Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Preseason Assessment As A Predictor Of Post-Concussion Performance Of Athletes On The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Test, Kelly Marie Lambeth

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ideally, athletes are assessed pre-season to establish their cognitive-communicative status for comparison purposes if the athlete suffers a concussion during their season. Post-concussion (PC) assessment comparison with the baseline (BL) assessment will provide clinical information for treatment of the athlete's concussion. The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) test was used for assessment of pre-and post-concussion. Because the literature indicates that some athlete's attempt to actively perform poorly on the preseason assessment to misrepresent their performance post-concussion it would be interesting to determine if there is a score on the ImPACT pre-season test that would predict their post-concussion test …

Changes In Fundamental Frequency Of Voice In A Group Of Transwomen Following Voice Modification Therapy, Emily Marquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The term transgender refers to an individual that identifies with a gender that is different to the one given at birth. Individuals that are transgender experience conflict between the gender the individual identifies with and the sex they are born with. Individuals that are transgender may elect to go through a transition process so that their outward appearance is congruent with their gender identity. Part of the transition process may include voice modification therapy. Transgender individuals may seek voice modification therapy so that the outward appearance matches the voice. However, there is limited information regarding the efficacy of traditional voice …

Sex Differences In Internalizing And Externalizing Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Caroline C. Cherry

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study used a retrospective practice-based research method to compare levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors of a clinically-ascertained sample of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n=90). As measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), internalizing and externalizing behaviors were compared to normative behavior, and between boys and girls with ASD. Findings suggest that in a clinical sample, children with ASD are more likely than typically developing children to have internalizing and/or externalizing problems. No significant sex differences were found for Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, or Total Problems scores on either the parent or teacher …

Dynamic Balance Control And Segmental Orientation While Listening During Walking: Effects Of Age And Hearing Loss, Sin Tung Lau

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Dynamic control of balance changes with age and changes with declines in sensory and cognitive abilities. For instance, emerging, yet robust associations between hearing loss and poor mobility have been described and yet the mechanism underlying these associations remains unknown. It could be that age-related declines in hearing ability result in different kinematic strategies when having to walk and listen at the same time (e.g. head and body orienting responses toward sounds) and/or that declines in hearing result in increased cognitive load during listening, at the detriment to mobility-related performance. Therefore, this thesis sought to better characterize these associations by …

Perception Of American–English Vowels By Early And Late Spanish–English Bilinguals, Miriam Baigorri, Luca Campanelli, Erika S. Levy

Publications and Research

Increasing numbers of Hispanic immigrants are entering the US and learning American–English (AE) as a second–language (L2). Previous studies investigating the relationship between AE and Spanish vowels have revealed an advantage for early L2 learners for their accuracy of L2 vowel perception. Replicating and extending such previous research, this study examined the patterns with which early and late Spanish–English bilingual adults assimilated naturally-produced AE vowels to their native vowel-inventory and the accuracy with which they discriminated the vowels. Twelve early Spanish–English bilingual, 12 late Spanish–English bilingual, and 10 monolingual listeners performed perceptual-assimilation and categorical-discrimination tasks involving AE /i,ɪ,ɛ,ʌ,æ,ɑ,o/. Early bilinguals …

The Effect Of Yoga And Breathing Exercises On Children With Autism, Leah Brausch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this case study was to determine the effects of yoga and breathing exercises on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Common characteristics of children with ASD were noted and observed throughout the study in order to determine effectiveness of the therapy at hand. Yoga therapy was implemented for nine (9) weeks through an at-home program. It was determined that, while long-term effects were not evident, there is reasonable evidence to implement yoga therapy to assist with focus and attention. This paper serves to review characteristics of children with ASD, typical therapies used to assist them and the …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Hearing Loss On Adults, Holly Reed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Adults with hearing loss report experiencing isolation, depression, a decreased satisfaction with their self - image and quality of life, cognitive problems and communication obstacles. These effects of a hearing loss can manifest in social situations, within the family and even at the workplace. How one copes with their hearing loss can affect how much of an impact their hearing loss has on their lives as well as what rehabilitative programs or assistive technology they may seek out. It is important to for audiologists to understand the psychosocial effects of hearing loss, how they affect the individual in the workplace …

Catching Up To Multiculturalism: Bilingual And Cultural Competent Practices In Speech-Language Pathology, Yeji (Loris) Yoon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The rapid rise of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) clients has resulted in an increased demand for bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in schools and health care settings. Yet little is known about the experiences and the training needs of these bilingual service providers. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews with seven bilingual SLPs to highlight their perspectives on bilingualism and provision of bilingual speech-language pathology services. Participants reported the value of being a bilingual and took pride in having these skills to help people communicate but noted the gap between their graduate training and clinical experiences in working bilingually due …

An Overwhelming Journey: Mothers Of Children Cochlear Implant Users Experiences With Speech-Language Pathologists, Jennifer Beebe

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study shares themes identified across the experiences of mothers of children cochlear implant users with speech-language pathologists. Parents describe learning that their child has a hearing loss as an overwhelming journey with much to learn and many decisions to make, especially in their child’s first year of life. Parents rely on professional support in developing their child’s listening and spoken language development. A phenomenological framework of qualitative research was utilized to understand the perspective of the mothers who participated in this study. The intent of this study is to improve the partnership between parents and professionals of children with …

The Experiences Of Undergraduate Students Of Color In The Field Of Speech-Language Pathology, Charu Dwivedi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative research study explored why undergraduate students of color have pursued degrees in speech-language pathology. The population of the United States consisting of individuals of color is rapidly increasing. However, the demographic of individuals of color in the field of speech-language pathology is not. Interviews with undergraduate students of color were completed to understand their journey that led them to the field. The results of the study indicated that the students of color who succeeded in getting accepted into a speech-language pathology major had support, internal motivation, and were financially stable.

A Comparison Of Two Treatment Approaches For Agrammatic Broca's Aphasia: Script Therapy Vs. Verb Network Strengthening Treatment, Maureen Costello-Yacono

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background/Introduction: Individuals with agrammatic Broca’s aphasia frequently are treated at single word level, verb priming, or simple sentence structure treatments. In this study, an impairment specific treatment such as Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNeST) was explored as well as a social functional approach such as Script Therapy. These two approaches were assessed by the outcome measures of rate of speech, subject-verb-object production, and error rates during probe tasks.

Objective: To examine the impact of two treatment approaches: Script Therapy and Verb Network Strengthening Treatment for two individuals with chronic agrammatic Broca’s aphasia.

Method: A single subject multiple baseline …

The Impact Of Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning (Lamp) On Speech And Language Development In Children With Developmental Delays (Dds), Ella Corrine Mcdaniel

Student Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examined the impact of Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) on speech and language development in young, nonverbal or minimally verbal children with developmental delays. A non-experimental longitudinal observational case study design was used consisting of the weekly collection of speech and language samples to track speech and language growth. In addition, Realize Language information was downloaded and analyzed from each augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to further assess vocabulary use and growth. The data collected from the speech samples showed that the frequency of imitated words and spontaneous words increased in three of the four participants. …

A Concurrent Validity Study Of Listening Comprehension Measures In English Language Learners (Ells), Jessica A. Day

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate valid measures of listening comprehension for English Language Learners (ELLs) in elementary school. The participants were Hispanic and recruited from the Hispanic Community Services Inc. in Jonesboro, AR. Each participant was administered a series of test batteries in the fall 2016 academic semester. The concurrent validity of the following assessments was determined through a correlational analysis: the Listening Comprehension subtest of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery- Revised (WLPB-R), the Listening Comprehension subtest of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test- Third Edition (WRMT-III), and the Test for Auditory Comprehension of Language- Third Edition (TACL-3). …

Improving The Reading Comprehension Skills Of Hispanic Youth That Attend An After-School Program, Brooke Mccurley

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between vocabulary growth and reading comprehension as well as the improvement of reading comprehension in Spanish speaking English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants were recruited from Hispanic Community Services Inc. in Jonesboro, AR. Five first through third grade Spanish-English bilingual children participated. Reading comprehension was measured using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests–Third Edition. Vocabulary growth was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – III. After fall testing, participants received two hours of tutoring each week. Tutoring was individualized to target specific reading and writing skill areas for each child. In …

Should It Stay Or Should It Go? The Case Of Silent 'E' In Derived Word Spelling., Olivia Peek Goodon

Student Theses and Dissertations

In English, sound-letter correspondence is not always consistent, and one letter or string of letters can represent many sounds. Additionally, there are many exceptions to spelling rules, making spelling difficult to master. Spelling is a linguistic skill. Children use a variety of linguistic strategies and spelling rules when spelling, including knowledge of morphology, phonology, orthography, and etymology. In the upper elementary years, derived word reading and spelling becomes integral to vocabulary growth and literacy development (Anglin, 1993). Taran and Shollenbarger (2011) found that 5th graders had a higher frequency of spelling errors involving derived words that originally ended in silent …

The Effectiveness Of Video Modeling In Word-Finding Therapy For Individuals Diagnosed With Aphasia, Hannah Catherine Harris

Student Theses and Dissertations

Aphasia, deficits in language due to neurological damage, can impact receptive and expressive language skills. A common characteristic of aphasia is anomia, or word-finding difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine if the type of modeling would impact the success of word-finding therapy on individuals diagnosed with aphasia. A quasi-experimental longitudinal alternating treatment single-group design was selected. Speech samples of two participants were collected over a three-month period. Duration of response time and the accuracy of target words were indicators of word-finding abilities. There were significant differences in the rate and accuracy of response for the target words …

Speech Perception And Word Retrieval In Alzheimer's Disease (Ad): A Pilot Study, Jennifer Dennis

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

This research pilot project investigated speech and language related deficiencies in participants with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD). Information obtained from this study may lead to identification of early indicators of the disease that are not obtrusive. It was hypothesized that an individual with AD would still have storage of phonetic and lexical items, yet be unable to access them due to increased memory and processing demands (Bayles, Tomeoeda, & Trosset, 1992; Grossman & White, 1998). Participants consisted of one individual with Alzheimer's disease and a matched control without the disease. Neither participant had a prior history of speech or …

Perceptual And Physiologic Analysis Of Dystussia In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Stephanie Anne Watts

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Swallowing and cough are two vital functions that are reflexive in nature and are related to each other in terms of shared neural and anatomical space. When a disorder impacts normal and effective swallowing and/or cough, the consequences can be life-threatening. Evaluation and treatment of swallowing and cough disorders can fall under the scope of practice of the speech-language pathologist and speech-language pathologists often are leading professionals. Furthermore, much of the current research on swallowing and cough is spearheaded by speech-language pathologists often working with a multi-disciplinary team. The focus of this dissertation is on the clinical evaluation of cough …

Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Self-Perception, And Stuttering Severity, Colleen Hogan

Graduate Independent Studies - Communication Sciences and Disorders

The present study investigated the possibility of a relationship between self-compassion, self-perception, and stuttering severity in adults who stutter. Four adults who identify as people who stutter were administered the Self-Compassion Scale, the Self-Perception Profile for Adults, the Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering, and the Stuttering Severity Instrument. Results indicated a negative correlation between stuttering severity and self-compassion. A relationship was found between self-perception and stuttering severity and self-compassion in only one participant. It was concluded that practices of self-compassion may be beneficial in speech therapy for adults who stutter, and that both self-perception and self-compassion scales …

Some Permanent Hearing Loss Is Missed When "Switched Ear" Passes Are Used To Determine Screening Results, Beverly G. Lim, Maria Perez-Abalo, Jillian Gerstenberger, Shauna Morales Flowers

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

A common practice in Universal Newborn Hearing Screen (UNHS) programs is rolling up non-simultaneous passing results in each ear (SW_EAR) from repeat automated screens into a bilateral pass. This study aims to provide evidence-based criteria for best practices regarding SW_EAR screens. From January 2010 to May 2013, infants with SW_EARs results were prospectively monitored by MEDNAX-Pediatrix’s nationwide UNHS program, which combine inpatient/outpatient screens utilizing automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). The tracked audiologic evaluations of 16,129 refer infants (2,334 due to SW_EAR) out of the total infant population screened (2,492,314) were analyzed retrospectively. A high proportion of hearing loss (354/2334, 15%) …