survey, and conducting a semi-structured interview, this study explores whether certain speech patterns or characteristics are disproportionately associated with negative judgments during legal proceedings, such as reduced credibility and trustworthiness. …

Exploring Tonal Focus: Qualitative Perspectives And Acoustic Correlates In Slps And Singers, Lily C. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Tonal focus is a complex construct that has variable definitions and interpretations across professions and within existing literature. Although tonal focus is widely described both clinically and pedagogically, both fields differ in their perspectives and goals related to the concept. This study aims to understand singers’ and speech language pathologists’ (SLP) conceptual perception and acoustic demonstration of tonal focus. Eleven SLPs and six singers were recruited to participate in the study. Participants completed an interview with the primary investigator and were recorded producing forward, neutral, and backward tonal focus in various contexts. Acoustic and qualitative analysis indicated that tonal focus …

Exploring The Impact Of Age On Traumatic Brain Injury Cause And Recovery In Arkansas: A Retrospective Review, Abby Jones, Steven Wheeler, Jessica Danley

2026 Honors Symposium

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) remain a major public health concern, and increasing evidence goes to show the significance of the effect of age in quality of care, diagnosis, and recovery outcomes. In rural states, such as Arkansas, where research has shown a lack of resources and higher fatality rates among TBI patients, healthcare professionals can become better informed and equipped as a result of research efforts to uncover the effects of age on cause and recovery for inpatient TBI individuals in the early stages (Daugherty et al., 2022). Current research and prior evidence suggests that older individuals are more likely …

Effect Of Clinical Expertise On Efficacy Of Vocal Function Exercises In Individuals With Typical Voice, Maria H. Bane, Vrushali Angadi, Richard D. Andreatta, Joseph C. Stemple

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Publications

Objectives/Hypothesis: To determine the effect of clinical expertise on efficacy of Vocal Function Exercises (VFEs) as measured by change in percent of maximum phonation time goal attained. The hypothesis was that clinical expertise would result in greater increases in percent of maximum phonation time goal attained.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Methods: A convenience sample of 19 individuals with typical voice was recruited in a university academic clinic setting. All participants completed baseline assessment and 17 completed all study procedures. Participants were randomized to receive VFEs from an expert voice clinician with more than 40 years’ experience (expert group (EG)) …

Belting In Musical Theatre: Vocal Pathologies, Injuries, And Pedagogical Implications, Kaylee Piatt

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Belting has become one of the most defining and contested vocal styles in contemporary musical theatre. Valued for its dramatic immediacy, speech-like intensity, and ability to cut through amplified orchestration, belting is frequently associated with heightened injury risk and pedagogical controversy. This thesis examines the relationship between belting, vocal pathology, and pedagogy through an interdisciplinary lens that integrates voice science, clinical literature, and professional performance practice. Rather than framing belting as an inherently harmful or stylistically aberrant technique, this study conceptualizes belting as a functional vocal coordination shaped by physiological mechanisms, cumulative vocal load, and occupational demands.

Drawing on existing …