Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

The Clinical Application Of Progressive Filtering In Normal And Disordered Populations, Sarah M. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study examined the effect of progressive filter testing in children with normal auditory processing skills and children with (central) auditory processing disorders [(C)APD]. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a new screening procedure designed by the investigator called Progressive Filtering would differentiate between a control group (i.e. children with normal auditory processing skills) and an experimental group [children with (C)APD]. Twenty subjects (age 6 to 14 years) participated in the study. All subjects received an audiological examination, an auditory processing test battery, and the Progressive Filtering screening tool. Results indicated that the investigator-designed Progressive …

The Effects Of Hearing Aid Circuitry And Speech Presentation Level On Acceptance Of Background Noise, Ashley Powers Boynton

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of hearing aid circuitry and speech presentation level on ANL and hearing in noise in 19 adult, bilateral hearing aid users. The acceptable noise level (ANL) procedure was used to assess acceptance of background noise. Conventional ANLs (i.e., measured at the participant's most comfortable listening level (MCL)) and ANLs at eight fixed speech presentation levels were obtained. Then global ANLs (i.e., ANLs averaged over eight fixed speech presentation levels) and ANL growth (i.e., the slope of the ANL function) were calculated Each measure was obtained in three conditions: unaided, aided with wide dynamic range …

The Hypothesis Of Apraxia Of Speech In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lawrence D. Shriberg, Rhea Paul, Lois M. Black, Jan P. Van Santen

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

In a sample of 46 children aged 4-7 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intelligible speech, there was no statistical support for the hypothesis of concomitant Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Perceptual and acoustic measures of participants' speech, prosody, and voice were compared with data from 40 typically-developing children, 13 preschool children with Speech Delay, and 15 participants aged 5-49 years with CAS in neurogenetic disorders. Speech Delay and Speech Errors, respectively, were modestly and substantially more prevalent in participants with ASD than reported population estimates. Double dissociations in speech, prosody, and voice impairments in ASD were interpreted as …

Creative And Stylistic Devices Employed By Children During A Storybook Narrative Task: A Cross-Cultural Study, Brenda K. Gorman, Christine Fiestas, Elizabeth Peña, Maya Reynolds Clark

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of culture on the creative and stylistic features children employ when producing narratives based on wordless picture books.

Method: Participants included 60 first- and second-grade African American, Latino American, and Caucasian children. A subset of narratives based on wordless picture books collected as part of a larger study was coded and analyzed for the following creative and stylistic conventions: organizational style (topic centered, linear, cyclical), dialogue (direct, indirect), reference to character relationships (nature, naming, conduct), embellishment (fantasy, suspense, conflict), and paralinguistic devices (expressive sounds, exclamatory utterances).

Results …

Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Social Skills Intervention In Improving The Use Of Validating Comments Used By Children With Specific Language Impairments In Peer Group Interactions, Chelsea Pulsipher Mccleve

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the efficacy of a social skills training program on the use of validating comments and negative comments by children with specific language impairment. The present study is an extension of a previous research project. Four children (three female, one male) with specific language impairment, ages 6 to 11, participated in a ten week social skills training program which involved direct instruction of target concepts, peer interactions with classmates, and evaluation of the use of target skills by reviewing videotaped peer interactions. The individual performance of each subject was compared to the age- and gender-matched typical peers with …

The Effects Of The Use Of A Humanoid Robot On Social Engagement In Two Children With Autism, Aersta Kayleen Acerson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of intervention using a robot on the social interactions of two children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Robots have been shown to facilitate human-robot interaction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, yet research has not fully investigated the use of robots to enhance interactions between children with ASD and human conversational partners. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of a low-dose intervention procedure using a robot to increase social engagement between each child and his communication partner. Although variable, results were promising and suggested that additional investigation is warranted.

Mapping Cortical Morphology In Youth With Velocardiofacial (22q11.2 Deletion) Syndrome, Wendy R. Kates, Ravi Bansal, Wanda Fremont, Xuejun Hao, Anne Marie Higgins, Jun Liu, Robert J. Shprintzen, Bradley S. Peterson

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Objective: Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS; 22q11.2 deletion syndrome) represents one of the highest known risk factors for schizophrenia. Insofar as up to thirty percent of individuals with this genetic disorder develop schizophrenia, VCFS constitutes a unique, etiologically homogeneous model for understanding the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

Method: Using a longitudinal, case-control design, we acquired anatomic magnetic resonance images to investigate both cross-sectional and longitudinal alterations in surface cortical morphology in a cohort of adolescents with VCFS and age-matched typical controls. All participants were scanned at two time points.

Results: Relative to controls, youth with VCFS exhibited alterations in inferior frontal, dorsal frontal, …

Intelligibility Of Electrolarynx Speech Using A Novel Hands-Free Actuator, Brian Madden, Mark Nolan, Ted Burke, James Condron, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

During voiced speech, the larynx provides quasi-periodic acoustic excitation of the vocal tract. In most electrolarynxes, mechanical vibrations are produced by a linear electromechanical actuator, the armature of which percusses against a metal or plastic plate at a frequency within the range of glottal excitation. In this paper, the intelligibility of speech produced using a novel hands-free actuator is compared to speech produced using a conventional electrolarynx. Two able-bodied speakers (one male, one female) performed a closed response test containing 28 monosyllabic words, once using a conventional electrolarynx and a second time using the novel design. The resulting audio recordings …

Augmented Control Of A Hands-Free Electrolarynx, Brian Madden, James Condron, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

During voiced speech, the larynx acts as the sound source, providing a quasi-periodic excitation of the vocal tract. Following a total laryngectomy, some people speak using an electrolarynx which employs an electromechanical actuator to perform the excitatory function of the absent larynx. Drawbacks of conventional electrolarynx designs include the monotonic sound emitted, the need for a free-hand to operate the device, and the difficulty experienced by many laryngectomees in adapting to its use. One improvement to the electrolarynx, which clinicians and users frequently suggest, is the provision of a convenient hands-free control facility. This would allow more natural use of …

Age-Related Changes In Listening Effort For Various Types Of Masker Noises, Jamie L. Desjardins

Communication Sciences and Disorders - Dissertations

It is well established that older listeners have more difficulty understanding speech in background noise than younger listeners (e.g. Dubno et. al., 1984). Some have attributed this increased difficulty to peripheral hearing loss, while others suggest that older listeners may perceive listening in noise as difficult and effortful because it requires them to exert more cognitive resources (Desjardins et. al., 2009). The purpose of the present study was to directly evaluate the relationship between cognitive function, listening effort and speech recognition for a group of younger and older normal hearing adults, and a group of older adults with hearing impairment, …

Articulation Rate And Its Relationship To Disfluency Type, Duration, And Temperament In Preschool Children Who Stutter, Victoria Tumanova, Patricia M. Zebrowski, Rebecca Throneburg, Mavis E. Kulak Kayikci

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between articulation rate, frequency and duration of disfluencies of different types, and temperament in preschool children who stutter (CWS). In spontaneous speech samples from 19 children CWS (mean age = 3:9; years: months), we measured articulation rate, the frequency and duration of (a) sound prolongations; (b) soundsyllable repetitions; (c) single syllable whole word repetitions; and (d) clusters. Temperament was assessed with the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart et al., 2001). There was a significant negative correlation between articulation rate and average duration of sound prolongations (p<0.01), and between articulation rate and frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) (p<0.05). No other relationships proved statistically significant. Results do not support models of stuttering development that implicate particular characteristics of temperament as proximal contributors to stuttering; however, this is likely due to the fact that current methods, including the ones used in the present study, do not allow for the identification of a functional relationship between temperament and speech production. Findings do indicate that for some CWS, relatively longer sound prolongations co-occur with relatively slower speech rate, which suggests that sound prolongations, across a range of durations, may represent a distinct type of SLD, not just in their obvious perceptual characteristics, but in their potential influence on overall speech production at multiple levels.

Articulation Rate And Its Relationship To Disfluency Type, Duration, And Temperament In Preschool Children Who Stutter, Victoria Tumanova, Patricia Zebrowski, Rebecca Throneburg, Mavis Kulak Kayikci

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between articulation rate, frequency and duration of disfluencies of different types, and temperament in preschool children who stutter (CWS). In spontaneous speech samples from 19 children CWS (mean age = 3:9; years: months), we measured articulation rate, the frequency and duration of (a) sound prolongations; (b) soundsyllable repetitions; (c) single syllable whole word repetitions; and (d) clusters. Temperament was assessed with the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart et al., 2001). There was a significant negative correlation between articulation rate and average duration of sound prolongations (p<0.01), and between articulation rate and frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) (p<0.05). No other relationships proved statistically significant. Results do not support models of stuttering development that implicate particular characteristics of temperament as proximal contributors to stuttering; however, this is likely due to the fact that current methods, including the ones used in the present study, do not allow for the identification of a functional relationship between temperament and speech production. Findings do indicate that for some CWS, relatively longer sound prolongations co-occur with relatively slower speech rate, which suggests that sound prolongations, across a range of durations, may represent a distinct type of SLD, not just in their obvious perceptual characteristics, but in their potential influence on overall speech production at multiple levels.

Articulation Rate And Its Relationship To Disfluency Type, Duration, And Temperament In Preschool Children Who Stutter., Victoria Tumanova, Patricia M. Zebrowski, Rebecca N. Throneburg, Mavis E. Kulak Kayikci

Communication Sciences and Disorders - All Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between articulation rate, frequency and duration of disfluencies of different types, and temperament in preschool children who stutter (CWS). In spontaneous speech samples from 19 children CWS (mean age = 3:9; years: months), we measured articulation rate, the frequency and duration of (a) sound prolongations; (b) soundsyllable repetitions; (c) single syllable whole word repetitions; and (d) clusters. Temperament was assessed with the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart et al., 2001). There was a significant negative correlation between articulation rate and average duration of sound prolongations (p<0.01), and between articulation rate and frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) (p<0.05). No other relationships proved statistically significant. Results do not support models of stuttering development that implicate particular characteristics of temperament as proximal contributors to stuttering; however, this is likely due to the fact that current methods, including the ones used in the present study, do not allow for the identification of a functional relationship between temperament and speech production. Findings do indicate that for some CWS, relatively longer sound prolongations co-occur with relatively slower speech rate, which suggests that sound prolongations, across a range of durations, may represent a distinct type of SLD, not just in their obvious perceptual characteristics, but in their potential influence on overall speech production at multiple levels.

Utilizing Music In Speech And Language Therapy For Preschool Children And Children With Autism: A Systematic Review, Joelle Kay Johanson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis was conducted as a systematic review. A systematic review is an assessment and evaluation of current research that attempts to answer a clinical question. The purpose of this systematic review was to attempt to answer the following clinical question: Are there high-quality studies that document the effectiveness of using music in speech and language therapy with preschool aged children and children with autism? This review also attempted to identify future research implications and needs. Nine studies were reviewed and critiqued; six preschool based studies and three autism based studies. Results indicated a general positive change in speech and …

Augmentative And Alternative Communication Systems In The Classroom, Helen Angela Mezzomo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Augmentative-alternative communication (AAC) systems are used to give voice to individuals who are nonverbal. As AAC systems become more complex and prevalent in the classroom expectations of school-based professionals expand. However, the roles of those expected to support AAC systems, primarily teachers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are not clearly defined. Without clearly defined roles, professionals may not provide needed support to students who use AAC. Dewey's theory of community suggests that role confusion leads to insufficient and ineffective services. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to determine how teachers and SLPs view their roles in supporting AAC. The …

/Intɛli/ A Bilingual Computer Software Treatment Program For Apraxia Of Speech, Esnire Abigail Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Apraxia of Speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder characterized as difficulty planning and producing precise and refined movements of the articulators for intelligible speech (CASANA). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the success of /Inteli/, an experimental computer program that incorporates melodic intonation therapy (MIT), modified eight step continuum, visual and auditory cues, and voice recordings for instant feedback to increase speech intelligibility. Method: A single subject multiple-baseline design was used to examine the effects of /Inteli/ on the speech intelligibility of a child diagnosed with severe AOS. Treatment was applied to 30 multisyllabic words in …

Stem Cell Replacement Therapy For The Mammalian Inner Ear: A Systematic Literature Review, Robin Warwick

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objective: The purpose of this investigation is to review current possible regeneration techniques for damaged hair cells of the inner ear in mammals. The avian has the ability to spontaneously regenerate damaged hair cells, and thus provides an animal model to simulate a similar response in the mammalian inner ear.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using a PubMed database search to address the following question What are the current investigations pertaining to regenerating hair cells using stem cell-based research? The articles were analyzed and rated at Level Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, or III level of evidence. …

Vocabulary Acquisition Through Fast Mapping In Children With Autism, Lynne Barcus

Masters Theses

Fast mapping is a cognitive process that facilitates acquisition of new vocabulary through brief exposures to words and their referents. Research has shown that typically developing children and those with Down syndrome, specific language impairment, or mental impairment acquire new vocabulary through fast mapping, although with different levels of success. This study explored the effectiveness of fast mapping to facilitate vocabulary acquisition in children with autism. A multiple baseline across subjects design was employed with four children with autism. After a pre-test to determine which food and animal objects were unfamiliar to each subject, a series of fast mapping trials …

Effect Of Siblings And Peers On Social Interaction Of Children With Autism, Laura E. Welsh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact that siblings and peers have on the social skills of children with autism. Subjects included six children with autism between the ages of five and eight years of age. Subjects were observed playing with a typically-developing sibling for two one-hour sessions. Half of the subjects were observed playing with a typically-developing peer for two one-hour sessions. During each structured play session, toys from a preselected set were presented one at a time. The children were instructed to play together with no further adult interaction. Data were analyzed for joint attention, …

Covariation Among Vowel Height Effects On Acoustic Measures, Jeffrey J. Berry, Maura Jones Moyle

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Covariation among vowel height effects on vowel intrinsic fundamental frequency (IF0), voice onset time (VOT), and voiceless interval duration (VID) is analyzed to assess the plausibility of a common physiological mechanism underlying variation in these measures. Phrases spoken by 20 young adults, containing words composed of initial voiceless stops or /s/ and high or low vowels, were produced in habitual and voluntarily increased F0 conditions. High vowels were associated with increased IF0 and longer VIDs. VOT and VID exhibited significant covariation with IF0 only for males at habitual