Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

”To Be Or Not To Be – It’S Good”: Actor And Student Experiences In A Drama Club For People With Aphasia, Jade K. Hannan

Senior Theses

Individuals with aphasia, a disorder caused by damage to the brain’s language network, confront a variety of social and emotional struggles. While leaving their cognition largely intact, aphasia tremendously impacts a person’s ability to communicate confidently, fracturing their social network and contributing to feelings of loneliness and frustration. To address this persistent need in the chronic aphasia population, the Play on Words drama club at the University of South Carolina provides a forum for people with aphasia (PWA) to engage in dramatic exercises focused on non-verbal communication of emotions, ideas, and stories, culminating the production of an original devised play. …

“Your Legs Don’T Look All That Good” An Analysis Of Impoliteness And Politeness In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injuries In The Workplace, Grace Kozal

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

Background: Social communication disorders are a common outcome from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This social communication disorder can be seen through impolite speech acts during conversation. While politeness is a social norm for workplace discourse, instances of impoliteness may have poor consequences. This research explores the use of impoliteness in persons with TBI within computer generated work-based conditions.

Methods: Language samples from the Voicemail Elicitation Task (VET) and Feedback/Advice Spoken Task (FAST) were transcribed word-for-word. Transcripts from all 62 participants were coded for impoliteness using a developed Impoliteness Codebook and were analyzed to identify significant differences in the number of …

Incorporating Poi As A Therapeutic Modality For Preschool Aged Children In The Care Clinic, Danielle Zirkle

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Spoken Self-Disclosure Scripts On Nonaphasic Listeners' Perceptions Of People With Aphasia, Colleen B. Ward

Masters Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of spoken self-disclosure scripts on nonaphasic listeners’ perceptions of people with aphasia (PWA). Self-disclosure is a tool that PWA can utilize in the event that they want a conversation partner to know of their communication disorder. However, limited research has been conducted on the effects of aphasia self-disclosure or whether it affects perceptions of PWA from neurotypical communication partners. If self-disclosure is determined to make a positive impact on a communicative interaction, it could be grounds for encouraging PWA who are interested to develop a self-disclosure script or use …

Language-Based Strategies That Support Person-Centered Communication In Formal Home Care Interactions With Persons Living With Dementia, Reanne G. Mundadan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background. Several studies recommend language-based strategies for communication with persons living with dementia. Language-based strategies improve coherence, clarity, reciprocity, and continuity of interactions. Person-centered communication (PCC) strategies are the gold standard, including facilitation, recognition, validation, and negotiation. Only one study has examined the overlap between language-based strategies and PCC in long-term care. Little is known about which language-based strategies support PCC in home care. Accordingly, this study investigated the overlap between language-based strategies and PCC in home care interactions. Method. Conversation analysis of 30 audio-recorded routine care interactions between home care workers and persons living with dementia was conducted. The …

Intensive, Interprofessional Therapy: A Case Approach, Emma C. Schrotenboer

Honors Theses

This research looks at the impacts of intensive, interprofessional therapy for children with disabilities. There is very little literature currently published on this topic, although what is available generally finds that more intense therapy is more beneficial. The child who was studied was a camper at Adam’s Camp therapy camp, a week-long program that involves six hours of therapy each day with therapists from five different fields. Her progress over the week, as well as her retention of skills several weeks later, were determined by pre- and post-camp surveys sent to the mother and the therapists’ notes from during the …

Aac Camp As A Pre- And Post- Service Training Model, Joanne Kim

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of participation in an AAC-based day camp as a pre-service training opportunity for students of speech-language pathology and a post-training opportunity for practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Following the conclusion for the most recent iteration of the AAC Academy hosted by the Diagnostic Center of Central California, students and SLPs who volunteered within the past ten years were recruited via email to participate in semi-structured interviews. Upon thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, the following themes were conceptualized: (1) Many volunteers had some interest, if not experience, with AAC prior to …

Patient And Therapist Perceptions Of Respiratory Functioning Due To Spinal Cord Injury: Implications For Music Therapists, A'Marie Dotson

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Decreased respiratory functioning is a common symptom of spinal cord injury (SCI) and can impact individuals’ personal, professional, and social lives. In spite of this, researchers have not explored the use of music in the lives of individuals with SCIs or music’s role in their healthcare professionals’ treatment plans to improve respiratory functioning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how decreased respiratory functioning affects individuals with SCIs and healthcare professionals through a multiple case study design. Participants were two individuals with SCIs and three healthcare professionals (physical therapist, recreational therapist, and music therapist) who worked with …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Special Education: A Case Study, Megan Cercone

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research project is to explore the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special education by evaluating the experiences of one child with disabilities who attends public schools. METHODS: A semi-structured interview was conducted with the two parents of the child, who has physical disabilities and an IEP through his school, meaning he receives special education services through intervention teachers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists. The interview was recorded and transcribed, and then interview transcripts were evaluated to identify themes in the subjects’ responses regarding their child’s experience with public education during the pandemic. …

Identification Of Opportunity Barriers And Supports For Individuals Using Augmentative And Alternative Communication (Aac) And Stakeholders, Meredith K. Gohsman

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Individuals using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are supported by many AAC stakeholders and communication partners. Clinical decision making and AAC assessment models consider the capabilities and access needs of the individual using AAC, as well as opportunity barriers and supports imposed by communication partners and environments. The purpose of this research was to investigate opportunity barriers and supports identified by two critical AAC stakeholders: speechlanguage pathologists and caregivers. The first study investigated characteristics of AAC service provision reported by post-professional speech-language pathologists. Speech-language pathologists reported lack of perceived knowledge related to AAC service delivery, inconsistent use of AAC modalities, …

Adaptive Gaming As An Occupation: Motor Phenomena And Lived Experiences, Christina Floyd, Melanie Blaisdell, Madeleine Pope, Audrey Metzger, Donna Chen Tubig, Lauren Andaya, Christine Vincent

Occupational Therapy | Graduate Capstone Projects

Purpose: This qualitative study examined the lived experience and motor phenomena that occur in people with disabilities during the occupation of video gaming. Historically, the occupation of video gaming, also referred to as gaming, has not been inclusive of individuals with disabilities due to the design of traditional video gaming controllers. Typical gaming controllers require fine motor control, finger dexterity, and in-hand manipulation to grasp and use the controls on the device. Although, many people with disabilities do not have the fine motor skills required to access these devices, creating a barrier for this population to engage in …

Beyond The Treatment Protocol: Active Ingredients For Precision Voice Rehabilitation, Maria H. Bane

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Despite the growing body of research demonstrating voice therapy efficacy, only 12 of 100 people referred to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a voice evaluation will successfully complete therapy. One possible reason for this discrepancy is that clinical laboratory and clinical outcomes studies have focused on if voice therapy works while failing to explain how voice therapy works. While the if question is important, the yes or no response this question generates is of limited utility when those referred for voice therapy fail to complete. Consequently, the how question, which concentrates on the mechanisms and processes underlying effective voice therapy, …

Perspectives Of Individuals With Acquired Neurogenic Communication Disorders And Co-Survivors On Person-Centered Care Within Speech-Language Therapy, Logan Macrae Ellis

Online Theses and Dissertations

Main Argument: Acquired brain injury impacts 2.8 million individuals each year in the United States (Taylor et al., 2017). Stroke, traumatic brain injury, tumor, infection, and other conditions cause life-altering changes to the way humans interact with each other. Social interaction and communication are important in many aspects of life, including but not limited to work, community, relationships, and mental health, etc. Damage to the brain often changes the ability to communicate drastically, which can impact all of the aforementioned aspects of life (Ardila & Rubilo, 2018). Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) address the acquired neurogenic communication disorders associated with brain injury …

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

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

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

Parent/ Caregiver Burnout With Autism Due To Covid, Leah Recker, Erin Babcock

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project is to gain an understanding how parents of children with autism are affected by caregiver burnout. We want to understand the different factors that contribute to this burnout and analyze how individuals are affected differently. To do this, we are sending

out a survey using Likert scale items to assess parents’ stress and burnout. We will be carefully selecting statements based off information we gather through peer reviewed journal articles. We would then like the parents to decide how strongly they agree or disagree with each question. This will create a more in-depth picture of …

The Impact Of Temporal Resolution On Clinical Decision-Making For Individuals With Dysphagia, Shauna Corinne Murray

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia, or a disordered swallow, affects up to 1 in 25 individuals in the United States. The gold standard for assessing dysphagia is the videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing (VFES). This allows the clinician to observe the swallow anatomy in motion via an X-ray movie, which historically was recorded at 30 frames per second. In recent years VFES have been performed at less frames per second due to radiation concern. This project investigates the effect of using lower temporal resolutions on assessment of video-fluoroscopic swallow studies.

METHODS: In this investigation, 30 swallow studies, all acquired at 30 frames per second, …

Communicative Participation Outcomes Of Preschool Speech-Language Services: Opportunities, Challenges, And Solutions, Elaine Yuen Ling Kwok

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It has been estimated that speech and language disorders impact as many as 15-22% of preschoolers. In Ontario, Canada, families who are concerned about their children’s speech, language, or communication skills can access publicly funded services through Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language Program. In this program, speech-language pathologists provide assessments and early interventions to improve children’s communication skills and lessen the negative effect of communication delays on development. Since 2012, the Program mandated the use of an outcome measure, the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six® (FOCUS), but there has been inconsistent uptake among speech-language pathologists. Using a …

Development Of An Aba Tool Kit For Audiologists To Increase Hearing Aid Wear Time In Individuals With Autism, Lindsay Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

When working with individuals with the dual-diagnosis of hearing loss and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), audiologists are often faced with unique challenges and must adapt their approach in order to more effectively address the needs of these individuals. Currently, there is only a small body of research focused on the special considerations required for appropriately fitting and utilizing amplification for children with the dual-diagnosis of hearing loss and ASD. Subsequently, recommendations and strategies for clinicians to implement when faced with these common challenges, specifically of hearing aid compliance and appropriate hearing aid wear time, are lacking. It is important to …

The Effects Of Bilingualism In Post-Stroke Aphasia Patients: Clinical Implications Within The United States, Kristen Bennett

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The consistent increase of cultural diversity and immigration within the United States over the last fifty years has contributed to a societal shift towards a growing bilingual population. The growth of this population has generated a need to evaluate current assessment and treatment plans for bilingual post-stroke aphasia patients within the United States to ensure that these individuals are receiving effective healthcare. This study aims to investigate the current knowledge gap surrounding appropriate methods of assessing and treating bilingual post-stroke aphasia patients within the United States and suggest potential approaches based on existing research. In order to synthesize information regarding …

Socioeconomic Status's Impact On The Experience Of Loneliness, Tessa Samuels

Sociology & Anthropology Theses

Loneliness is a feeling that is nearly universal, yet some people are more vulnerable to prolonged exposures of the experience of loneliness. Due to the subjective nature of loneliness, there is minimal literature on loneliness without the variable of social isolation (Hawkley et al. 2008, Ryan et al. 2008, Kearns et al. 2015, Lee and Ishii-Kuntz 1987) or social capital (Benner and Wang 2014, Andersson 1998, Ryan et al. 2008, Kearns et al. 2015) involved. There are numerous variables that impact loneliness. One must consider age — there has been solid gerontology research that reveals that elderly people are less …

“Evaluating Knowledge And Perspectives Of Behavior Analytic Language Strategies In The Clinical Practice Of Speech-Language Pathology”, Mackenzie Sturman

Honors Theses

Research shows that principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be beneficial to language acquisition. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the responsibility of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals with various speech and language impairments, and work directly with language instruction. However, there is limited knowledge of the degree to which SLPs use concepts of behavior analytic language interventions in clinical practice for individuals of varying language and communication disorders. This study investigated the extent to which practicing SLPs use language strategies from ABA in their clinical practice. A qualitative approach was utilized by conducting individual semi-structured interviews with four practicing …

Exploring A Connection Between Learning And Student Perception Of Place, Katelyn Roberts

Honors Theses

The quality of the physical environment is understood to impact overall health, wellbeing, and capacity to learn and engage in daily life. This pilot study explores how students in the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences program at Western Michigan University view the effects of indoor and outdoor nature spaces at the College of Health and Human Services on the East Campus of Western Michigan University on their learning experience. Results of the study suggest that there are significant relationships between the participant’s perception of interesting qualities in the College of Health and Human Services and feeling a sense of connection …

Barriers To Change For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Lauren E. Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of counseling training on speech language pathologists’ (SLPs) perceived competency to address Attitude Barriers within the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment process as presented by Beukelman and Mirenda (2005). Counseling techniques, such as the use of the Readiness to Change© tool, are within the scope of practice for SLPs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on how to apply these tools and techniques with individuals who use AAC .

A training seminar was conducted to educate participants in the use of the Readiness to Change© tool. Data was …

The Impact Of Depression On Treatment Outcomes For Patients With Aphasia Who Participate In An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (Icap), Harley B. Kincheloe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

Background: Aphasia is a multi-modal impairment resulting from left-hemisphere stroke. Aphasia is often accompanied by post-stroke depression. Acquiring aphasia and depression is seen to hinder quality of life and rehabilitative outcomes. Traditional stroke therapy often does not monitor or treat psychological difficulties such as depression. Such psychological difficulties hinder progress in recovery and may need to be addressed in therapy to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Aims: In response to the lack of psychological support for persons with aphasia, this literature review aims to explore the impact of depression on functional outcomes. Furthermore, this literature review will explore how …

Effects Of A Sensory Diet On Attention And Participation In Children With Autism, Leighanne Smith-Mrkaja

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide initial knowledge regarding sensory diets and sensory-based interventions. The need for classroom-based sensory interventions are not always considered, especially with the high number of students diagnosed with ASD at the researcher’s school. Often sensory intervention may not be considered educationally relevant, especially in the prekindergarten level. With the proper training and materials, as well as the guidance of the school-based occupational therapist, teachers, other therapists, classroom assistants, parents, and school-based staff might be able to utilize sensory-based activities like sensory diets to increase participation, positive behaviors, and attention. The following applied research study …

The Effects Of Dance Therapy On Voice In Patients With Parkinson's Disease In A Multicultural Population, Ivon N. Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations

Current literature suggests that dance therapy in individuals with Parkinson’s disease shows noticeable improvement in motor functions, for example gait and balance improvement. Additionally, patients with Parkinson’s disease who participate in dance therapy may perceive positive benefits on their quality of life. Therefore, it is believed that increases in core support and improvements in posture, as a result of dance therapy, will have effects on the voice in patients with PD.

This thesis pulls from literature supporting treatment approaches in the field of speech-language pathology for voice patients with Parkinson’s disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the …

Speech-Language Pathologist's Perspectives On The Efficacy Of Bilingual Education Programs In South Texas Public Schools For English As A Second Language Learners, Alexandra Rosas

Theses and Dissertations

Current research in regard to the assessment and treatment of ESLs is limited. Other problems found within the school setting, is that fact that SLPs have very limited resources and large caseloads. Hence, the fact that previous studies have found that SLPS working the school setting do not feel competent in serving ESL students.

The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of bilingual programs and explore the factors that impact English as a second language learners (ESLs), in public schools across the Rio Grande Valley. School based speech-language pathologists were surveyed for information concerning their perceptions and …

Speech Naturalness Before And Following Treatment In Adults Who Stutter, Alexis Novelli

Honors Theses

Purpose: The speech of persons who stutter can often sound unnatural. This can be due to a variety of factors including the presence of stuttering itself and/or the unintended consequence of speech-altering treatment. Understanding factors that contribute to speech naturalness within the stuttering population can direct improved management approaches. This study examines associations between speech task, behavioral measures of stuttering, and selected acoustic measures on listener ratings of speech naturalness for a group of adults immediately before and after participation in an intensive fluency-shaping treatment program. A secondary aim of this study is to assess the use of a novel …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Exploring Student-Led Interprofessional Education Through A Community Service Project, Lindsay Ann Doerschuk

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to explore the effectiveness of a student-led interprofessional education (IPE) workshop in improving student attitudes and perceptions toward IPE. Students from four health science programs including Dental Hygiene, Communication Sciences and Disorders/Speech and Hearing, Health Services Administration and Occupational Therapy participated in a community service event. Students provided screenings to veteran patients including a health history intake, hearing test, and sleep screening while other students observed.

Methods: Students were asked to attend an orientation, the Vets Day IPE workshop, and a debrief session. This mixed methods approach study utilized the Readiness for Interprofessional …