Five kindergarten subjects who had no known disabilities, but were identified as low beginning readers received intervention using both Plain Word Cards (PWC) and pictured word cards, termed MorphoPhonic Faces (MPF). A group of eight words were presented as printed word cards and a comparable group of eight words were presented as MPF. Results revealed that MPF did not hold an advantage for learning and retaining sight words compared to the plain print words. Improvements in sight word training corresponded in time with improved skills underlying the alphabetic principle, including phonological awareness skills and letter-sound learning, as well as emerging decoding skills for two subjects. These findings suggest that working on larger units such as words with a focus on initial sounds and word patterns has a positive (and probably reciprocal effect) on phoneme and grapheme level skills.

The IT-MAIS is a caregiver-report tool used to assess a childs functional auditory development pre- and post-implantation (Zimmerman-Phillips, et al., 2001) and as a measure of functional auditory behaviors in studies exploring cochlear implant (CI) candidacy (Barker, Kenworthy, & Walker, 2011; Franz 2002; Osberger, Zimmerman-Phillips, & Koch, 2002). However it lacks psychometric analysis of its overall reliability and validity, which are essential in determining the strength of the IT-MAIS conclusions in determining the direction of a childs clinical intervention outcomes. Barker, Donovan, Schubert, and Walker (2013) showed in their longitudinal study that caregivers did not predictably respond to items from the IT-MAIS. These unpredictable caregiver responses to the tools items lower the reports caregiver reliability. We predicted that videos for each IT-MAIS item could accurately depict the assessments targeted auditory behaviors if both rater groups found the same videos to be most representative of each IT-MAIS item. In Study 1 we generated 6 video scenarios and had 10 pediatric audiologists rate the video scenarios for each IT-MAIS item using a 7-point Likert scale. Results from Study 1 showed that pediatric audiologists found two scenarios for each IT-MAIS item that differed only by their point of view. Then the results from Study 1 and were filmed the 2 top-rated video scenarios for each IT-MAIS item. In Study 2, 5 different pediatric audiologists determined whether each video accurately depicted its corresponding IT-MAIS item. In Study 3, 20 caregivers rated how representative each video was of its corresponding IT-MAIS item using a 7-point Likert scale. Results from Studies 2 and 3 showed that the reporting audiologists and caregivers found the same 10 videos to be most representative. Those final videos were found to accurately depict the targeted behavior in each IT-MAIS item, and are the first step in improving the IT-MAIS intra-rater reliability. Our future directions suggested the need for these final 10 videos to be used in the IT-MAIS clinical administration to determine if they allow more predictable caregiver responses. These videos can be found to improve the IT-MAIS intra-rater reliability if caregiver responses become more predictable.

Eating disorders are known for their chronic and relapse-ridden course. The cyclical nature of these disorders poses not only grave physical and mental health risks for the sufferer; it also presents serious challenges for the treating professionals and places a high demand and cost on the health care system. In spite of extensive research, no reliable predictors of long-term EDs have been identified in either adult or adolescent populations, nor have treatments emerged that are specifically targeted towards treating those with a long-term ED. It is fundamental to understand who is at risk and what factors are involved in long-term EDs, as the clinical and treatment implications gleaned from this evidence could be quite impactful. The current project will include three studies that will explore long-term EDs in a large transdiagnostic sample of adolescents with an ED. It will also attempt to overcome methodological limitations associated with past studies of this type, and apply an operational definition of this course of illness that may provide a more reliable and valid method with which to identify these cases. As such, the use of the term refractory ED, defined as a return to same-type treatment, will be applied to best identify this group. The three studies proposed in this research project will provide long overdue information on predictors, profiles and growth trajectories of those adolescents who suffer from a refractory course of an ED. This research project attempts to answer the question of: who will be affected, and how will the individual be affected by a refractory ED. With the ability to identify these cases and how the course of illness is being affected, treatment approaches can better aim to provide the appropriate treatment to those individuals most at risk of suffering from a refractory course of illness.

Eating disorders are a significant health concern due to their high rates of comorbidity, mortality, and the physical and mental distress they cause. While many people are aware of the negative effects eating disorders have on physical and mental health, few realize that suicide is a potential outcome. Although the relationships between eating disorders and suicidality have been examined in clinical populations with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, these relationships have not been examined in the general population, nor with binge eating disorder. This study aimed to investigate these relationships in the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiologic Surveys (CPES, N=20,013), a large, nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Logistic regression analyses revealed that individuals with a history of each eating disorder reported higher rates of suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Rates of suicide experiences among this population are similar to individuals with a history of major depression and a comorbid anxiety disorder. It is clear from this study that suicide remains a significant concern for individuals suffering from an eating disorder in the general population. It is essential that clinicians screen for suicide experiences in individuals suspected of suffering from an eating disorder.

Speech-language pathologists must consider the clients quality of life (QoL) to provide effective and meaningful evidence-based treatment (ASHA, 2005). Quality of life assessment goes beyond language impairments and is often a key part of planning intervention. However, few QoL measures exist for people with aphasia (PWA). The Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (SAQOL-39; Hilari, 2003) is one of the few valid and reliable measures used to assess QoL in people with mild to moderate aphasia. However, the validity and reliability of the SAQOL-39 has not been established for individuals with severe aphasia who are unable to read and comprehend the written items (Hilari & Byng, 2001). Proxy reports for people with severe aphasia are not reliable and can contribute to misinterpretation of people with severe aphasia and their QoL (Hilari & Byng, 2009). High-context color photographs may access intact linguistic processes in PWA by bypassing their reading deficits (McKelvey, Hux, Dietz, & Beukelman, 2010). Therefore, visual aids may enhance accessibility of written assessments like the SAQOL-39 for people with severe aphasia. Preliminary content validity has been established for high-context color photographs paired with SAQOL-39 items by normal aging adults (Brouwer, 2013). The present study aimed to continue to establish the content validity of the photographs by investigating how 10 adults with mild to moderate aphasia, aged 30-89 years, rated similarities of photographic representations of SAQOL-39 items, rated on a 7-point Likert scale. The present results supported high content validity of photographic representations. The overall mean rating of items was 6.40 and 92% of the photographs were rated a 6 or 7 at least 60% of the time, indicating most people with mild to moderate aphasia rated photographs highly similar to the written questions they were paired with. This studys results suggest the photographs may make the SAQOL-39 more accessible for people with severe aphasia to self-report on their QoL. Further research is warranted to investigate accessibility of the photographs among the severe aphasia population.

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