Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Advancing Speech Intelligibility Assessment: Comparing School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists, Laypersons, And Speech Recognition Software., Hannah Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental study utilized a convenience sample (N = 86) to investigate the comparability of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), laypersons, and speech recognition software in the assessment of speech intelligibility for children with phonological disorders. Eighty-nine percent of participants were female, and 92% were white. All participants completed a survey comprised of 25 audio recordings of single-word utterances from an AI-generated voice of a four-year-old male with a phonological disorder and were asked to select what word they believed was heard from a pool of 12 options. The survey also included a passage read by the same AI-generated voice, and …

Long-Term Changes In Bolus Parameters During Swallowing Post-Chemoradiation Treatment., Brittany Rebecca Smiley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current treatment for oropharyngeal cancer involves chemoradiation, which can have profound effects on swallowing function. Submental muscle activity is critical for airway protection and bolus transit but is highly susceptible to radiation-related swallowing impairments. This study examined whether chemoradiation targeting the submental muscles leads to measurable changes in esophageal distension during swallowing in a rodent model. We hypothesized that rats receiving chemoradiation would exhibit aberrant esophageal distension compared to chemotherapy-only controls. Twenty male rats underwent four cycles of cisplatin concurrently with either radiation or sham radiation. High-speed videofluoroscopy swallow studies were conducted pre- and post-treatment with thin liquids to analyze …

Teaching Bilingual Features To A Young Augmentative And Alternative Communication User With Autism, Paola Gallegos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines how a minimally verbal, young Spanish-English bilingual child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) uses translanguaging toggle features on an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to produce multi-word picture descriptions. The study employed a Rapidly Alternating Treatments Design (RATD) to analyze AAC performance under language-controlled Spanish-only and English-only conditions. A quantitative analysis examined the frequency and patterns of bilingual AAC feature use during aided modeling and instruction, while qualitative methods explored the related challenges and benefits. This study highlights the potential for bilingual AAC systems to enhance communication effectiveness and underscores the importance of incorporating user and …

Peer-Led Support Groups For People With Early Onset Parkinson's Disease, Linnea Tabaka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Early onset Parkinson’s Disease (EOPD) is a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease when diagnosed between the ages of 21 and 50. This population faces unique challenges due to family, social, and career demands that correlate with the age of diagnosis. Support groups have been utilized frequently for people with traditional PD and their caregivers but may not meet the unique needs people with EOPD face. This study explores the existing benefits of a peer-led support group (group led by members of the group) for persons with EOPD. Methodology: This is a qualitative case study of an established support …

Adaptation, Reliability, And Validity Of The Auditory Skills Checklist (Asc) For Bengali Speaking Children With Severe To Profound Sensorineural Hearing Loss With Hearing Aids, Istiak Rahman, Mahedi Hasan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The audiologic assessment guidelines of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) encouraged functional auditory skills assessment, appropriate for age. The Auditory Skills Checklist (ASC) assessment tool was developed from the necessity to assess the auditory skills of young children with Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL). The aim of this study was to adapt a Bengali version of the ASC checklist from the original English version and then to test its reliability and validity.

Methods: The method of forward-backward translation and cognitive debriefing was employed to produce a culturally sensitive Bengali version of the checklist. The data was analyzed for …

Millennial And Gen-Z Experiences In Healthcare And Education In The Us, Zabia Evans, Anastasia Raymer, Beverly Khabo

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

In the United States, healthcare and educational institutions have a deep-rooted history of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors, resulting in unequal access to services and mistreatment of minority populations. This history extends to the field of speech-language pathology, with disparities in service being cited in the literature due to lack of clinician knowledge, non-diverse standardized testing measures, lack of resources and support, among other factors. Policies and legislation in recent decades have attempted to address these serious issues. This survey research investigates the childhood healthcare and educational experiences of individuals born during or after 1981, focusing …

Closing The Gap: Preschool Quality Affect On Language Acquisition Across Socioeconomic Statuses, Abby E. Hannnon Ms, Kaitlyn Clark Ms, Olivia Lewis Ms, Catherine L. Cotton Ms

Undergraduate Research Conference

Language acquisition is impacted greatly in the early years of life by many contributing factors. Children begin to have the conscious ability to acquire, learn, and develop language in exponential capacities around the age of 3-4 years old. These years are vital for the future of individuals' speech and communication. Preschool education is the beginning building blocks that lead to K-12 language learning and development. Socioeconomic statuses differ across all preschool aged children’s homes, consequently affecting the language heard and learned in the household. Our goal is to examine whether the quality of preschool education reduces the language acquisition gap …

How Do Slp's In Mississippi Incorporate Religious Activities In Adult Therapy Sessions, Nina M. Coker, Kenzie Priest, Claire Leak, Callie Abraham

Undergraduate Research Conference

Our research study proposes that Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Mississippi consider including religious activities in therapy sessions with adult clients, highlighting the impact of these practices on the clinician-client relationship. The purpose of this research proposal is to gain information on how SLPs can incorporate religious activities in therapy sessions. It also seeks to emphasize the importance of clinicians’ cultural awareness regarding religious practices and how their awareness can impact their client’s experience. This study will consist of two surveys. The first survey will be completed by clinicians to gain knowledge of their awareness and incorporation of religion within therapy …

Does Awareness Of Behavioral Challenges Impact The Preparedness Of Recent Slp Graduate Students For Their Professional Practice?, Madison K. Jones, Catherine L. Cotton Dr.

Undergraduate Research Conference

This research aims to explore how awareness of behavioral challenges, such as aggression, defiance, and hyperactivity, affects the preparedness of recent Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) graduates. With over 84% of children receiving SLP services also facing emotional or behavioral difficulties, it is crucial to examine whether new SLPs feel prepared to manage these challenges. The study seeks to assess whether increased awareness of behavioral issues correlates with greater confidence and readiness in addressing them during the first year of clinical practice. The study will involve administering a survey to first-year Speech-Language Pathologists. The survey will focus on their preparedness and their …

Difference Or Disorder? Misidentification Of Speech And Language Disorders In Mississippi’S Public Schools, Lori Leachman, Catherine Cotton Dr.

Undergraduate Research Conference

Students who are misdiagnosed with speech and language disorders often miss out on necessary class time and can fall behind their peers. In order to decrease the prevalence of misdiagnoses due to dialectal and linguistic differences, we must first understand how SLPs currently differentiate between typical and disordered speech. In this study, information will be gathered on the current abilities of Mississippi public school SLPs to identify the difference between a speaker that is linguistically diverse and a speaker with disordered speech or language. SLPs will listen to AI generated speech samples–some disordered, some typical, but with non-mainstream dialects–and be …

Spatial Training For Children With Suspected Auditory Processing Disorder: A Random Control Trial, Taylor Delao

Student Research Symposium

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), defined here as a deficit in the way sounds are analyzed by the brain, has remained a controversial topic within audiology for decades.

A Novel Method For Deriving The Binaural Interaction Component And Its Association With Spatial Listening Ability In Adults, Kate M. Fisher, Marlana J. Petersen, Mindee Anderson, Annika P. Williams

Student Research Symposium

• Spatial listening helps children detect and focus on specific sounds in noisy environments.
• Classrooms require filtering relevant speech (e.g., teacher's voice) from background noise, which is challenging without strong spatial listening skills.

76 - Cochlear Implant Candidacy In Adults: Evidence From Systematic Reviews, Madison Hastain, Stacie Raymer

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This poster provides recommendations for cochlear implant candidacy in adults based on data collected from several systematic reviews, along with information regarding the efficacy of cochlear implants in adults with varied types of hearing loss.

Exploring Sound Intensity Levels In Dance Studios: A Study On Acoustic Environments And Their Impact, Nicole M. Ruda, Ella M. Stoppel, Blake Roth

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study investigated the intensity levels of music in dance studios and evaluated listener habits and awareness of the negative impact loud noises can have on hearing. Sound intensity measurements were first collected followed by a survey and basic auditory screening. Results indicated dance instructors are exposed to music intensities that exceed safe listening levels. Most participants were unaware of their listening level.

Aging-Related Hearing Decline And Resting State Networks, Cassidy S. T. Ellsworth

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

This study investigated the effects of age-related hearing decline on functional networks using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The main objective of the present study was to examine resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and graph theory-based network efficiency metrics in forty-nine adults categorized by age and hearing thresholds to identify the neural mechanisms of age-related hearing decline. RsFC within key brain networks and auditory-related brain regions, including the default mode network, salience network, dorsal attention network, and primary auditory cortices, was assessed using region-of-interest (ROI)-based and graph theory approaches. Functional metrics, such as rsFC strength and global and local efficiency, …

Clinical Case Study: The Effects Of Saltatory Pneumotactile Stimulation Of Glabrous Hand And Perioral Face On Cerebral Oxygenation, Cognitive Performance, And Sensorimotor Function In An Adult Following Left Hemorrhagic Stroke, Tara L. Hull

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

Stroke remains a leading cause of adult disability and a significant global health concern. Effective rehabilitation strategies for cognitive and communicative impairments following stroke are limited (Kuhn & Sharman, 2023). One emerging approach involves repetitive somatosensory stimulation to drive cerebral hemodynamic changes, potentially offering a novel rehabilitative method. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive, accessible tool for monitoring these changes during stroke recovery. Prior studies suggest tactile stimulation rapidly affects brain hemodynamics (Custead et al., 2015; Oh et al., 2017). This clinical single-case study explored the use of GALILEO saltatory pneumotactile stimulation applied to the face and hand in …

Music And Word Learning In Children Diagnosed With Developmental Language Disorder, Rebekah G. Sweeney

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

Purpose: This study investigates whether incorporating music into vocabulary interventions improves rate of learning and retention of words in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Emerging literature continues to show the plentiful benefits of music as a tool for intervention in many settings, including the world of speech pathology (Levitin, 2024). However, it is also evident that there is a connection between struggling with language, and struggling with musical elements, such as rhythm and pitch perception, particularly in children with DLD (Boorom et al., 2022; Kreidler et al., 2023). This study seeks to tease out if music is an effective …

The Effect Of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation On Word Memory In Healthy Adults, Haylee Hurt, Cassandra Callahan, Olivia Galpin, Qiang Li

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a non-invasive technique that has been demonstrated to reorganize the brain neural network based on neuroplasticity. Research shows that tVNS may enhance cognitive performance such as verbal memory, as it may elicit the release of key neurotransmitters, Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) and Noradrenaline, that modulate cognitive performance and learning. The current study hypothesizes that verbal memory as an important cognitive skill in healthy adults will be improved after receiving tVNS. Results showed that compared to the control group, participants in the experimental group improved their verbal memory manifested in faster reaction times and higher accuracy …

Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Mother-Child Interactions During Shared Reading, Yingshan Huang, Brenda L. Beverly, Victoria Henbest

Victoria S. Henbest Publications

The quantity and quality of maternal interactive behaviours during shared reading were compared for mothers from China and mothers from the US.Ten Chinese mothers from Fuzhou City in Fujian Province, China and 10 mothers from four US states video-recorded themselves reading two storybooks, one selected by the families and one by investigators, to their typically developing 4-year-olds. Videotapes were transcribed in Mandarin and English, respectively, and analysed using investigator-developed codes. Chinese mothers had a higher percentage of extra-textual talk than US mothers and attention to print (i.e. English letters or Chinese characters) was uncommon among mothers in both groups. Chinese …

Recognizing Individual Variability In Misophonia: Identifying Symptom-Based Subgroups With Gaussian Mixture Modeling, Mercedes G. Woolley, Amanda M. Ramos, Emily M. Bowers, Karen Muñoz, Julie M. Petersen, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional and physiological reactions to everyday sounds such as chewing and tapping. While previous researchers have focused on defining and characterizing the disorder, limited attention has been given to the variability in symptom presentations across individuals. In this study, we sought to identify distinct subgroups of individuals with misophonia by applying a Gaussian finite mixture model to explore the heterogeneity of symptom profiles. Sixty treatment-seeking participants completed the Duke Misophonia Interview, which assessed the presence and severity of various behavioral, affective, and cognitive symptoms. Items from this measure served as model indicators. Two clusters were …