Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Articulation Versus Motor Speech? Supervisor Perspectives Of Slp Graduate Students: A Qualitative Study, Maddison Verser

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was to determine clinical supervisors' perceptions of graduate students’ skill set of articulation disorders compared to motor speech disorders. Participants in this study included SLP clinical supervisors of Master’s level graduate students in Communication Disorders across various pediatric settings, including private practice, school-based or outpatient clinics in north central Arkansas. Face-to-face/phone interviews were recorded with a digital recorder and transcribed using the speech-to-text transcription service at Temi.com. The data were analyzed by the primary investigator to identify concepts and themes. The results of this study showed three main themes: (1) students are perceived as more independent and …

Hearing Loss Vs Length Of Employment In The Steel Industry, Sarah Jane Hattle

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate if there was a relationship between hearing loss and length of employment in the steel industry. Participants included 11 males that worked in the steel industry. Participants completed questionnaires regarding demographics, employment, and noise exposure, as well as took part in an audiological exam. The results of the audiological evaluations showed that 45% of participants had hearing loss in the right ear, 36% of participants had hearing loss in the left ear, and 36% of participants had loss in both ears. While there was no significant relationship between hearing loss and the …

Dissociating Reading And Auditory Comprehension In Persons With Aphasia, Rachel M. Harrington, Sigfus Kristinsson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Natalie Busby, Dirk Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha

Faculty Publications

Language comprehension is often affected in individuals with post-stroke aphasia. However, deficits in auditory comprehension are not fully correlated with deficits in reading comprehension and the mechanisms underlying this dissociation remain unclear. This distinction is important for understanding language mechanisms, predicting long-term impairments and future development of treatment interventions. Using comprehensive auditory and reading measures from a large cohort of individuals with aphasia, we evaluated the relationship between aphasia type and reading comprehension impairments, the relationship between auditory versus reading comprehension deficits and the crucial neuroanatomy supporting the dissociation between post-stroke reading and auditory deficits. Scores from the Western Aphasia …

Dissociating Reading And Auditory Comprehension In Persons With Aphasia, Rachael M. Harrington, Sigfus Kristinsson, Janina Wilmskoetter, Natalie Busby, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson, Leonardo Bonilha

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Language comprehension is often affected in individuals with post-stroke aphasia. However, deficits in auditory comprehension are not fully correlated with deficits in reading comprehension and the mechanisms underlying this dissociation remain unclear. This distinction is important for understanding language mechanisms, predicting long-term impairments and future development of treatment interventions. Using comprehensive auditory and reading measures from a large cohort of individuals with aphasia, we evaluated the relationship between aphasia type and reading comprehension impairments, the relationship between auditory versus reading comprehension deficits and the crucial neuroanatomy supporting the dissociation between post-stroke reading and auditory deficits. Scores from the Western Aphasia …

Oral Feeding Of Infants Who Require Noninvasive Respiratory Support: Retrospective Investigations, Carolyn Barnes

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

There is a dearth of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of orally feeding infants who require noninvasive respiratory support (NIRS). This dissertation investigates clinical practices surrounding orally feeding infants on NIRS. Manuscript 1 systematically reviews parameters impacting study of this practice. Findings emphasize the dearth of objective data surrounding this practice, and that additional research must be conducted before safety and efficacy outcomes of this practice can be established. Manuscript 2 retrospectively uses electronic health record data to describe which infant populations are orally fed during NIRS use, amount of NIRS used during infant oral feeding, changes in practice …

Language Beliefs And Practices Of Caregivers In The Deep South, Maria Maldonado

LSU Master's Theses

The 30 million word gap refers to the disparity in early language exposure between low socioeconomic status (SES) children and their higher SES peers; a gap that is thought to negatively impact children’s language development and future academic success. Although many early intervention approaches have proven effective in promoting language development among low SES children, they often fall short in terms of cultural responsiveness, which in turn affects caregiver buy-in. Culturally and linguistically diverse children disproportionately live in poverty, as such there is a need for research to inform more responsive interventions that take a strengths- based approach and build …

Toward Generalizable Machine Learning Models In Speech, Language, And Hearing Sciences: Estimating Sample Size And Reducing Overfitting, Hamzeh Ghasemzadeh, Robert E Hillman, Daryush D Mehta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Many studies using machine learning (ML) in speech, language, and hearing sciences rely upon cross-validations with single data splitting. This study's first purpose is to provide quantitative evidence that would incentivize researchers to instead use the more robust data splitting method of nested

METHOD: First, the significant impact of different cross-validations on ML outcomes was demonstrated using real-world clinical data. Then, Monte Carlo simulations were used to quantify the interactions among the employed cross-validation method, the discriminative power of features, the dimensionality of the feature space, the dimensionality of the model, and the sample size. Four different cross-validation methods …

Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System For Voice Therapy: Application To Everyday Clinical Care, Jeremy Wolfberg, John Whyte, Patricia Doyle, Shirley Gherson, Jason Muise, Brian Petty, Carol Jorgensen Tolejano, Robert E Hillman, Tara Stadelman-Cohen, Jarrad H Van Stan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Rehabilitation intervention descriptions often do not explicitly identify active ingredients or how those ingredients lead to changes in patient functioning. The Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS) provides guidance to identify the critical aspects of any rehabilitation therapy and supported the development of standardly named ingredients and targets in voice therapy (Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System for Voice Therapy [RTSS-Voice]). This study sought to test the content validity of the RTSS-Voice and determine if the RTSS-Voice can be used to identify commonalities and differences in treatment (criterion validity) across clinicians in everyday clinical practice.

METHOD: Five speech-language pathologists from different institutions …

Behavioral Management Of Respiratory/Phonatory Dysfunction For Dysarthria Associated With Neurodegenerative Disease: A Systematic Review, Sarah E. Perry, Michelle Troche, Jessica E. Huber, Jordanna Sevitz, James Curtis, Brianna Kiefer, Qiana Dennard, Deanna Britton, Multiple Additional Authors

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose:

This systematic review represents an update to previous reviews of the literature addressing behavioral management of respiratory/phonatory dysfunction in individuals with dysarthria due to neurodegenerative disease.

Method:

Multiple electronic database searches and hand searches of prominent speech-language pathology journals were conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards.

Results:

The search yielded 1,525 articles, from which 88 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed by two blinded co-investigators. A large range of therapeutic approaches have been added to the evidence base since the last review, including expiratory muscle strength training, singing, and computer- and device-driven …

Associations Between Parenting Stress And Quality Time In Families Of Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rebecca S. Bradley, Grace L. Staples, Lauren B. Quetsch, Lindsey Aloia, Cynthia E. Brown, Stephen M. Kanne

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increased stress among parents of youth with ASD has been well-documented. However, research on aspects of the parent-child relationship and subsequent links to parenting stress is limited. We assessed parents (N = 511) of youth with ASD to examine relations between parenting stress and parent-child quality time (amount of quality time, shared enjoyment, synchronicity). Elevated parenting stress was associated with less time spent engaging with youth in shared activities and decreased parent and child enjoyment during shared interactions. Parents with elevated stress reported engaging in shared activities and experiencing synchronicity with their child less often than parents below the …

The Adverse Childhood Experiences Identification Gap In Speech Language Pathology, Mallory Prior

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children exposed to adverse childhood experiences, a variety of potentially traumatic events occurring within the first 18 years of life, are at increased risk for speech and language disorders. Due to the high prevalence of trauma and its lasting effects, it is almost guaranteed that children who are experiencing the ongoing effects from adversity will be found on practicing Speech Language Pathologists’ caseloads. This scoping review was designed to identify current screening practices of Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) in comparison to other professionals (e.g., allied health and education), as well as additional information related to screening procedures for SLPs. The …

Acceptance Of Bite Presentations And Feeding Behaviors Of 8 To 12-Month-Old Infants: A Reflection Of Typical Feeding Development, Amy Delaney, Ericka Diestler, Parama Sridevi, Arafat Mahmood, Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The lack of age-appropriate expectations for feeding acceptance patterns in early childhood is a barrier to early and accurate identification of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD). The objective of the study was to describe the process by which typically developing children 8–12 months of age accept or refuse bite presentations and their corresponding feeding behaviors, aiming to establish age-appropriate normative data for feeding acceptance.

Method

Using cross-sectional methodology, we studied the proportion of bite presentations accepted, the type of feeding behaviors-passive, disruptive, expulsion, feeding concerns- observed at presentation and acceptance or refusal, and the duration between presentation to acceptance or …

Barriers And Facilitators To Enhance Interprofessional Education For Rehabilitation Science Graduate Students, Mary A. Riopel, Kimberly Wynarczuk, Taylor Grube

The Qualitative Report

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to develop healthcare practitioners who work effectively in teams, demonstrate strong communication skills, respect others, and have a working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of other professionals. Of identified research to date, it is unclear what students perceive as important for effective IPE delivery and learning. The purpose of this study was to identify graduate students' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to learning interprofessional practice using phenomenology. Three semi-structured focus groups were conducted including athletic training, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology students and the transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged about IPE …

The Minority Student Mentoring Group (Msmg) For Csd Students: Perspectives, Goals, And Outcomes Six Years After Inception, Iona Ringgold, Diana C. Emanuel

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Students from historically marginalized racial and ethnic (HMRE) groups often face challenges within the university environment due to implicit biases, microaggressions, and systemic racism. To help counteract these challenges, the Minority Student Mentoring Group (MSMG) at Towson University was launched in 2016 to provide mentoring, support, and a sense of community for students from HMRE groups who are enrolled in speech-language pathology and audiology programs. Rapid growth of the program and anecdotal evidence suggested MSMG participation was impactful; as a result, this study was designed to examine program outcomes more formally using a mixed-methods approach. Eleven participants completed an on-line …

Development Of Interprofessional Socialization In A Multifaceted Live Action Clinical Role-Play Simulation For Speech-Language Pathology And Social Work Students, Cody Marie Busch, Jennifer Anderson, Lynn Gilbertson, Sarah Hessenauer

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Live action clinical role-plays are one of many types of simulated learning experiences that can be crafted for undergraduate and graduate students alike when learning to collaborate interprofessionally. This mixed methods exploratory research project partnered four academic instructors from the disciplines of speech-language pathology and social work, with several additional community members adding their expertise to enrich the experience of a live-action clinical role-play. Students (N = 32) participated in a two-part multifaceted interprofessional education (IPE) experience with the first part consisting of eight hours of online asynchronous training and the second part consisting of eight hours of a multifaceted …

Boosting Confidence In Hearing Loss Services Through An Interprofessional Simulation Led By Peer Instructors, Amanda Stead, Jordan Tinsley, Trent Westrick, Elizabeth Olson, Alexandra Alfieri, Lauren Sams

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathologists have an ethical responsibility to work with clients with hearing loss. Therefore, speech-language pathology (SLP) students must receive specific education and training in working with this population. SLP students may have low self-efficacy about their ability to work with clients with hearing loss if they haven’t participated in specific training. Interprofessional education utilizing peer teaching by doctor of audiology (AuD) students is one method for helping SLP students learn specific skills to address hearing loss in a clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate SLP graduate students' self-efficacy with working with individuals with hearing loss; …

Fostering Empathy In Communication Sciences And Disorders Through Interprofessional Simulation: Bridging The Gap Between Lecture And Practice, Cynthia A. Hovland, Carol Spears, Melissa Volk

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This exploratory study sought to understand the experiences of CSD students participating in an interprofessional simulation focused on empathy development and how it could inform their future practice. This study used a non-random, purposive sample of 29 CSD students from one United States university who attended one of three Team STEPPS seminar training days that were offered during three separate semesters. Post-seminar surveys were completed, and conventional content analysis used to analyze data. Three primary themes, and corresponding subthemes emerged: (a) establish trust (build rapport; identify patient care goals; and encourage active participation; (b) facilitate collaborative plan of care (provide …

Using Ar To Teach Ar: Learning Outcomes Of A Guided, Augmented Reality Hearing Loss And Auditory Rehabilitation Simulation With Slp Graduate Students, Alice Henton, Mathew Vansant

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Recent research has found that practicing speech-language pathologists report feeling underprepared to provide services for individuals with hearing loss. At the same time, graduate SLP programs report that students have fewer training opportunities with low-incidence populations. This study examines learning outcomes for a cohort of graduate SLP students using a novel application of an immersive, augmented reality, hearing loss simulation. Results show encouraging outcomes for the simulation experience’s effects on empathy, knowledge, and clinical skills. This simulation offers a unique way to provide training related to auditory rehabilitation in SLP.

Addressing Bias In Slp Problem-Based Tutorials Through Critical Reflexivity, Curriculum Development And Instructor Training, Harmonie Chan, Courtney Tidd, Justine Hamilton, Deidre Sperry, Michelle Phoenix

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Racism is prevalent in the fields of healthcare and education in North America and speech-language pathology and audiology are no exception. Systemic and individual racism in educational, training, and clinical settings creates barriers for student entry and success, and negatively impacts client care. Although the ability to serve clients of diverse backgrounds is a crucial skill for students and clinicians, current educational curricula appears insufficient in supporting culturally diverse students and preparing all students to work with culturally diverse populations. This is, in part, due to a lack of diverse representation in education and clinical settings, bias experienced by SLP …

Evaluating Acoustic Representations And Normalization For Rhoticity Classification In Children With Speech Sound Disorders, Nina R. Benway, Jonathan L. Preston, Asif Salekin, Elaine Hitchcock, Tara Mcallister

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The effects of different acoustic representations and normalizations were compared for classifiers predicting perception of children's rhotic versus derhotic /ɹ/. Formant and Mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) representations for 350 speakers were z-standardized, either relative to values in the same utterance or age-and-sex data for typical /ɹ/. Statistical modeling indicated age-and-sex normalization significantly increased classifier performances. Clinically interpretable formants performed similarly to MFCCs and were endorsed for deep neural network engineering, achieving mean test-participant-specific F1-score = 0.81 after personalization and replication (σx = 0.10, med = 0.83, n = 48). Shapley additive explanations analysis indicated the third formant most influenced …