Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

A Call For Hearing Loss Prevention Programs In College Music Education Programs, Jason Taurins

Honors Theses

Music educators, ensemble conductors, and students who participate in musical ensembles are exposed to sound pressure levels which exceed the criteria for NIOSH. As such, this population should be enrolled in hearing loss prevention programs. Ensemble directors (many music educators fall into this category) have a direct role in influencing the sound pressure levels produced in rehearsals. Music educators have a role in influencing the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of their students. Because of the health risks of noise exposure, and the role music educators (and ensemble directors in general) have in influencing their students, hearing loss prevention should …

Stakeholder Perspectives Of The Effectiveness Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Techniques In Children With Autism, Daria Constantinescu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to utilize focus groups and individual interviews to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of augmentative and alternative (AAC) techniques in facilitating language in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as expressed by the opinions and attitudes of stakeholders involved in the process. ASD is a disorder that affects an individual's social and communication skills that usually surfaces within a child's first three years of life. There have been numerous studies conducted comparing different types of AAC intervention systems, but there is little information on stakeholders' opinions. The current study utilized one focus group interview …

Interpreter-Assisted Speech-Language Intervention In Poland: Needs, Possibilities And Prospects (Współpraca Polskiego Logopedy Z Tłumaczem – Potrzeby, Możliwości I Perspektywy), Katarzyna Gaweł, Henriette Langdon, Katarzyna Węsierska

Faculty Publications

Due to the constantly evolving global demographic situation, speech-language therapists (SLTs, also: speech-language pathologists – SLPs) have to deal with an increasing workload of bilingual/multilingual clients. This article presents results of a survey conducted among Polish SLTs aimed at investigating their views with regards to the possibility of collaboration with an interpreter during therapeutic intervention. The original version of the questionnaire (Gaweł & Węsierska, 2014) used in this survey was filled out by 206 respondents from different areas across Poland. The following issues were addressed in the study: the SLTs’ views on the incidence of bilingualism in Poland, their self-evaluation …

Evidence-Based Practice In Stuttering: Views From American And Polish Clinical Perspectives, Henriette W. Langdon, Pei-Tzu Tsai, Katarzyna Węsierska

Faculty Publications

In this paper the authors present the underpinnings of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) with application to stuttering. The application of intervention practices using EBP are discussed from two different countries, the United States and Poland. Advantages, Challenges and Future Directions as well as Solutions are presented. In sum, the authors conclude that both perspectives are relatively similar and going generally in the same direction.

The Effects Of Sign On Speech Segmentation In Infants, Alma Rosa Acosta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: The ability to extract words from fluent speech (speech segmentation), perhaps one of the greatest obscure achievements for the purpose of learning language, is dependent upon imperceptible endeavors. Remarkably, infants are active participants from the moment they are born, using auditory and visual information to assist them segmenting speech. As motivated parents attempt to use baby sign to bridge communication gaps, visual information in the form of baby sign may benefit children in extracting words from speech. To examine the effects of baby sign on speech segmentation, a systematic replication of the Hollich et al. (2005) study, a within-subject …

A Combination Of Therapeutic Techniques: Severe Broca's Aphasia, Kimberly Ann Homan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The effects of Modified Melodic Intonation Therapy for a fifty-nine year old adult with severe Broca's aphasia were examined. Intervention included inner rehearsal and first sound practice to potentially increase initiation abilities. Pre and post self-assessments were used to evaluate self-awareness. Six target phrases (four three-syllable phrases and two two-syllable phrases) were treated over the course of fifteen weeks with two one-hour sessions per week. Results showed an increase in the participant's ability to produce the target phrase. Inner rehearsal proved to be an initiation strategy that met functional needs of the participant in a timelier manner; on the other …

Caps: Implications For Collaboration Between Teachers And Speech-Language Therapists Working In Schools, Anna-Marie Wium, Brenda Louw

ETSU Faculty Works

This critical review addresses the implications of the Curriculum and Assessment Plan Statement (CAPS) for collaboration between teachers and speech-language therapists (SLTs) in schools. A historical perspective on changes in the roles and responsibilities of SLTs is provided, reflecting a shift from supporting the child to supporting the teacher. Based on the role of SLTs and audiologists in schools, an innovative approach to the support of teachers is conceptualized. The curriculum content and methods support learners who experience challenges and barriers to learning in main stream classrooms. The implementation of the curriculum necessitates close collaboration between teachers and SLTs in …

Hesitation Rate As A Speaker-Specific Cue In Bilingual Individuals, Jamie Lynn Armbrecht

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hesitation use is common among all speakers, regardless of whether they are engaged in their dominant or non-dominant language (Fehringer & Fry, 2007; Reed, 2000). The question is whether a bilingual speaker will engage in the same types of hesitations in both languages. If hesitation patterns can be identified consistently across speakers regardless of language, their use as an acoustic cue for speaker identification may be possible. This study examines differences in hesitation use across languages and speaking contexts (reading vs. conversation) in bilingual speakers.

Twenty Spanish-English bilinguals (ages 19 -31 years) were tested as part of a larger speaker …

Anticipatory Coarticulation And Stability Of Speech In Typically Fluent Speakers And People Who Stutter Across The Lifespan: An Ultrasound Study, Alissa Joy Belmont

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study uses ultrasound to image onset velar stop consonant articulation in words. By examining tongue body placement, the extent of velar closure variation across vowel contexts provides for the measurement of anticipatory coarticulation while productions within the same vowel context provide measurement of extent of token-to-token variation. Articulate Assistant Advanced 2.0 software was used to semi-automatically generate midsagittal tongue contours at the initial point of maximum velar closure and was used to fit each contour to a curved spline. Patterns of lingual coarticulation and measures of speech motor stability, based on curve-to-curve distance (Zharkova, Hewlett, & Hardcastle, 2011), are …

Validity Testing Of A Preschool Reading Screening Device For Pediatricians, Erika Elaine Blue

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts to improve access to early literacy intervention in the United States, there are still children entering kindergarten that are not adequately prepared for school and are unlikely to catch up to their peers (National Education Association, 2014). Preschool programs are actively involved in screening their students for potential literacy difficulties; however, there are children who do not attend preschool and may not have their literacy development assessed. One solution to this problem is to involve other individuals who routinely see preschool age children. Pediatricians are one such group as children come to them for their wellness visits and …

Script Training: The Role Of Written Cues, Hallie Cohen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Script training is a technique that allows persons with acquired speech and language disorders, such as nonfluent aphasia, to have islands of fluent speech during which they can speak about a topic without pausing or having word-finding errors. Scripts relevant to specific functional situations are written and practiced until memorized. Script training delivered verbally has been effective with clients with aphasia but the role of written cues in the training has not been explored. Therefore the purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of script training taught verbally, or verbally with a written script, in persons with aphasia. …

Noise Induced Hearing Loss: The Impact Of Acoustic Trauma On The Ear, Aviva Levihaiem

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a pervasive disability that affects millions of people across the world. It is characterized by a decrease in hearing sensitivity to sounds that fall between 3000–6000 Hz(known as the “notch”). NIHL is caused by either a sudden acoustic trauma or long-term exposure to noise levels above 85 dB. The noise exposure induces overproduction of free radicals within the cells of the cochlea, overpowering of the ear’s antioxidant defense systems. The free radicals then destroy cell membranes and hair cell nuclei, causing necrosis and apoptosis, leading to hair cell death. This upsets the mechanical structure and …

Psychometric Evaluation Of Lexical Diversity Indices: Assessing Length Effects, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Heather Harris Wright, Samuel B. Green

Speech and Hearing Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose—Several novel techniques have been developed recently to assess the breadth of speaker’s vocabulary exhibited in a language sample. The specific aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the validity of the scores generated by different lexical diversity (LD) estimation techniques. Four techniques were explored: D, Maas, Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD), and the Moving Average Type Token Ratio (MATTR).

Method—Four LD indices were estimated for language samples on four discourse tasks (procedures, eventcasts, story retell, and recounts) from 442 neurologically intact adults. The resulting data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results—The scores on the …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Diadochokinesis And Severity Of Dysphagia As It Relates To Forced Vital Capacity In Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Arthur Franklin Knack

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if the severity of dysphagia, as determine by Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) ratings and pharyngeal residue scale ratings in individuals with ALS, can be predicted through performance on diadochokinesis (DDK) and force vital capacity (FVC) measures.

This study was designed to evaluate differences in performance of clinical measures and objective swallowing severity ratings between individuals with ALS and a Control group of similar age. The goal of this study was to attempt to develop a clinical assessment battery that can predict swallowing impairment in ALS patients. In addition, potential predictive relationships between dysphagia ratings and other commonly …

Online Communities For People Who Stutter: An Ethnographic Study Of A Facebook Social Networking Support Group, Erik X. Raj

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of people who stutter who digitally connect and share with other people who stutter on a social networking site, specifically Facebook. This study used a qualitative, ethnographic approach to gain insight from members of a private Facebook group for people who stutter and to collect their opinions as to whether an online community was a beneficial means of obtaining psychosocial support from other people who stutter. The primary investigator collected textual data and artifacts from 3 months of Facebook group postings, semi-structured interviews with 7 of the Facebook group members, …

Monolingual And Bilingual Intervention Outcomes In A Bilingual Child With Autism, Victoria Alexander

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: When treating bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the language of intervention has been a controversial topic among professionals. There is limited research on the treatment of bilingual children with ASD.

Purpose: To extend the limited research on the use of language of intervention in bilingual children with ASD. This study compared a monolingual English treatment and a bilingual English-Spanish treatment, to examine which one was more efficient.

Methods: A single-subject alternating treatment design with a baseline was used to compare the efficacy of two treatment conditions in increasing language skills in a bilingual child with ASD. The …

The Effects Of Baby Sign On Child Development, Joanna Scott

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Although the popular media supports the use of baby sign for enhanced developmental outcomes of children, empirical research verifying the actual effects of baby sign on the areas of communicative, cognitive, social, and physical development, is limited. Advocates of baby sign suggest pre-lingual symbolic communication may result in accelerated development whereas critics claim definitive conclusions cannot be drawn because of flawed methodology in the research. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to explore whether baby sign has an impact on the developmental growth of children. Methods: Using a between groups research design, assessment data were obtained from …

Does Knowledge Of Concussion Symptoms Influence An Athlete's Self-Report Of History Of Concussion Across Age Groups?, John Pfirman

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if an athlete's self-report of a history of concussion would increase if they are provided with information about concussions.

Study Design: This study used a group design pre-test information group and a post-test information group matched for age.

Methods: Prior to cognitive testing, the athletes were divided into an experimental and control group. The experimental group received information about concussions before taking the cognitive test. The control group did not receive concussion information before cognitive testing. Both groups completed a questionnaire following testing that asked: "Based on your experience here today, …

The Impact Of Baby Sign Training On Stress Levels Of Daycare Providers, Grisel Julieta Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Proponents of baby sign claim improvements in child-caregiver interactions and reductions in parental stress as benefits of implementing baby sign. Due to research contradicting the claims, and to the rise in daycare attendance, the current study investigated the effects of a baby sign workshop on the stress perception of daycare providers. A pre-test post-test between groups design with 20 participants was conducted using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) and a workshop-specific descriptive survey as measures. The difference between the post-test stress levels of experimental and control groups approached significance, as did the differences between pre-test and post-test results for the …

Event Related Potentials In A Two Stimuli Auditory Oddball Task In Concussed College Athletes: A Linguistic Component Replication Study, Christopher Anthony Roosmalen

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Concussions affect an estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million individuals annually and can result in persistent symptoms and cognitive impairments in attention and memory. Concussions are a rising health concern especially in concussion management. Event Related Potentials (ERP) may more accurately assess cognitive recovery making better return to play decisions. In 2013, Sanchez found no significant difference between concussed athletes and non-concussed individuals in the in amplitude of the P300 ERP component using an auditory oddball task consisting of 2 different consonant, vowel (CV) syllables. Because participants were instructed to maintain a mental and verbal count of the target stimuli, a …