Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Sex-Related Differences In Perception And Discrimination Of Different Speakers: An Analysis Of The Auditory Dorsal Stream Via Eeg, David Thornton

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Growing evidence that speech perception tasks elicit sensorimotor activity, and that this activity varies due to context, sex, cognitive load, and cognitive ability. However, it is unknown as to whether the sex of the speaker and demands of the task differentially effect males and females during speech perception tasks. This study investigated whether speaker sex and task demands (i.e. passive listening or active discrimination) influence sensorimotor and auditory cortical activity in males and females differently. Raw EEG data were collected from 27 males and 29 females during passive listening to, and discrimination of /ba/ and /da/ syllable pairs spoken by …

The Impact Of Master’S Level Education On The Assessment And Intervention Of Pediatric Swallowing, Andrea Seagren

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Purpose: Pediatric swallowing disorders is increasing in prevalence as medical advancements are made. This increase raises the need for more speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to be involved in the assessment and intervention of pediatric swallowing. However, discrepancies exist in the amount and level of education being provided during academic coursework in the area of pediatric swallowing.

Method 1: The investigation had a two-tier approach. Part one included a survey specifically targeting SLPs who graduated within the most recent accreditation standards (2014 to present) and masters level students in their second year of graduate school (n=100). Part two explored academic courses offered …

Implications Of Vestibular Dysfunction Among The Aging Population: A Pocket Guide For Health Care Professionals, Maia L. Weisenfeld

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The goal of this health information booklet is to provide healthcare professionals with the appropriate tools and information required to ensure all patients with a vestibular impairment are cared for and treated appropriately. The following guide includes overview of the vestibular system, vestibulotoxic medications, and common vestibular disorders. These notable areas are required for appropriate treatment and referral to other professionals for treatment.

Review Of Au.D. Program Curriculums And The Current State Of Audiology Roles And Responsibilities In The United States, Kerri L. Heesemann

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Audiology, a health profession concerned with all auditory impairments and their effect on communication, has rapidly and dramatically changed over the last 70 years of its existence (American Academy of Audiology [AAA], 2004). What began as a field dedicated to helping address veterans with hearing difficulties sustained while in the service, has now become a medical profession with a wide and varied Scope of Practice that requires an entry level a doctoral degree. With the evolution of technology, and knowledge about hearing loss, there has been an increase in the information and knowledge required for best practice. While education standards …

Across Curriculums: A Need For Audiology Instruction For Teachers Of The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Jenna M. Morishita

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objective: The purpose of this project is to gain insight into the requirements of teacher education programs with regard to instruction in audiology for teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing. Though individual teacher preparation programs have vast differences as they pertain to philosophy and methodology, graduates of each of these programs seek to work with children with hearing loss and therefore should have more than a basic understanding of audiology.

Method: The websites and course catalogs (when available) were reviewed for the 48 graduate programs listed on DeafEd.net. Data was collected on courses with the term “audiology” in …

“Evaluating Knowledge And Perspectives Of Behavior Analytic Language Strategies In The Clinical Practice Of Speech-Language Pathology”, Mackenzie Sturman

Honors Theses

Research shows that principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be beneficial to language acquisition. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have the responsibility of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals with various speech and language impairments, and work directly with language instruction. However, there is limited knowledge of the degree to which SLPs use concepts of behavior analytic language interventions in clinical practice for individuals of varying language and communication disorders. This study investigated the extent to which practicing SLPs use language strategies from ABA in their clinical practice. A qualitative approach was utilized by conducting individual semi-structured interviews with four practicing …

Exploring The Experiences Of Communication Partners Of People With Parkinson's Disease: A Qualitative Study, Jacqueline Bell

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore interactions between persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their communication partners. People with PD experience difficulties that can have a profound effect on their ability to communicate. This qualitative study explored the thoughts and feelings of primary communication partners of people with PD. The primary communication partners were interviewed using open-ended questions. The seven participants identified and detailed how declines in communication due to PD have resulted in changes in daily life, including; social participation, daily tasks, and psychosocial well-being. Commonalities that communication partners experienced will aid speech-language pathologists to …

Effects Of Stuttering Frequency, Speaking Rate And Treatment On Speech Naturalness In Adults Who Stutter, Emily Hausman

Honors Theses

Purpose: Individuals who stutter can often exhibit speech patterns that sound unnatural compared to individuals who do not stutter. Unnaturalness can be due to several underlying factors including the presence of stuttering itself and the unintended consequences of treatment approaches that alter speech motor patterns. Understanding factors that impact speech naturalness within the stuttering population can help improve the clinical management of the disorder. The current study investigates the relationship between pause duration, speech rate and stuttering frequency, and listener ratings of speech naturalness in a group of adults who stutter (AWS) before and after participation in a stuttering treatment …

Exploring The Cochlear Implant Controversy: The Role Of And Experience With Deaf Culture For Parents Of Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users, Tia Kilgore

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

This project examined the relationships between pediatric cochlear implantation and Deaf Culture. More specifically, this research investigated how/if parents are educated about or exposed to Deaf Culture during the cochlear implant candidacy evaluation process, and what type of interactions (if any) the child or caregiver had with members of the Deaf community after the child received a cochlear implant. A short survey was distributed to caregivers of pediatric cochlear implantees. While the responses were varied, a majority of caregivers responded that Deaf culture was not an active piece of the CI candidacy process. Additionally, interactions with members of the Deaf …

Can Your Dog Hear You? Perceptions About Canine Hearing Loss And Noise Exposure, Nakita Jarmon

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

This research study was designed to explore dog owners’ views on how often they expose their dogs to loud noises and whether or not the owners believe noise exposure affects their dogs’ hearing. Many humans are not aware that dogs, too, can suffer from hearing loss. To determine dog owners’ perceptions of the amount of noise exposure their dogs face and if their hearing is affected as a result, I created a survey for dog owners in Colorado. The results indicated that many dog owners do not believe they expose their dogs to loud noises. A majority of individuals were …

An Exploration Of Resources Available To Deaf Children Attending Public And Deaf Community Schools, Katelyn Reid

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore current literature surrounding the similarities, differences, advantages and disadvantages that Deaf children experience while attending mainstream schools compared to the experiences of Deaf children attending all-Deaf and signing schools. A literature review was conducted using the terms: “mainstream schools” , “signing schools” , “resources” , and “Deaf children” were used. Areas of specific interest included social skills, academic performance, overall mood, and the availability of classroom and communication resources. A review of the literature in these four specific areas revealed mixed findings about which academic environment is more beneficial for Deaf children. …

Speech-Language Pathologist Preferences For Treatment Types For Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Meeghan Hoose

Honors Theses

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), also known as developmental apraxia is, “a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak” (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). While the child knows what he/she wants to say, the signals going from the brain to the mouth are not delivered correctly, resulting in the mouth not moving appropriately to produce the desired sounds. There are several methods used by speech-language pathologists to treat CAS including moto-programming, a linguistic approach, a combination of motor-programming and linguistic methods, sensory cuing and rhythmic approaches. Through surveying local practicing school speech-language pathologists, I will learn their preferred …

Value Of Otoacoustic Emissions Testing In Pre-School Hearing Screenings: A Literature Review, Paige Stabrawa, Scott E. Seeman Phd

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Unidentified hearing loss in children can have a potential effect on their speech and language, educational, cognitive, and social development. The goal of early detection is to minimize the effects of hearing loss through the appropriate referral for diagnosis and treatment. Hearing screenings throughout the preschool and school-age years are vital for the detection of a late-onset, late identified, or acquired hearing loss. Three influential organizations known as The American Academy of Audiology (AAA), The American Speech- Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), have considered behavioral pure tone screening as the “gold standard”for …

Picture Cued And Speech Production Cued Approaches For Speech Sound Learning, Michelyve C. Petit

LSU Master's Theses

This study examined the use of speech production cued cards, MorphoPhonic faces (MPF), and plain picture (PP) cards when seeking to remediate speech sound errors, specifically sounds / ɹ / and / s / in the word initial position. Fourteen children were provided articulation therapy at their public school using both stimulus types across four weeks. Each week, the total number of correct productions of target phoneme / s / and /ɹ/ were recorded and averaged. These results were used to graphically showcase trends in their performance with both stimulus types. The results demonstrated that MPF cards were advantageous for …

Efficacy Of A Three-Week Intervention Program For Children In The Areas Of Language, Articulation, Phonological Awareness, And Auditory Processing, Zoey Caballero

Honors Theses

Competency in the areas of language, articulation, phonological awareness, and auditory processing are essential for children to succeed academically. For the past four summers, select professors and graduate student clinicians in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department at Andrews University have conducted an intensive three-week therapy program for school aged children to target these areas. By comparing pre/post-test scores, the purpose of the study is to obtain statistical evidence for specific therapy interventions in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the intensive therapy program.

Item Comparison Of Two Language Assessments In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christina M. Hensgens

LSU Master's Theses

The language skills of children with ASD vary across the population and prove challenging to assess for many reasons. The current study was designed to compare two language assessments for children with ASD to gain understanding in determining the best method for assessment. The Preschool Language Scale-5 (PLS-5) is a standardized language assessment commonly used in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, while the Verbal Behavioral Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) is commonly used in Applied Behavior Analysis. Scores from children with ASD (N=17) on a total of 64 functionally equivalent items from both assessments were analyzed to determine the …

Acoustic Reflex And Extended High-Frequency Testing In Relation To Tinnitus, Deborah Kim

Honors Theses

Tinnitus, a growing concern among adults, is the perception of sound without an external acoustic source. Tinnitus can sound like ringing, buzzing, and clicking and is typically caused by noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of noise, which damages the cochlea, and can be temporary or permanent. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are any common factors or characteristics in Acoustic Reflex, standard pure tone and/or Extended High-Frequency testing results between two groups: people who report and do not report tinnitus. This study explores whether Acoustic Reflex testing …

Through Children's Eyes: Teaching Inclusivity And Understanding Of Communication Disorders With Children's Books, Rachel Peavler

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

“Through Children’s Eyes” is a series of children’s books that focus on describing different aspects of four different communication disorders. The topics covered in the books include augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dementia, and dysfluency. The illustrations were drawn and colored by hand, and the text and background were added digitally. The goal of this project was to create materials to effectively inform and instruct children about the nature of various cognitive, speech, and developmental differences to foster greater understanding of and tolerance towards people with communication differences.

Language Sampling Methods For Early Adolescents With Specific Language Impairment, Anna Mckay

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

One essential component of clinical practice in the field of speech-language pathology is eliciting language to assess an individual’s communication abilities. Language becomes more sophisticated during the adolescent stage of development, particularly in the areas of vocabulary and complexity of sentence structures used. The current protocols used to evaluate adolescents are limited in their ability to elicit and analyze language samples, resulting in decreased effectiveness of identifying adolescents with language disorders. Preliminary data was collected at Western Kentucky University in 2018 regarding a new language sampling technique, the Dixit Method (DM), to elicit more lexically diverse language than standard interview …

Orthographic And Phonological Processing In Beginning Readers, Emily Fisher

Senior Theses

In order to learn to “sound out” new words, children must have phonological awareness, the ability to reflect on and manipulate the sounds in words. However, in skilled readers, performance on phonological awareness tasks is influenced by orthographic awareness, the awareness of spelling patterns and constraints. Both orthographic and phonological awareness are essential to reading, however, until recently the role of orthographic knowledge in phonological awareness has not been thoroughly investigated in beginning readers. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between orthographic and phonological knowledge in beginning readers and established a proof of concept for the use of …