Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

Exploring The Validity Of Vocabulary Assessments In Racially, Dialectically, And Socioeconomically Diverse Preschool Populations, Lauren Betzer

LSU Master's Theses

Recent research has advocated for interactive assessments of vocabulary over more traditional, static assessments, as interactive assessments are more sensitive to linguistic and cultural diversity. Static vocabulary assessments, such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), probe existing knowledge, while interactive assessments, such as the Quick Interactive Language Screener (QUILS), examines a child’s language in a wholistic manner by assessing previously learned vocabulary knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and processing when learning a new concept. It remains unclear which assessment more accurately captures children's vocabulary knowledge throughout the Deep South—a region characterized by its unique cultural and linguistic environment, which includes the …

Conflicting Social Information And Its Impact On Sentence Comprehension In Young Adults With Dld: An Eye Tracking Study, Ansley Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals must recognize linguistic and non-linguistic social cues to resolve contextual ambiguities in their conversations. When the linguistic and social cues match, sentence processing is facilitated. However, conflicts between linguistic and social stimuli (i.e., incongruency) can lead to prediction errors which slow sentence processing. Limited research has explored the social cognition conflict resolution skills in individuals with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) despite their documented emotion processing deficits. This study considers the role of social prediction processing in adults with DLD as they engage in a social cognition conflict resolution task.

Young adults with DLD (n=29) and typically developing (TD) peers …

A Pathway To Research-Reliable Dynamic Temporal And Tactile Cueing For Children With Childhood Apraxia Of Speech: A Multiphase Process For Training Community Clinicians, Julia Case, Maria I. Grigos, Shelley L. Velleman, Elizabeth Murray, Donna C. Thomas, Shelby Anumandla, Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: Mounting research supports the use of motor-based intervention (e.g., Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing [DTTC]) for children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), but large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to better understand optimal treatment conditions. Partnering with community clinicians may help support recruitment and data collection for large groups of participants with CAS. However, to achieve this, rigorous training is needed to ensure high-fidelity treatment and adherence to research protocols. This work presents a multiphase process for training community clinicians to implement high-fidelity DTTC. We then examined whether clinician factors predicted their performance on assessment tasks used …

Let's Chat About Spoken Discourse: A Tutorial To Support Use Of Spoken Discourse Analysis When Providing Aphasia Clinical Services., Manaswita Dutta, Laura L. Murray, Hyejin Park, Elizabeth Burklow, Arpita Bose, Hana Kim, Kathryn Greenslade, Amy E. Ramage, Collean Combs, Anusha Balasubramanian, Marianne Casilio

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Spoken discourse is integral to everyday communication; improving discourse outcomes is a primary goal for individuals with aphasia and their families. Consequently, the application of discourse analysis in aphasia assessment and treatment has gained increasing attention in both research and clinical settings. Despite its recognized value among researchers and clinicians, several barriers-such as limited time, inadequate training, and lack of resources-continue to impede the widespread use of discourse analysis into clinical practice. To facilitate its broader adoption, speech-language pathologists require access to comprehensive resources that include information on discourse tasks, outcome measures, psychometric properties, and practical examples of how to …

Understanding The Care Needs Of People With Post-Stroke Aphasia: A Qualitative Study Of Stroke Care Transitions, Amy B. Thomas, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Lonnie A. Nelson, Catherine R. Van Son, Celestina Barbosa-Leiker

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Communication difficulties experienced by people with aphasia (PWA) cause disconnects between meaningful conversations and care received. The purpose of this study was to identify concepts PWA define as (1) the most critical facilitators to transitional care and communicative access success, and (2) transitional care and communicative barriers. A qualitative descriptive study design was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six PWA and two communication partners and analyzed using directed content analysis, guided by the theory of Human Scale Development. Findings revealed that barriers and facilitators centered on three Needs: (1) Participation: Participation in life events was directly related to public …

How Do Montessori-Based Activities Affect Behaviors For Older People With Dementia: A Literature Review, Isabel Quigley

University Honors Theses

Objectives: This literature review is meant to analyze the development on the research on Montessori-based activities for adults with dementia.

Introduction: Baby Boomers are the largest generation to enter senior age (65+) in history due to the advancement in medicine to increase life expectancy. Dementia is a neurocognitive disease that affects parts of the brain related to memory and signs typically surface around 65 years old. Dementia is not considered healthy aging. Montessori-based activities have been recently developed as an intervention to encourage a feeling of accomplishment and success for adults with dementia.

Methods: Two electronic databases …

Problem-Based Learning In Speech-Language Pathology Programs: A Scoping Review, Michelle P. Phoenix, Roohit Grewal, Kayla Brissette, Maya Albin, Minseo Kim

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes student-centered, active learning and has been applied in many health disciplines, including speech-language pathology (SLP). There is some SLP literature outlining how PBL has been applied and its components, however, how PBL is applied across SLP programs worldwide is yet to be explored. We therefore sought to answer the question, how do SLP programs apply PBL and what are the associated student outcomes?

Methods: Five databases were searched, as well as searching the grey literature for relevant articles. Covidence was used to de-duplicate, collate, and review articles. SLP program, study, PBL application, and student outcome …

Improving Clinical Care For Cochlear Implant Recipients: The Coupling Of Health-Related-Quality-Of-Life And Clinical Speech Measures, Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Dylan Severson, Chantel Hazlewood, Nadav Brumer, Elizabeth Elkins, Jake Hillyer, Sachin Gupta

2025 Swedish FISH (Fostering Interdisciplinary Solutions in Healthcare) Conference

No abstract provided.

Localization Of Music In Perceived Motion In Cochlear Implant Users, Madeleine Beyer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Spatial perception contributes to music perception and enjoyment, yet it remains understudied in cochlear implant (CI) users. Spatial effects in music are often achieved through panning, a tool which redistributes an audio signal level between or among several outputs, creating a perceived sound localization. CI users typically perform worse than normal hearing (NH) listeners on tasks of horizontal localization and music perception when manipulating the actual location of the sound. However, despite the common use of panning in daily use and consumption of music, no previous studies were conducted to examine how panning impacts the listening experience for CI users. …

What Of It? Coding The Unmarked Of-Preposition In Language Samples From Young Aae Speakers, Denise A. Finneran, Maura J. Moyle, Alaina Nash, Sixia Chen

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

We examined the of-preposition in language samples because it is a highly variable feature that can be marked or unmarked (e.g., “out [of] the door”) depending on context. Children who speak African American English (AAE) produce unmarked of-prepositions in contexts that are universal across AAE and General American English (GAE; e.g., “out [of] the window”) and in contexts specific to the AAE dialect (e.g., “out [of] the car”). Guidance in the literature on this variability is limited for language sample analysis. Participants included 113 children who spoke AAE. We examined contexts with unmarked of-prepositions in narrative language samples in a …

Self-Reported Audiological And Vestibular Symptoms Associated With Lyme Disease, Daniella A. Bryan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background:

Lyme disease, an infectious vector-borne illness, is carried by the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, which harbor the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, affecting hundreds of thousands of people in the United States annually. Lyme disease has a multitude of clinical presentations and overlaps with other complex illnesses, making diagnosis and treatment a medical challenge. This distinct bacterium can migrate into any organ system through the mediums of soft tissue, the lymphatic system, and the circulatory system. Despite its prevalence and range in symptomatology, minimal research has been conducted to identify distinct audiological and vestibular symptoms associated with a Lyme …

Bimodal Hearing Vs. Bilateral Hearing: Presenting A Review Of Existing Literature To Assist Audiologists With Determining The Optimal Hearing Modality, Eliana Dachman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

While guidelines exist for cochlear implant candidates, there are no specific established guidelines for bimodal users who are considering a 2nd cochlear implant. The objective of this paper is to critically review the literature addressing the question of comparative performance outcomes for bimodal hearing (one hearing aid in combination with a cochlear implant) and bilateral cochlear implants (two cochlear implants). The inclusion criteria were publications comparing bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant performance on speech perception, localization, and subjective quality. Fifteen qualifying papers were identified and analyzed. The results indicate that there are possible advantages to bilateral cochlear implants when assessing …

A Developmental Texture Framework For Food Texture Progression: Implications For Feeding Development, Oral Motor Skills, And Pediatric Feeding Disorder, Amy L. Delaney, Sarah Staskiewicz, Suzanne Evans Morris, Sarah Smith-Simpson, Praveen S. Goday

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

The introduction of food textures in a child's first 2 years of life plays a vital role in growth, nutrition, and feeding development. However, the absence of a standardized texture framework for studying texture progression limits both pediatric feeding research and the ability to diagnose pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) based on age-appropriate expectations. To address this gap, authors Delaney and Goday proposed data sharing from the Nestlé Feeding Infant-Toddler Study (FITS) to explore texture progression and define age-appropriate texture expectations. In response, Nestlé assembled a multidisciplinary panel of feeding experts to create standardized textures but did not provide financial or …

Deconstructing Professionalism: The Role Of The Dress Code, Klaire Brumbaugh, Lauren Wright-Jones

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Professionalism is a complex construct that is difficult to measure. Oftentimes in graduate training programs, adherence to a dress code is coupled with professionalism and professional behavior. This manuscript reviews dress codes in various graduate training programs. Strategies are provided for university faculty and administrators to lead their programs in developing culturally responsive practices by beginning to deconstruct dress code from the concept of professionalism.

Neuroanatomical And Morphometric Differences In Children Who Stutter, Mohammad A. Khan

Honors Scholar Theses

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder commonly known as stuttering is a neurodevelopmental speech disorder characterized by disruptions in speech fluency. While genetic and neurobiological factors are implicated, the structural brain differences underlying stuttering remain unclear. This study investigated neuroanatomical alterations in children who stutter (CWS) compared to typically fluent children (TFC), focusing on gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area in speech-related regions; the Inferior Frontal Gyrus, Middle Temporal Gyrus, and Pre-motor Operculum. High-resolution MRI data from 100 children (48 CWS, 52 TFC) aged 3–12 years were analyzed using FreeSurfer. Group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in cortical thickness, surface …

Determining Diagnostic Criteria To Define Infant Swallowing Through Dyad Interviews With Experts, Evon Youkhana

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

INTRODUCTION: With the increasing incidence of pediatric dysphagia, understanding what constitutes normal swallowing is essential to identifying aberrant swallowing. The purpose of this investigation is to understand how expert clinicians define swallowing disorders in infants and young children through a qualitative analysis of clinical decision-making processes.

METHODS: Data collection occurred in two phases. Phase I consisted of an online survey, which gathered demographic information and expert opinions on pediatric feeding and swallowing assessments. Phase II consisted of two dyad interviews to discuss key clinical and instrumental components important in determining the presence or absence of swallowing problems in infants and …

The Relationship Between The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex And Vestibular Perception In Trained Dancers Using Sinusoidal Harmonic Acceleration Testing, Diana Trinidad

Dissertations, 2020-current

Early studies have found that engaging in vestibular training, such as dance, may result in enhanced VOR suppression and changes in vestibular perception (e.g., lower sensations of vertigo) attributed to top-down modulation of subcortical neuronal networks and changes in the cerebellum. Dancers use spotting techniques to help control dizziness which involve holding their gaze on a visual object at eye level as they turn. As a result of this training, dancers become habituated to vestibular stimuli leading to lower VOR responses and decreased sensations of vertigo. This study investigated the relationship between the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and vestibular perception in …

Intertrial Coherence As A Measure Of Synchrony In Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials And The Effect Of Gaze Angle, Sydney Brown

Dissertations, 2020-current

Ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) are produced by highly synchronous bursts of extraocular muscle activity in response to stimuli. These responses reflect utricular function and can be recorded using surface electromyography electrodes. Traditional analysis of oVEMPs is limited to time-domain waveform measurements, such as amplitude and latency of response peaks. Objective synchrony-based measures have not yet been applied to the analysis of oVEMPs, particularly in the comparison of synchrony across gaze angles. We followed the new time-frequency method of analysis developed by Clinard et al. (2022) that was successfully applied to cervical VEMPs to quantify response synchrony. Air-conducted oVEMPs …

Establishing The Feasibility Of Sustained Sinusoidal Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials In Young Adults, Ashton Fowlkes

Dissertations, 2020-current

Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are used in clinics and research to assess the function of primarily the saccule. cVEMPs are typically stimulated with transient clicks or tone bursts through air conduction and are recorded from the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. The SCM is contracted by turning the head either left or right. In this study, we used sustained sinusoidal bone conducted stimuli. Using this new stimulus method allowed us to look at the possibility of a sustained cVEMP response, compared to the typically recorded transient response, as well as analyze the amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the responses. …

The Effect Of An Audio-Recorded Intervention Program On The Knowledge And Self-Reported Practices Of Menstruation And Hygiene Among Visually Impaired Young Girls In Rwanda: A Mixed Method Study, Justine Bagirisano, Marie Laetitia Ishimwe Bazakare, Aimable Nkurunziza, Jean Bosco Henri Hitayezu, Godfrey Katende

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background Menstrual hygiene practices among visually impaired young girls are a significant public health concern in Rwanda. Limited knowledge about menstruation leads to inadequate hygiene practices, increasing the risk of cervical cancer, urinary tract infections, and reduced quality of life. The menstrual hygiene needs of visually impaired girls who depend on daily assistance for personal hygiene have not been adequately addressed in previous studies. Objectives To assess the effect of an audio-recorded program on the knowledge and self-reported practices of menstruation hygiene among visually impaired young girls in Rwanda. Methodology A pre-post mixed intervention study was conducted involving 93 visually …

Expanding “Brain Games”: What Have We Learned From A Program Designed To Support Healthy Brain Aging In Older Adults?, Ella Mckinney

Honors Capstones

This study was part of a larger investigation examining the feasibility and impact of “Brain Games,” an intergenerational program designed to provide brain health education and cognitive training for healthy aging adults to maximize cognitive function and quality of life. The purpose of this project was to explore whether and how short- and long-term effects of “Brain Games” were tempered by demographic variables, including cognitive self-efficacy and socioeconomic factors. Study participants included older adults residing in two senior living centers in the DeKalb area. All participants received cognitive training and brain health education via “Brain Games”, which was offered in …

Intervention Techniques Targeting Echolalia: A Scoping Review, Adriana Dinello, Allison Gladfelter

CISLL Publications

Purpose:

Although echolalic speech is found in typical development, echolalia is most commonly associated with autism. As such, echolalia has frequently been the focus of various interventions aimed at autistic children. Recent research and the voices of autistic self-advocates indicate that echolalia serves as a meaningful form of communication or functionally supports self-regulation. As a result, the literature on how, or whether, to target echolalia in therapy is full of philosophically diverse approaches. To support evidence-based practice, the purpose of this scoping review was to inform speech-language clinicians about current research on interventions targeting echolalia and how disagreement on this …

How Individual Differences In Cue Weighting Influence The Link Between Memory And Speech In Noise Perception, Ava Buckmir, Anne Marie Crinnion, Emily Myers

Honors Scholar Theses

Listening to speech is challenging, particularly when there is background noise or ambiguities in the speech signal. Numerous factors impact our ability to understand speech, including age, cognitive processes, and contextual information. But how do we account for these challenges? The types of cues we use may aid us in perceiving ambiguities in speech. Some individuals may rely on semantic cues (higher-level cues), such as how words relate to each other, or they may rely on acoustic-phonetic cues (lower-level cues), such as the durational information in the speech signal itself. But why do individuals differ in the types of cues …

Influence Of Hearing Loss On Self-Reported Hearing Ability And Listening Fatigue In Persons With Aphasia, Ashlyn Kilgore

Poster Presentations

Aphasia is an acquired disorder, often caused by stroke, that results in language deficits. It can greatly impact a person's ability to communicate with others. Cognitive deficits may accompany aphasia. Additionally, hearing loss is a disability likely to co-occur with aphasia, as they both most commonly impact the same age group. When a person has hearing loss, the quality of the auditory signal is degraded when it reaches the brain. The poor signal quality, compounded with linguistic and possible cognitive deficits that are associated with aphasia, makes it more difficult for persons with aphasia (PWA) to comprehend speech.

For all …

The Interaction Between Phonological Reading Skills And Executive Functioning In Adults With Cochlear Implants, Tierney Marie Maurer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Little research has been conducted concerning the interaction between phonological reading skills (the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of language) and executive functioning (a set of processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior) in adults with hearing loss. The current study examined the potential association between phonological reading skills, hearing loss, and executive functioning in post-lingually deaf and hard of hearing adults who use cochlear implants. Two hypotheses were tested: 1) adult cochlear implant users have weaker executive functioning and phonological reading skills compared to their hearing peers; 2) adults with hearing loss who use …

Influence Of Hearing Loss On Self-Reported Hearing Ability And Listening Fatigue In Persons With Aphasia, Ashlyn Kilgore

Honors Theses

Aphasia is an acquired disorder, often caused by stroke, that results in language deficits. It can greatly impact a person's ability to communicate with others. Cognitive deficits may accompany aphasia. Additionally, hearing loss is a disability likely to co-occur with aphasia, as they both most commonly impact the same age group. When a person has hearing loss, the quality of the auditory signal is degraded when it reaches the brain. The poor signal quality, compounded with linguistic and possible cognitive deficits that are associated with aphasia, makes it more difficult for persons with aphasia (PWA) to comprehend speech.

For all …

How Music Is Used To Facilitate Communication In Speech-Language And Music Therapy For Children With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Anna Mcgreevy

Honors College Theses

The goal of this research was to determine how music is being used in speech and music therapy sessions for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, to discover the most common targets of these therapy sessions, and to examine the anatomical and physiological constructs that support the inclusion of music. This study was a review of literature, and included research from a variety of articles, several written in the past 25 years. Overall, results showed that music-based speech interventions such as Melodic Based Communication Therapy and Developmental Speech and Language Training, as well as music therapy interventions, are …

Teaching Bilingual Features To A Young Augmentative And Alternative Communication User With Autism, Paola Gallegos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines how a minimally verbal, young Spanish-English bilingual child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) uses translanguaging toggle features on an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to produce multi-word picture descriptions. The study employed a Rapidly Alternating Treatments Design (RATD) to analyze AAC performance under language-controlled Spanish-only and English-only conditions. A quantitative analysis examined the frequency and patterns of bilingual AAC feature use during aided modeling and instruction, while qualitative methods explored the related challenges and benefits. This study highlights the potential for bilingual AAC systems to enhance communication effectiveness and underscores the importance of incorporating user and …

Adaptation, Reliability, And Validity Of The Auditory Skills Checklist (Asc) For Bengali Speaking Children With Severe To Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss With Hearing Aids, Istiak Rahman, Mahedi Hasan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The audiologic assessment guidelines of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) encouraged functional auditory skills assessment, appropriate for age. The Auditory Skills Checklist (ASC) assessment tool was developed from the necessity to assess the auditory skills of young children with Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL). The aim of this study was to adapt a Bengali version of the ASC checklist from the original English version and then to test its reliability and validity.

Methods: The method of forward-backward translation and cognitive debriefing was employed to produce a culturally sensitive Bengali version of the checklist. The data was analyzed for …

Association Between Speech Perception In Noise And Sentence Comprehension In School-Age Children, Naveen K. Nagaraj

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.