Approximately one million people in the United States suffer from aphasia. There are multiple types of aphasia, however they are usually placed into two categories: non-fluent or fluent. The psychosocial factors that are impacted due to the type of aphasia has not been systematically investigated. The purpose of this study is to examine how non-fluent and fluent Individuals With Aphasia (IWA) compare or contrast across three psychosocial factors, Quality of Life (QoL), coping style, and resilience. The World Health Quality of Life- BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), Assimilative-Accommodative Coping Scale (AACS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 item version (CD-RISC-10), were administered once to 24 subjects with a diagnosis of aphasia. Four of the subjects were excluded after administration, due to incompletion of questionnaire or not meeting inclusion criteria. A cross sectional multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) study design was utilized with a separate one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) utilized to analyze each domain and scale individually. Results from the MANOVA analysis showed no statistically significant difference between non-fluent and fluent IWA when considered jointly among the three Likert scales. However, a separate ANOVA was conducted for each scale individually and showed a statistically significant difference between fluent and non-fluent IWA in the domains of Social Relationships and Environment for the WHOQOL-BREF scale. There was no statistically significant difference discovered among the other domains and scales. In conclusion, the significant difference found between fluent and non-fluent IWA in the domains of Social Relationships and Environment, may be due to the majority of the fluent IWA being categorized as anomic, a higher functioning form of aphasia. Whereas the majority of non-fluent IWA were categorized as having Broca’s aphasia, which greatly affects speech output and, in six out of nine participants, hemiplegia was noted. Future research may want to take into account the severity of aphasia when comparing and contrasting non-fluent and fluent IWA.

Studies have investigated the physical and emotional wellbeing of family members and spouses who care for persons with stroke (Bakas, et al. 2006). Literature shows burden of care is high in role reversal and depression is frequent. Variables that affect the caregiver burden with persons with aphasia (PWA) have not been identified prior to this study. Results from caregiver interviews found six themes, some which have not been identified prior, such as feelings of optimism.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching dialogic reading (DR) strategies to adolescent mothers as measured by DR strategy use during shared book reading with their children. The secondary purpose was to determine the impact of adolescent mothers' implementation of DR strategies on their preschool children’s single word vocabulary. A single subject multiple baseline across behaviors research design was implemented with one adolescent mother and her twin boys. Based on visual analysis of graphical representation of the data, it was determined there was a moderate to strong functional relation between educating an adolescent mother on DR and her implementation of DR strategies during shared book reading, depending on the DR strategy. Receptive and expressive scores on the individual book assessments decreased from baseline to intervention. These results provide preliminary evidence that adolescent mothers have the potential to implement new strategies during shared book reading when provided with direct support. Future research with this population should strive towards developing an intervention for adolescent mothers and their children to enhance children’s language and literacy development.

This study investigates the extent to which the fluent life partners (LPs) of persons who stutter (PWS) understand the effect stuttering has on their partner who stutters' communication attitude. This was accomplished by administering the Communication Attitude Test for Adults Who Stutter (BigCAT; Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2018), a subtest of the Behavior Assessment Battery (BAB; Vanryckeghem & Brutten, 2018). The BigCAT was administered to 33 PWS and a modified version was administered to their LPs via Qualtrics, an online survey software system. Between-group total score comparison revealed no significant difference in total scores, and a low-medium score correlation was evidenced. Within both groups, participants age and gender did not have a significant effect on total scores. The perception of stuttering severity was found to significantly influence BigCAT scores within each group. No differential effect of duration of relationship on score agreement was found to exist. A high Cronbach Alpha coefficient was obtained for both test forms. Between-group item score comparison revealed that only answers on two out of the 34 items differed significantly. They were related to frequency of speech disruption and avoidance of persons, places or situations. Item 24 had a perfect correlation between the two groups and relates to common behaviors PWS exhibit in trying to attain more fluency. Overall, the findings of this study show that LPs of PWS have a general understanding of the impact stuttering has on their partner who stutters' communication attitude.

Aphasia is an acquired language impairment caused by damage in the regions of the brain that support language. The Main Concept Analysis (MCA) is a published formal assessment battery that allows the quantification of the presence, accuracy, completeness, and efficiency of content in spoken discourse produced by persons with aphasia (PWA). It utilizes a sequential picture description task (with four sets of pictures) for language sample elicitation. The MCA results can also be used clinically for targeting appropriate interventions of aphasic output. The purpose of this research is to develop a Spanish adaptation of the MCA by establishing normative data based on native unimpaired speakers of Spanish. In the pilot study, thirty-eight unimpaired Spanish participants were recruited by previous student researchers. Each participant was asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and a short form of the Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test was administered to rule out any unidentified language problems. The MCA was then be administered to participants and their oral description was audio recorded for later orthographic transcription. A total of 81 unimpaired participants that consisted of different genders, ages (young, middle-aged, and older groups), levels of education (high versus low), and dialect origins (e.g., Spain, Puerto Rico, Columbia) were recruited in the main study to establish a more balanced set of data. One person with aphasia (PWA) was recruited for this study. Based on the collected normative samples, the essential information was identified for each participant. A dialect-specific scoring criteria including target main concepts and lexicons of the Spanish-MCA were developed. The Spanish-MCA was conducted to test the validity of the assessment battery. In the current study, a preliminary set of data using the MCA scoring criteria has been established. Similar to findings in Kong and Yeh 2015, the results of the Spanish-MCA showed age and education did impact discourse performance. Results from one-way ANOVA revealed statistical differences between age groups and education levels of the unimpaired participants recruited. The groups of participants with a higher education conveyed more AC concepts compared to the other dialect groups. To compare data for PWA, it is suggested that a larger sample size of PWA be recruited to validate the Spanish-MCA.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder marked by social interaction impairment, verbal and non-verbal communication deficit, and repetitive and restricted interests and behaviors. Individuals with ASD who have complex communication needs (CCNs), meaning they have impaired speech or language expression and/or comprehension that limit their social participation, can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, accessing AAC services in developing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, is limited due to the lack of professionals who can provide such services. Speech language pathologists (SLPs) are the main health practitioners who are responsible for assisting those with communication disorders, especially individuals with CCNs. The purpose of this study is to address Saudi Arabian SLPs' perceived competence in providing AAC technologies and services as well as to examine the relationship between their perceived competence and other factors, including education, clinical training, and experience. This study addresses three primary aims. The first aim is to describe the SLP participants’ background. The second aim is to collect data about SLPs' attitudes and perceived competence in providing AAC services to those with ASD. The third aim is to highlight whether education, training, and years of experience are related to SLPs' perceived competence in providing AAC interventions.

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is an abnormal narrowing of the airway at the level of the cricoid cartilage, above the first tracheal ring and immediately beneath the vocal folds. Individuals with SGS experience a reduction in their ability to breathe as well as adverse effects on voice function. SGS can result from a variety of causes with the type of treatment depending on stenosis severity. Surgical techniques such as laryngotracheal and cricotracheal reconstruction are beneficial for airway maintenance; however, these procedures have resulted in negative effects on voice production. On the other hand, there are patients with SGS who do not require surgery and still experience voice problems. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of SGS on vocal fold vibration using an excised larynx benchtop mechanical model. Using a within-subjects repeated measures design, nine porcine larynges underwent experimental conditions including 0% (i.e., normal airway), 50% and 75% stenosed. The primary outcome measure was phonation threshold flow (PTF), which is the rate of flow observed at the onset of phonation. For all larynges, the normal and stenosed conditions were sampled three times each and averaged. Analysis of the results revealed no statistically significant differences in PTF; however, descriptive data showed decreases in PTF and increased variability in PTF values as percent stenosis increased. These findings lay important groundwork for future research in SGS, specifically those that employ ex vivo methodologies. PTF has emerged as a promising means of quantifying voice function in addition to the traditional onset pressure measures. Future studies should examine a broader range of stenosis conditions with a larger sample size to promote generalization to clinical populations including individuals with SGS.

Electropalatography (EPG) is a system designed to provide visual feedback of lingua-palatal contact via electrodes and computer software in real-time. Traditionally, EPG technology has been effective in the treatment of both developmental and acquired speech disorders. Little research, however, has been done to show the effectiveness of EPG feedback in second language instruction and foreign accent reduction. The present thesis is part of a larger project examining the utility of EPG technology as a potential tool for teaching English speakers learning German as a second language (L2). A common error that English speakers make in German pronunciation is the incorrect use of dark [ɫ], when only light [l] should be present. This study seeks to identify the individual contact patterns of light and dark [ɫ] in English to determine if the differences in lingua-palatal contact patterns warrant further testing of EPG feedback in L2 instruction of German. Productions of light and dark [ɫ] were collected from twelve native English speakers in phrases, words, and nonsense words. Regional activation percentages, center of gravity measures, and visual lingua-palatal contact maps indicated distinct differences between the participants light and dark [ɫ] productions. These differences typically did not vary significantly across vowel type, but did change as a function of the linguistic task. The findings of this study indicate that additional research into the efficacy of EPG visual feedback with L2 German learners is warranted. Thus, EPG may be an effective tool in teaching the allophonic sound contrast between light and dark [ɫ] for L2 learners.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of a multi-tiered oral narrative language intervention on kindergarteners’ oral and written narrative and oral expository skills. The participants included 686 kindergarten students from four school districts in the upper Midwest. They were randomly assigned at the classroom level to a treatment or control condition. The treatment group received large group (tier-1) oral narrative language instruction led by classroom teachers and followed the Story Champs procedures. Students whose oral narrative retell skills did not improve after one month of large group instruction were placed in small groups and received more intense oral narrative language instruction in addition to Tier 1 instruction. Tier 2 instruction followed the Story Champs small groups producers and was administered by speech-language pathologists. At posttest, students’ narrative retell, personal story generation, narrative writing, and expository retell scores were analyzed. The treatment and control groups were compared across all measures. The Tier 2 treatment group was also compared across all measures to matched samples of at-risk, average, and advanced students in the control group. The results indicate that the treatment group made significant improvements across all measures when compared to the control group. Tier 2 students consistently performed similarly to or significantly outperformed their at-risk, average, and advanced peers across all measures with the exception of expository retell. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a multi-tiered oral narrative language intervention in improving the narrative and expository language skills of kindergarten students. Future research is needed to determine the effects of implementing an explicit expository oral language intervention on kindergarten students’ language skills.

This cross-validation study investigated the extent that a Spanish narrative language dynamic assessment accurately identified students with and without language disorder across three separate samples of bilingual and monolingual Spanish-speaking students from Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S. Students with language disorder and students with typically developing language were administered a narrative dynamic assessment in Spanish. A test-teach-retest format of dynamic assessment was followed and student modifiability, or learning ability, was rated directly following the teaching phase of the assessment. Results indicated that the most predictive dynamic assessment variables for the Guatemalan sample were posttest scores combined with two separate modifiability measures (i.e., total modifiability scores and modifiability final judgment scores). These same variables were applied in the cross-validation classification analyses of the Mexico and U.S. samples with good classification accuracy achieved. The results of this study indicate that a Spanish narrative dynamic assessment may be a culturally appropriate diagnostic tool in identifying Spanish-speaking students with language disorder.