Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Motor Planning With Core Vocabulary: A Behavior Analytic Account, Alison Judith Karnes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases, it is important for practitioners to continue to improve evidence-based practices (EBP) for the treatment of ASD symptoms (i.e., impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviors and restricted interests; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). It is estimated that 30-50% of individuals with autism do not acquire functional speech (Wodka, Mathy, & Kalb, 2013). These individuals would make appropriate candidates for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC; Mirenda, 2003). One form of AAC is the speech-generating device (SGD). Over the last ten years, tablet-based technologies including iPad minisⓇ have been emphasized in the …

Effect Of Consistent Singing On Maintenance Of Speech Intelligibility Following Lsvt®: A Retrospective Longitudinal Case Study, Rachel Ricca Beck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s Disease is a common neurodegenerative disease affecting one’s ability to hone and refine volitional movement. Many with Parkinson’s report significant effects on voice and communication. Speech-language pathologists have long targeted the achievement of increased vocal volume through intensive voice therapy, with the most common program being Lee Silverman Voice Treatment® (LSVT®) (Ramig et al., 1994). While LSVT® is the most prominent type of voice therapy for individuals with Parkinson’s, other researchers have begun investigating therapeutic singing because of the similar functions it employs (e.g., increased breath support, utilization of entire vocal range).

The current project is a retrospective, longitudinal …

Behavioral And Neural Correlates Of Normal Aging Effects On Motor Preparatory Mechanisms Of Speech Production And Limb Movement, Karim Johari, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Roozbeh Behroozmand

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Normal aging is associated with decline of the sensorimotor mechanisms that support movement function in the human brain. In this study, we used behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) recordings to investigate the effects of normal aging on the motor preparatory mechanisms of speech production and limb movement. The experiment involved two groups of older and younger adults who performed randomized speech vowel vocalization and button press motor reaction time tasks in response to temporally predictable and unpredictable visual stimuli. Behavioral results revealed age-related slowness of motor reaction time only during speech production in response to temporally unpredictable stimuli, and this …

“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 …

Effects Of Stuttering Frequency, Speaking Rate And Treatment On Speech Naturalness In Adults Who Stutter, Emily Hausman

Honors Theses

Purpose: Individuals who stutter can often exhibit speech patterns that sound unnatural compared to individuals who do not stutter. Unnaturalness can be due to several underlying factors including the presence of stuttering itself and the unintended consequences of treatment approaches that alter speech motor patterns. Understanding factors that impact speech naturalness within the stuttering population can help improve the clinical management of the disorder. The current study investigates the relationship between pause duration, speech rate and stuttering frequency, and listener ratings of speech naturalness in a group of adults who stutter (AWS) before and after participation in a stuttering treatment …

Neural Indices Of Vowel Discrimination In Monolingual And Bilingual Infants And Children, Yan H. Yu, Carol Tessel, Henry Han, Luca Campanelli, Nancy Vidal, Jennifer Gerometta, Karen Garrido-Nag, Hia Datta, Valerie L. Shafer

Publications and Research

Objectives: To examine maturation of neural discriminative responses to an English vowel contrast from infancy to 4 years of age and to determine how biological factors (age and sex) and an experiential factor (amount of Spanish versus English input) modulate neural discrimination of speech.

Design: Event-related potential (ERP) mismatch responses (MMRs) were used as indices of discrimination of the American English vowels [ε] versus [I] in infants and children between 3 months and 47 months of age. A total of 168 longitudinal and cross-sectional data sets were collected from 98 children (Bilingual Spanish–English: 47 male and 31 female …

Exploring The Experiences Of Communication Partners Of People With Parkinson's Disease: A Qualitative Study, Jacqueline Bell

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore interactions between persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their communication partners. People with PD experience difficulties that can have a profound effect on their ability to communicate. This qualitative study explored the thoughts and feelings of primary communication partners of people with PD. The primary communication partners were interviewed using open-ended questions. The seven participants identified and detailed how declines in communication due to PD have resulted in changes in daily life, including; social participation, daily tasks, and psychosocial well-being. Commonalities that communication partners experienced will aid speech-language pathologists to …

Exploring The Cochlear Implant Controversy: The Role Of And Experience With Deaf Culture For Parents Of Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users, Tia Kilgore

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

This project examined the relationships between pediatric cochlear implantation and Deaf Culture. More specifically, this research investigated how/if parents are educated about or exposed to Deaf Culture during the cochlear implant candidacy evaluation process, and what type of interactions (if any) the child or caregiver had with members of the Deaf community after the child received a cochlear implant. A short survey was distributed to caregivers of pediatric cochlear implantees. While the responses were varied, a majority of caregivers responded that Deaf culture was not an active piece of the CI candidacy process. Additionally, interactions with members of the Deaf …

Can Your Dog Hear You? Perceptions About Canine Hearing Loss And Noise Exposure, Nakita Jarmon

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

This research study was designed to explore dog owners’ views on how often they expose their dogs to loud noises and whether or not the owners believe noise exposure affects their dogs’ hearing. Many humans are not aware that dogs, too, can suffer from hearing loss. To determine dog owners’ perceptions of the amount of noise exposure their dogs face and if their hearing is affected as a result, I created a survey for dog owners in Colorado. The results indicated that many dog owners do not believe they expose their dogs to loud noises. A majority of individuals were …

A Virtual Reality System For Practicing Conversation Skills For Children With Autism, Natalia Stewart Rosenfield, Kathleen Lamkin, Jennifer Re, Kendra Day, Louanne E. Boyd, Erik J. Linstead

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

We describe a virtual reality environment, Bob’s Fish Shop, which provides a system where users diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can practice social interactions in a safe and controlled environment. A case study is presented which suggests such an environment can provide the opportunity for users to build the skills necessary to carry out a conversation without the fear of negative social consequences present in the physical world. Through the repetition and analysis of these virtual interactions, users can improve social and conversational understanding.

An Exploration Of Resources Available To Deaf Children Attending Public And Deaf Community Schools, Katelyn Reid

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore current literature surrounding the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages that Deaf children experience while attending mainstream schools compared to the experiences of Deaf children attending all-Deaf and signing schools. A literature review was conducted using the terms: “mainstream schools” , “signing schools” , “resources” , and “Deaf children” were used. Areas of specific interest included social skills, academic performance, overall mood, and the availability of classroom and communication resources. A review of the literature in these four specific areas revealed mixed findings about which academic environment is more beneficial for Deaf children. …

Speech-Language Pathologist Preferences For Treatment Types For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Meeghan Hoose

Honors Theses

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), also known as developmental apraxia is, “a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak” (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). While the child knows what he/she wants to say, the signals going from the brain to the mouth are not delivered correctly, resulting in the mouth not moving appropriately to produce the desired sounds. There are several methods used by speech-language pathologists to treat CAS including moto-programming, a linguistic approach, a combination of motor-programming and linguistic methods, sensory cuing and rhythmic approaches. Through surveying local practicing school speech-language pathologists, I will learn their preferred …

Value Of Otoacoustic Emissions Testing In Pre-School Hearing Screenings: A Literature Review, Paige Stabrawa, Scott E. Seeman Phd

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Unidentified hearing loss in children can have a potential effect on their speech and language, educational, cognitive, and social development. The goal of early detection is to minimize the effects of hearing loss through the appropriate referral for diagnosis and treatment. Hearing screenings throughout the preschool and school-age years are vital for the detection of a late-onset, late identified, or acquired hearing loss. Three influential organizations known as The American Academy of Audiology (AAA), The American Speech- Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), have considered behavioral pure tone screening as the “gold standard”for …

Picture Cued And Speech Production Cued Approaches For Speech Sound Learning, Michelyve C. Petit

LSU Master's Theses

This study examined the use of speech production cued cards, MorphoPhonic faces (MPF), and plain picture (PP) cards when seeking to remediate speech sound errors, specifically sounds / ɹ / and / s / in the word initial position. Fourteen children were provided articulation therapy at their public school using both stimulus types across four weeks. Each week, the total number of correct productions of target phoneme / s / and /ɹ/ were recorded and averaged. These results were used to graphically showcase trends in their performance with both stimulus types. The results demonstrated that MPF cards were advantageous for …

Efficacy Of A Three-Week Intervention Program For Children In The Areas Of Language, Articulation, Phonological Awareness, And Auditory Processing, Zoey Caballero

Honors Theses

Competency in the areas of language, articulation, phonological awareness, and auditory processing are essential for children to succeed academically. For the past four summers, select professors and graduate student clinicians in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department at Andrews University have conducted an intensive three-week therapy program for school aged children to target these areas. By comparing pre/post-test scores, the purpose of the study is to obtain statistical evidence for specific therapy interventions in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the intensive therapy program.

Item Comparison Of Two Language Assessments In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christina M. Hensgens

LSU Master's Theses

The language skills of children with ASD vary across the population and prove challenging to assess for many reasons. The current study was designed to compare two language assessments for children with ASD to gain understanding in determining the best method for assessment. The Preschool Language Scale-5 (PLS-5) is a standardized language assessment commonly used in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, while the Verbal Behavioral Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) is commonly used in Applied Behavior Analysis. Scores from children with ASD (N=17) on a total of 64 functionally equivalent items from both assessments were analyzed to determine the …

Informed Hearing Loss Prevention At Theatre Uni [Poster], Mallory Park

Research in the Capitol

Theatre workers face many dangers which could impact their quality of life and ability to work. One such risk is hearing loss. Given the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss, some theatre workers may already be living with hearing loss. My purpose with this study is to discover the current conditions and attitudes toward hearing loss at Theatre UNI then provide the information necessary to theatre workers about the signs and significance of hearing loss as well as methods for prevention.

Acoustic Reflex And Extended High-Frequency Testing In Relation To Tinnitus, Deborah Kim

Honors Theses

Tinnitus, a growing concern among adults, is the perception of sound without an external acoustic source. Tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing, and clicking and is typically caused by noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of noise, which damages the cochlea, and can be temporary or permanent. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are any common factors or characteristics in Acoustic Reflex, standard pure tone and/or Extended High-Frequency testing results between two groups: people who report and do not report tinnitus. This study explores whether Acoustic Reflex testing …

Through Children's Eyes: Teaching Inclusivity And Understanding Of Communication Disorders With Children's Books, Rachel Peavler

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

“Through Children’s Eyes” is a series of children’s books that focus on describing different aspects of four different communication disorders. The topics covered in the books include augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dementia, and dysfluency. The illustrations were drawn and colored by hand, and the text and background were added digitally. The goal of this project was to create materials to effectively inform and instruct children about the nature of various cognitive, speech, and developmental differences to foster greater understanding of and tolerance towards people with communication differences.

Language Sampling Methods For Early Adolescents With Specific Language Impairment, Anna Mckay

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

One essential component of clinical practice in the field of speech-language pathology is eliciting language to assess an individual’s communication abilities. Language becomes more sophisticated during the adolescent stage of development, particularly in the areas of vocabulary and complexity of sentence structures used. The current protocols used to evaluate adolescents are limited in their ability to elicit and analyze language samples, resulting in decreased effectiveness of identifying adolescents with language disorders. Preliminary data was collected at Western Kentucky University in 2018 regarding a new language sampling technique, the Dixit Method (DM), to elicit more lexically diverse language than standard interview …