Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

Lexical Properties Of Perceptual Errors Made By Younger And Older Adults Listening To Speech In Multitalker Babble, Hannah Blythe Vickery

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this error analysis was to analyze the lexical properties of misperceptions made when listening to speech in multitalker babble.

Methods: Twenty young adults with normal hearing (YNH), 20 older adults with normal hearing (ONH), and 22 older adults with hearing impairment (OHI) completed a speech-in-babble task. Participants were asked to repeat the final word in 25 high and 25 low context sentences. On each trial, participants either responded with the correct target word, a misperception error, or skipped the trial response. Misperceptions were compiled and analyzed according to their lexical properties.

Results: Results of this study …

An Analysis Of Mental State Verbs In Children With Hearing Loss, Morgan Vachio

Theses and Dissertations

Mental state verbs (MSV) require unique cognitive and linguistic knowledge compared to lower level function words (Shatz et al., 1983). These cognitive and linguistic demands are thought to be difficult for children with hearing loss (CHL) due to deficits in word learning (Werfel, 2017; Lund, 2016), limited depth of vocabulary knowledge (Walker et al., 2018) and deficits in complex syntax (Werfel et al., 2021). The present study recruited 73 preschool children (23 CHLCI, 22 CHL-HA and 28 CNH) to participate. Our analysis examined the frequency, lexical diversity and use of MSV within required complex syntax structures.

Towards Understanding Therapy Response In Chronic Aphasia, Sigfus Kristinsson

Theses and Dissertations

It remains largely unclear what factors determine who responds to aphasia therapy and to what degree. The current study sought to ameliorate this issue by addressing three aims: 1) To identify baseline predictors that dissociate between therapy responders and nonresponders, 2) to identify predictors of degree of treated recovery in therapy responders, and 3) to examine the generalizability of predictors identified under Aims 1 and 2 in randomly selected subsamples of study participants.

Method: Stroke survivors (N = 102; 43 females; age = 60.5y +/- 11.0y) with chronic aphasia (>12m post-stroke) were recruited as part of a multisite trial. …

The Role Of White Matter In The Neural Control Of Swallowing: A Systematic Review, Ann Alvarenga, Rachel Hahn Arkenberg, Bethany Mcgowan, Hu Cheng, Georgia A. Malandraki

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background: Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) can negatively impact quality of life and health. For clinicians and researchers seeking to improve outcomes for patients with dysphagia, understanding the neural control of swallowing is critical. The role of gray matter in swallowing control has been extensively documented, but knowledge is limited regarding the contributions of white matter. Our aim was to identify, evaluate, and summarize the populations, methods, and results of published articles describing the role of white matter in neural control of swallowing.

Methods: We completed a systematic review with a multi-engine search following PRISMA-P 2015 standards. Two authors screened articles and …

Successful Aging In Adults Who Stutter: Exploring Predictors Of Physical And Mental Health-Related Quality Of Life, Amanda Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate predictors of physical and mental health quality of life in aging adults who stutter (AWS). Our goal was to identify factors contributing to successful aging in this talker group. The aging population is expected to increase exponentially over the next twenty years. Factors influencing self-perceived health-related quality of life have yet to be investigated in aging AWS.

An online survey was completed by a total of 40 AWS, age 50 years and older, recruited from the Greater Tampa Bay region and nationally. The survey comprised multiple measures that probed for information regarding self-perceived health …

A New Age Of Telehealth: Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic And Beyond, Deborah R. Campbell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic potentially changed the landscape of how speech-language pathologists provide services. Prior to March 2020, pediatric speech-language therapy provided via telehealth was limited; however, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide conversion from in-person care to a remote service delivery model. This conversion brought to the fore possible benefits and utility of telehealth use. Yet, clinicians potentially experienced barriers to its use, including the lack of validity and reliability evidence for remote administration of several pediatric assessments. For the viability of remotely delivered speech-language services to continue and evolve in a post-pandemic world, further research is needed to identify …

The Perceptions Of Speech-Language Pathologists Toward Augmentative And Alternative Communication In Thailand, Wansiya Kamonsitichai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems have gained increasing acceptance in the US, they are not well-known and broadly used in Thailand. To begin introducing AAC systems and interventions to children with complex communication needs (CCNs) in Thailand, understanding Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLP) perceptions toward various AAC systems is considered an important first step. This study assessed SLPs’ perceptions toward three AAC modalities: gestural communication, communication boards, and speech-generating devices. All SLPs in Thailand (n ~ 200) were invited to participate. A total of 78 SLPs watched three video vignettes with a Thai child illustrating each AAC mode. They then …

Happy ��, Sad ��Or Pizza ��: A Review Of Emoji Effects On Reading Times And Their Relation To Mood, Fetheya Alattar

University Honors Theses

With recent advancements in technology, emoji are continuously changing the way that people communicate and process language. Their use continues to evolve as a mechanism to counter the loss of the rich nonverbal cues of face-to-face communication. Subsequently, the need for research examining how emoji are processed and how they affect language and communication has become more important. This research specifically examines the scholarship on emoji effects on sentence reading times (RT) and how this relates to mood. Results on the effects of emoji on sentence RT are mixed. In some instances, emoji slowed RT and in others, they sped …

Correlations Between Cognitive Pause Patterns And Listener Perceptions Of Communicative Effectiveness And Likeability For People With Aphasia, Heidi Raylene Mcconaghie

Theses and Dissertations

A prevalent feature of typical spontaneous speech are speech pauses. Longer speech pauses, known as cognitive pauses, occur in typical speech and are indicative of higher-level cognitive processes. Atypical cognitive pauses, however, are prevalent in the speech of people with aphasia consequent to their communication disorder. Research has shown that these atypical pauses may contribute to negative listener perceptions. This study aimed to determine the influence of atypical speech pause on listener perceptions of communicative effectiveness and speaker likeability. Specifically, this study evaluated the relationship between listener ratings of communicative effectiveness and likeability and acoustic measures of between-utterance pause duration, …

The Influence Of Pause On Listeners' Perceptions In Speech Of People With Aphasia, Emily Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how varying pause lengths in speech of people with aphasia (PWA) influences listeners' perceptions. The study specifically assesses listeners' perceptions of communicative effectiveness and speaker likability. Speech samples from six people with nonfluent or fluent aphasia were obtained from a previous study conducted by Harmon (2018). The speech samples were modified to create four sets of stimuli, including the original recordings, normalized within utterance pauses, normalized between utterance pauses, and normalized for both within and between utterance pauses. Forty listeners rated each of the speech samples based on the perceived communicative effectiveness …

Clinical Education Outcomes And Research Directions In Speech-Language Pathology: A Scoping Review, George W. Wolford, Schea Fissel Brannick, Sarah Strother, Laura Wolford

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: To describe what researchers are investigating and how they are measuring the constructs of their investigations within the speech-language pathology (SLP) clinical education literature.

Method: A scoping review methodology (Arksey & O’Malley, 2005) was employed to develop a picture of clinical education articles which reported a measured outcome. Articles that met criteria were categorized by the purpose of the investigation and the outcome measures reported.

Result: 124 articles met inclusion criteria. Analysis of study purposes revealed a wide breadth of foci that were grouped into four broad clusters: Outcome Measures, Student Perspectives, Educational Contexts, and Teaching Methods. Most of …

Interprofessional Education And Practice: Perspectives From Students In Speech-Language Pathology And Recreational Therapy, David Hajjar, Jan Elich-Monroe, Susan Durnford

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Interprofessional education and practice (IPE/IPP) are important components for undergraduate and graduate students to experience during their programs of study in speech-language pathology and related health professions. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) is a member organization of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) which promotes four core competencies required for effective practice: values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. The purpose of this study was to gather the lived experiences from eight pre-professional students, four from speech-language pathology (SLP) and four from recreational therapy(RT), during focus groups and discussion forums conducted before, during, and after a 14-week IPE/IPP clinical …

Enhancing Intercultural Competence: Can It Be Done Without Studying Abroad?, Lata A. Krishnan, Lan Jin, Charles A. Calahan

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Participation in intensive, immersive, service-learning study abroad programs with intentional intercultural activities embedded in the course curriculum has been shown to enhance cultural competence as measured via the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®) (Krishnan, Masters, Holgate, Wang & Calahan, 2017; Krishnan, Lin & Benson, 2020). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative impact of embedding intercultural learning activities on students’ intercultural competence when included in an on-campus course compared to a study abroad program. The intervention group consisted of 34 students enrolled in the on-campus course which incorporated intentional intercultural activities. Forty-one students who did not take the …

Perceptions Of Immediate Written Feedback Provided To Slp Graduate Clinicians During Tele-Therapy Sessions, Darya Hinman, Sarah Patten, Mahchid Namazi

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Given the status of clinical practice and the heavy reliance on technology due to COVID-19, it is important to investigate clinical supervision practices. The purpose of this study was to determine whether immediate feedback using technology was beneficial for a university clinical setting specifically where current supervision of students is undertaken via a virtual platform. The chat function via the Zoom teletherapy platform was used to deliver immediate written feedback to SLP graduate clinicians. Utilizing technology allowed supervisors to provide immediate, in-session written feedback to SLP graduate clinicians. The objective was to investigate the perceptions of immediate feedback for the …

A Pilot Investigation Of Critical Thinking In Undergraduate Students Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, David M. Rehfeld, Tracey N. Sulak, Deborah Rainer, Janice Stewart, Nadine Welch

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Speech-language pathologists use critical thinking on a daily basis to identify, evaluate, and implement evidence-based practices with their clients. Currently, however, there are minimal data describing the critical thinking of undergraduate students in the field of communication sciences and disorders. Without these data, it is unclear if and how students’ critical thinking differs at various points during their pre-service training. In the present study, we used the Cornell Critical Thinking Test – Level Z to describe the general critical thinking skills of 142 undergraduate students enrolled in two lower- (n = 95) and upper- (n = 47) level courses at …

Fostering Clinical And Academic Faculty Collaborations To Improve Graduate Education, Nicole M. Etter, Aarthi Madhavan, Elise M. Lindquist, Amanda J. Byrd, Anne Marie Kubat

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Accredited graduate programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) work to integrate academic coursework, a breadth of clinical experiences, and an overarching capstone project (e.g. summative assessment). The best graduate programs focus on integrating these three elements through high quality collaborations between academic and clinical faculty. These collaborations are fostered when clinical and academic faculty attempt to provide students with experiences that intersect academic, research, and clinical areas of speech language pathology. The purpose of this paper describes the collaborative efforts undertaken by the CSD department at the Pennsylvania State University. We present a model for collaborations in graduate education …

Intercultural Competence Gains From Study Abroad In India, Lata A. Krishnan, Horane Diatta-Holgate, Charles A. Calahan

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Participation in a study abroad program to Zambia with intentional intercultural activities embedded in the course curriculum has been shown to enhance cultural competence as measured by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®) (Krishnan, Masters, Holgate, Wang & Calahan, 2017). The purpose of this study was to assess whether a new program to India, developed using a. similar model, was effective in increasing student intercultural competence and to compare student outcomes with the previous program to evaluate possible differences in outcomes related to the destination country. Participants included 21 students who participated in the SLHS in India study abroad program, and …

Lesion Loci Of Impaired Affective Prosody: A Systematic Review Of Evidence From Stroke, Alexandra Zezinka Durfee, Shannon M. Sheppard, Margaret L. Blake, Argye E. Hillis

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Affective prosody, or the changes in rate, rhythm, pitch, and loudness that convey emotion, has long been implicated as a function of the right hemisphere (RH), yet there is a dearth of literature identifying the specific neural regions associated with its processing. The current systematic review aimed to evaluate the evidence on affective prosody localization in the RH. One hundred and ninety articles from 1970 to February 2020 investigating affective prosody comprehension and production in patients with focal brain damage were identified via database searches. Eleven articles met inclusion criteria, passed quality reviews, and were analyzed for affective prosody localization. …

Evaluating The Effects Of Physical Activity On The Cognitive Functions And Motor Skills Of The Special Needs Population And Testing A Different Teaching Style To Maximize The Efficiency Of Special Needs Programs, Oren Nedjar

BIO4960: Practicum in Biology I

This study aimed to analyze the effects of physical activities on the motor and cognitive functions of participants with special needs and compare these results with a similar program but organized online because of the health precautions that have been applied due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An intervention consisting of sending an educational brochure aiming to increase high school volunteers' health literacy was then tested and results showed that it improved participants' health outcomes and also could increase the program's effectiveness in the long term.

Adopting A Conceptual Validity Framework For Testing In Speech-Language Pathology, Olivia Daub, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Marlene P. Bagatto, Andrew M. Johnson, Elaine Y. Kwok, Rachael E. Smyth, Janis Oram Cardy

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

Purpose Limited evidence-based guidelines for test selection continue to result in inconsistency in test use and interpretation in speech-language pathology. A major barrier is the lack of explicit and consistent adoption of a validity framework by our field. In this viewpoint, we argue that adopting the conceptual validity framework in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (American Educational Research Association et al., 2014) would support both the development of more meaningful and feasible clinical tests and more appropriate use and interpretation of tests in speech-language pathology. Method We describe and evaluate the (American Educational Research Association et al., 2014) …