Department: Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
22 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 22.
1.
Angalliramachandra, Vijayachandra.
The Relationship Between Phonological Working Memory, Phonological Sensitivity, and Incidental Word Learning.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2007, Bowling Green State University
► Rapid learning of novel vocabulary is crucial to overall success in language…
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▼ Rapid learning of novel vocabulary is crucial to overall success in language acquisition. While the exact mechanisms underlying the acquisition of the lexicon remain under investigation, it is well known that children are able to form rapid initial associations between novel words and their referents during everyday experiences. This ability is referred to as incidental word learning, a process by which a learner makes a sparse initial representation of a word in lexical memory, following only a brief exposure. The cognitive abilities needed to succeed at this task were investigated, specifically by examining the role of working memory and phonological sensitivity in novel word learning by 4-year-olds who were typically developing. It evaluated two competing models, the phonological loop model proposed by Baddeley and colleagues (Baddeley and Hitch, 1974), and the lexical restructuring model of Metsala (Metsala and Walley, 1998; Metsala, 1999). Forty 4 year olds were administered a test of nonword repetition (to investigate phonological working memory), rhyming and phoneme alliteration tasks (to investigate phonological sensitivity), and an incidental word learning task, via a computer-based presentation of a cartoon story. A multiple regression analysis revealed that nonword repetition scores did not contribute significantly to incidental word learning. Phonological sensitivity scores were significant predictors of incidental word learning. These findings provide support for a model of lexical acquisition in which phonological knowledge plays an important role.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hewitt, Lynne.
Keywords: PHONOLOGICAL; nonword; WORD LEARNING; nonword repetition; PHONOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY; INCIDENTAL WORD LEARNING; INCIDENTAL WORD
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2.
Budkowski, Emily T.
VOICE ONSET TIME IN PARKINSON DISEASE.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2007, Bowling Green State University
► Research examining Voice Onset Time (VOT) in individuals with Parkinson Disease (PD)…
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▼ Research examining Voice Onset Time (VOT) in individuals with Parkinson Disease (PD) has shown mixed results. Some research has shown longer VOTs, some have found shorter VOTs, while others have found a similar VOT between individuals with PD and controls. Previous research in non-neurologically impaired individuals has found that changes in speaking rate have an effect on VOT. Given that individuals with PD are known to exhibit speaking rate differences compared to controls, the current study examined VOT in individuals with PD based on two different measures: (1) the conventional VOT measure (VOT); and (2) VOT with the effect of rate removed (VOT Ratio). Results indicated a significant effect of place of articulation for voiceless sounds and a significant vowel height effect for the VOT ratio of voiceless sounds. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the PD groups compared to controls for both VOT and VOT ratio. Within the PD group, levodopa appeared to have a greater effect on VOT than VOT ratio, meaning that the difference was actually more reflective of a medication-related rate change, rather than a pure VOT change. Overall, the current data support the usefulness of examining both VOT and VOT ratio with individuals with PD, as this method allows for dissociation between rate-related changes and true VOT-related changes.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goberman, Alexander M.
Keywords: Parkinson Disease; Voice Onset Time
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3.
Chapman, Brianna Anne.
School Speech-Language Pathologist's Comfort Working with Traumatic Brain Injury / Acquired Cognitive Disorders.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► Children and older adolescents have the highest rate of traumatic brain injury…
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▼ Children and older adolescents have the highest rate of traumatic brain injury (TBI)- related emergency department visits. Also, recently there has been an increase in fall-related TBI seen in emergency departments among children aged 14 years and younger. For children who are affected by TBI, speech-language pathology (SLP) services may be needed to help them manage their deficits and make gains in functioning. Previous research has shown that school SLPs lack confidence in working with students with TBI and in providing education to others about TBI. In regard to knowledge, previous studies have found that school SLPs hold some accurate perceptions and some misconceptions concerning TBI and its consequences. The purpose of the current study was to examine educational background knowledge, interest level, comfort level, and self-perceived effectiveness of school-based SLPs in the area of TBI. Ohio SLPs who currently work or have previously worked in a school setting responded to an online survey. Participants reported feeling more comfortable and more effective in assessment and treatment of students in general as compared to students with acquired cognitive disorders/TBI (ACD/TBI). Also, SLPs who had one or more classes in either their bachelors program or masters program primarily devoted to ACD/TBI felt they had a sufficient amount of academic experiences related to ACD/TBI. They also rated themselves as feeling more comfortable in assessment and more effective in assessment and treatment of ACD/TBI (compared to those who did not have any classes devoted to ACD/TBI). Compared to students in general, Ohio school- based SLPs reported lower ratings of comfort and effectiveness working with students with TBI. However, academic coursework devoted to ACD/TBI appears to have had a positive impact on school-based SLPs' self-reported comfort and effectiveness in regard to services provided to students with ACD/TBI. This reveals a continued need for an increase in academic coursework devoted to ACD/TBI in order to increase school-based SLPs' comfort in providing the services that are crucial for students with TBI to successfully reintegrate into the school environment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goberman, Alexander.
Subjects: Speech Therapy
Keywords: Traumatic Brain Injury; TBI; Speech-Language Pathology; Effectiveness; Comfort; Survey; SLP
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4.
Daniels, Derek Eugene.
Recounting the School Experiences of Adults Who Stutter: A Qualitative Analysis.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2007, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to gain a detailed understanding of…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to gain a detailed understanding of the K-12 school experiences of adults who stutter. This study made use of a qualitative, phenomenological approach to recount the K-12 school experiences of adults who stutter. The primary investigator conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with adults who stutter (8 males, 3 females), and 2 focus group interviews (N=6, N=4). These interviews were videotaped and audio-recorded. The primary investigator transcribed and analyzed the interviews for major and minor themes. To establish credibility, participants were provided with a copy of the transcript analysis in order to validate, clarify, or question the results. In addition, two independent investigators performed separate thematic analyses. Their findings were compared with those of the primary investigator to establish consistency of themes. Participants spoke at length about how stuttering affected their school experiences. Major themes involved student characteristics, such as emotions, coping strategies, and personality; school characteristics, such as relationships with teachers, relationships with peers, classroom interactions (e.g., oral presentations, volunteering information, introducing oneself), and interventions (e.g., speech therapy, parent-teacher conferences, or lack thereof); and post-educational consequences of stuttering. In addition, participants provided personal reflections on the present school climate for people who stutter, the visible and less visible experiences of stuttering, the experience of having a disability in school, and suggestions for classroom teachers. Results suggest that the experience of stuttering in school is influenced by many factors, and that attention should be given to not only one’s speech characteristics, but also to emotional and psychological needs and the sociocultural environment of the individual.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney M.
Keywords: stuttering; qualitative research; school experiences; psychosocial issues
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5.
De Nardo, Thales.
Acceptance of Stuttering and its Correlates.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► This study explored the relationships between acceptance of stuttering and 1) psychosocial…
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▼ This study explored the relationships between acceptance of stuttering and 1) psychosocial factors (self-esteem; hostility; emotional support; discrimination) 2) demographic characteristics (gender, age, race, education, occupation, income); 3) self-rating of severity); and 4) treatment history (treatment duration, treatment type, overall treatment satisfaction, support group participant). Adults who stutter were recruited with assistance from fluency disorders specialists and the National Stuttering Association. The final sample included 80 adults who stutter. A significant positive correlation was found between self-esteem and acceptance of stuttering. Conversely, negative correlations were found between perceived discrimination and acceptance and hostility and acceptance, suggesting that those participants reporting less perceived discrimination or hostility reported higher acceptance of disability. Surprisingly, demographics characteristics, stuttering severity, and therapy history did not have a significant effect on acceptance of stuttering.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney.
Subjects: Speech Therapy
Keywords: Stuttering; fluency disorders; acceptance; disability; stammering; self-esteem; hostility; discrimination; emotional support
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6.
Guarracino, Sophia Elizabeth.
Students with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Those Who Teach Them: Building Positive Relationships to Increase Academic Success.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► Purpose: With a growing number of students with learning disabilities (LD) and…
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▼ Purpose: With a growing number of students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) attending colleges and universities, there is an increased awareness of the academic struggles these students face, particularly in reading, writing, and organization. Evidence suggests that university/college instructors and professors can play a major role in aiding academic success. The primary purpose of this study was to identify factors that might increase the faculty-student relationship to promote the academic success of students with LD and/or ADHD. Method: An on-line, web-based survey was sent to instructors and professors employed at two branches of one large public university in the midwest. Data from the survey were analyzed descriptively to identify characteristics of the sample as well as beliefs and attitudes of these participants toward college students diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD who are struggling academically. Additionally, participants' willingness to provide a variety of accommodations for these students and limits to their willingness were explored descriptively and through exploratory factor analysis. Finally, participants' views on behaviors that constitute student effort were examined. Results: Faculty had overall positive beliefs and attitudes about students with LD and/or ADHD, and while they reported high levels of willingness to lend academic support to these students, there were limits to the support they were willing to provide. Finally, from among several student behaviors that could be perceived as effortful, faculty rated "receiving specialized intervention" as displaying the highest amount of academic effort. Conclusion: College students with LD and/or ADHD can improve relationships with those who teach them that could lead to better academic outcomes for these students.
Advisors/Committee Members: Katz, Lauren.
Subjects: Literacy; Secondary education; Speech therapy
Keywords: learning disabilities; LD; ADHD; faculty beliefs; faculty-student relationships; college level; specialist intervention
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7.
Hiipakka, Ciera M.
A Language Analysis of Parent-Child Storybook Reading with Typically Developing Preschoolers and Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► Parents are strongly encouraged to read to their preschool children to facilitate…
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▼ Parents are strongly encouraged to read to their preschool children to facilitate language and literacy development. Book reading exposes children to new vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and a variety of story plots. Adequate exposure to these models requires the child to maintain joint attention during the book reading experience. Past research has shown that it is difficult for children with ASD to maintain joint attention, which could negatively affect parent-child book reading interactions. The current study examined the language use and joint attention of parents and children with and without ASD during book reading interactions. Six families participated in this study, which resulted in a total of six preschool-age children and 12 parents. Each parent was videotaped while reading an age-appropriate book to his or her child. Parents were instructed to read as they normally would. Following the book reading interaction, parents independently completed a literacy-based questionnaire. Videos were transcribed and analyzed for language use and joint attention. The questionnaires were informally analyzed to check for differences between the participant groups. During the book reading interactions, mothers and fathers of children with ASD produced a lower MLU-m, elicited less joint attention via verbal bids, and used a higher percentage of redirections and unrelated utterances. Parents of children with ASD were also found to delete words from the text more frequently than the parents of TD children. In addition, the children with ASD were found to respond to fewer questions and requests. Due to the small participant size, it is difficult to make any definitive conclusions based on the results of this study. However, this study did present meaningful differences between the participant groups, which causes one to question if the parent-child reading techniques suggested by the literature are enough for parents who read to their children with ASD. Future research should be conducted to discover if there are techniques that may be beneficial for children with ASD during book reading interactions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hewitt, Lynne.
Subjects: Literacy; Speech Therapy
Keywords: parent-child book reading; autism spectrum disorders; joint attention; language; preschoolers
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8.
Hughes, Charles Daniel.
AN INVESTIGATION OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO STUTTER.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2007, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to explore the impact that family…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to explore the impact that family relationships have had on people who stutter (PWS). A qualitative framework was applied in order to obtain the experiences that seven PWS have had with their family. Themes included a description of support participants received along with their desire for positive stuttering role models. Barriers to receiving meaningful, deep support for these participants included lack of communication, along with misguided information from speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and families. In addition, participants felt pressure in general along with the pressure to be fluent with their families. It is recommended that families and PWS attend support groups to alleviate lack of communication. Also, family education and meaningful involvement in therapy can help encourage positive communication and alleviate pressure that PWS experience in their families. Finally, SLP education in regard to the treatment of PWS would be beneficial.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goberman, Alexander M.
Subjects: Health Sciences, Speech Pathology
Keywords: Family Relationships; Stuttering; Qualitative Design
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9.
Hughes, Stephanie.
Exploring Attitudes toward People Who Stutter: A Mixed Model Approach.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to examine university students' attitudes toward…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to examine university students' attitudes toward people who stutter (PWS). A mixed model design explored the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that fluent speakers report when considering their interactions with PWS. 150 university students responded to a 9-item, open-ended survey. Their responses were analyzed thematically to explore participants' perceptions regarding (a) descriptions of PWS and why these descriptions are appropriate, (b) the causes of stuttering, (c) difficulties associated with being a person who stutters, and (d) important considerations or facilitative techniques when interacting with PWS. The themes derived from participants' responses to the survey questions were also analyzed quantitatively to examine group differences according to gender and level of familiarity with PWS.The results indicate that participants gave as many positive descriptions as negative descriptions of PWS and were able to provide a rationale for their responses. The causes of stuttering were generally considered to be neurophysiological, genetic, or psychological in nature. Stuttering was perceived as having adverse social, academic, and vocational effects on the lives of PWS. There were no significant differences for any of the survey questions on the basis of participants' gender or level of familiarity with PWS. The implications of these findings for fluent speakers, PWS, and speech-language pathologists are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney.
Subjects: Communication; Psychology; Social research; Speech therapy
Keywords: stuttering; disability (attitudes toward); attitude measurement; stereotyping; oral communication
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10.
Hunyady, Heather.
Vocal Sounds of the Chinchilla.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► Purpose: The goal of this project was to categorize the fundamental frequency…
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▼ Purpose: The goal of this project was to categorize the fundamental frequency and durational patterns of chinchilla (laniger) vocal productions relative to typical interaction situations. Methods: This project focused on 4 distinct call types: Exploratory, Contact, Bark, and Alarm from three sources: doctoral dissertation supplements, pet owner posts, and newly collected samples from a single chinchilla. Praat was used to extract the fundamental frequency (F0) contour from the recordings. Results: Primary characteristics of the Exploratory utterances were: token Fo contours had a rapid decrease in frequency (136 ST/s), (2) token durations and token periods overlapped to a large extent across animals, 77% of all tokens contained a final Fo up-sweep tag, and utterances contained an average of 9 tokens. The Contact utterances contained 2-4 Exploratory-like tokens preceding a few transitional tokens, segueing into a sequence of the Contact tokens, Fo contours were complex, variable, and low pitched (300-800 Hz), there is a typical brief low Fo dip of less than an octave from the preceding and following Fo, and the utterances contained an average of approximately 7. Bark utterances were characterized by a brief tonal segment followed by a distinctive noise interval, an abrupt intensity onset followed by a more gradual intensity offset, an increase in token period duration across the utterance, an intensity decrease across the tokens, with a variant of the Bark category including an inspiratory tone preceding or following the token, and the utterances contained an average of 6 tokens. The Alarm utterance token was a high intensity call that included a large, very rapid frequency jump, and maintained a high intensity throughout.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scherer, Ronald.
Subjects: Acoustics; Communication
Keywords: Chinchilla; Communication; Bioacoustics; Fundamental Frequency
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11.
Irani, Farzan A.
A Mixed Methods Approach to Evaluating Treatment Outcomes for an Eclectic Approach to Intensive Stuttering Therapy.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment outcomes of the…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment outcomes of the Intensive Clinic for Adolescents and Adults Who Stutter, offered at Bowling Green State University. The study used a mixed methods design to evaluate treatment effectiveness from a user’s perspective within an evidence-based framework. The core method in this mixed methods design was a qualitative, phenomenological approach to recount participants’ experiences at the intensive clinic. Toward this end, the primary investigator engaged in semi-structured interviews with seven participants who had attended the intensive clinic between 2003 and 2008. The study gathered objective clinical data concurrently. Clinical data included archival records and current measures on a variety of assessments to evaluate stuttering severity and attitudes toward communication. All semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and video-taped. The primary investigator transcribed and analyzed the interviews using thematic analysis to determine major themes within and across participants. Credibility was established by providing participants’ a copy of the analysis to validate, clarify, or question the results. Additionally, two independent investigators recoded all statements from the transcripts. Their codes were compared with the codes generated by the primary investigator to establish reliability. The participants spoke at length about various aspects of the intensive clinic that were either helpful or not helpful to their individual experiences. The major themes generated from participant transcripts included the positive direct effects of: the duration and nature of the program; speech techniques learned and practiced at the intensive clinic; attitude change and counseling techniques used in therapy; and activities related to desensitization and transfer. The participants also reported positive effects of their personal motivation/readiness to attend the program and clinician attitudes during the program. Participants recommended adding more structure to outdoor activities completed during the program and the inclusion of a structured follow-up program. Clinical data corroborates qualitative themes and indicates that the participants made measurable clinical gains on all measures of stuttering severity and attitude change following the intensive clinic. These changes were maintained at the time of the interview. Future directions for the clinic and related research are discussed in light of the current results.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney.
Subjects: Speech therapy
Keywords: Stuttering; Treatment Outcomes; Intensive Therapy; Treatment Effectiveness; Mixed Methods
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12.
John, Jeeva.
Acoustic Analysis of Speech of Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► This study investigated differences in prosodic characteristics between the speech of individuals…
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▼ This study investigated differences in prosodic characteristics between the speech of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing (TD) controls, using both acoustic-phonetic and perceptual analyses. 4 individuals with ASD with ages ranging from 9 to 25 (3 males and 1 female) and 3 age- (+/- 1 year) and gender-matched TD controls with ages ranging from 10 to 25 were participants. Three sets of speech samples – spontaneous speech, imitated speech, and reading sample – were recorded. Acoustic-phonetic analyses were conducted on amplitude of prestressed voiced stop consonants and duration of word final fricatives of reading samples. Perceptual analyses were conducted on both the reading and spontaneous speech samples. Nine speech-language pathology graduate students rated the 7 speakers on naturalness, voice quality, rhythm, intonation, fluency, loudness, and overall intelligibility. The participants with ASD did not demonstrate a significant difference in the acoustic phonetic analyses when compared to the TD control participants. In the perceptual analyses, blind raters identified a significant difference in participants with ASD as compared to their TD controls in all characteristics except voice quality. The findings thus did not support amplitude of prestressed voiced stop consonants and duration of word final fricatives as appropriate acoustic markers of deviant prosody in the ASD population. In contrast, listeners were able to detect some prosodic differences in the speech of individuals with ASD; therefore, perceptual analyses may be used to guide future acoustic analyses for appropriate markers of prosodic deviances in the speech of individuals with ASD.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hewitt, Lynne.
Subjects: Acoustics; Communication; Health; Special education; Speech therapy
Keywords: prosody; Autistic Spectrum Disorders; ASD; acoustic analysis; autism; perceptual analysis
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13.
Konnai, Ramya Mohan.
Whisper and Phonation: Aerodynamic Comparisons across Adduction and Loudness Levels.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of the present project was to compare the aerodynamics of…
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▼ The purpose of the present project was to compare the aerodynamics of whisper and phonation. The novel aspect was to have subjects produce both whisper and phonation for nine different conditions, three qualities relative to levels of adduction (breathy, normal, and pressed) and three levels of loudness (soft, medium, and loud). The study reports subglottal pressure (Ps), airflow (F), and laryngeal flow resistance (Rf, the ratio Ps/F) for all conditions. Three males and five females between 20 and 30 years of age whispered and phonated smooth syllable strings of /baep/. This resulted in 18 treatment combinations (i.e., 3 adductions x 3 loudness levels x 2 genders). A regression analysis was performed using a Proc-mixed procedure with SAS statistical software. Results relative to laryngeal source (phonation vs. whisper): Ps was not significantly different between whisper and phonation (except for the breathy soft condition in females, where Ps was greater in phonation). Flow typically was higher for whisper than phonation (except for soft conditions, where flow was about the same). Rf tended to be greater for phonation than for whisper for females, but not for males (where Rf was about the same between phonation and whisper). Results relative to loudness: Ps increased with loudness (soft, medium, loud) at each of the three adduction levels for both phonation and whisper. Flow tended to increase with loudness in whisper at each level of adduction, but flow results were varied for phonation. In phonation, Rf increased with loudness at each level of adduction, but there was no general pattern for whisper (being relatively constant across loudness levels for each gender). Results relative to adduction: Ps increased from normal to breathy to pressed at each level of loudness for phonation, and similarly for whisper (except Ps was about the same for normal and breathy whisper productions). Breathy adduction had the greatest flow at each level of loudness for both phonation and whisper. Flow was about the same in both phonation and whisper for normal and pressed productions. Rf increased from breathy to normal to pressed at each level of loudness (although for whisper, Rf was similar for breathy and normal productions). Results relative to gender: Ps tended to be higher in males than females for all nine conditions for phonation and whisper. Males tended to have greater flow for phonation but lower flow for whisper for all conditions. Males produced greater Rf values for whisper across adduction, but lower Rf values (relatively small differences, however) for phonation across adduction levels. While there are some clear and understandable trends for the aerodynamic measures relative to changes in loudness and adduction for whisper, phonation, and gender, the results are best taken as testable hypotheses for future research.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scherer, Ronald.
Subjects: Health Sciences
Keywords: Whisper; phonation; loudness; adduction; aerodynamics
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14.
Kozlosky, Kenneth Michael.
Perception of Parkinsonian speech: Ratings by self and listeners vs. acoustic measures.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► Parkinson Disease (PD) has been found to have significant effects on speech…
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▼ Parkinson Disease (PD) has been found to have significant effects on speech production, including deficits in phonation and prosody. Studies of self-perception of speech and voice by individuals with PD suggested that individuals with PD may be unaware of their own speech deficits. It was also hypothesized previously that caregivers (or other non-neurologically impaired listeners) would show awareness of the speech deficits associated with PD. However, neither the claim that individuals with PD are unaware of their deficits, nor the claim that caregivers are aware of deficits have been comprehensively examined. The current study examined ten individuals with PD (speakers) their primary caregivers. Individuals with PD completed a paragraph reading and both those individuals and their caregivers were asked to rate the speech across six perceptual measures. Trained listeners also rated the paragraph reading across the same six perceptual measures. Perceptual measures were correlated with acoustic measures, and perceptual measures were studied for significant differences across listener types. Results showed five correlations between trained perceptions and acoustics, three (one meaningful) correlations between self-perceptions and acoustics, and no correlations between caregiver perceptions and acoustics. Across listener type, trained listener perceptions were found to be significantly higher when compared to self-perceptions on three speech characteristics, and were significantly higher than caregiver perception on one speech characteristic. Although no significant differences were found between self-ratings and caregiver ratings, descriptive analysis of the correlation results may indicate caregivers underestimate the effects of PD on speech and voice. Clinical implications are discussed, including the impact this finding may have on PD patients and caregivers regarding their abilities to seek and attend treatment for speech and voice.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goberman, Alexander M.
Subjects: Acoustics; Communication; Health care; Neurology; Personal relationships; Speech therapy
Keywords: Parkinson; speech; voice; phonation; prosody; self-perception; listener perception; acoustic
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15.
Lindenbaum, Lindsey K.
Long-time Average Spectrum in Individuals with Parkinson Disease.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► Various methods of acoustic analysis have been used to describe the speech…
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▼ Various methods of acoustic analysis have been used to describe the speech deficits expressed in Parkinson disease (PD) including long-time average spectrum (LTAS) analysis. The aim of this study was to utilize specific measurements of the LTAS to generate conclusions about physiological components of voice pathology in PD relative to medication status. Twenty-eight individuals with idiopathic PD and 10 controls were participants for this study. Each participant was recorded reading the first paragraph of the Rainbow Passage. An LTAS was generated from each reading sample and analyzed using the following measurements: Mean Spectral Energy (MSE), First Spectral Peak (FSP), spectral tilt (ST), three Spectral Slope (SS) measures (i.e., SSF0-1kHz, SS1-5kHz, and SS ratio) and spectral moments (i.e., spectral mean, spectral standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis). Examination of PD vs. Control comparison relative to LTAS measures indicated that individuals with PD demonstrated significantly lower (more negative) MSE, spectral mean and spectral SD and higher spectral skewness compared to control speakers. Furthermore, ST was positively correlated with Self-Rated Symptom Severity and Self-Rated Medication Effectiveness ratings for individuals with PD. The LTAS findings suggested that individuals with PD demonstrated overall decreased laryngeal muscle tension compared to control speakers. Decreased laryngeal muscle tension observed in the current study may have also been a reflection of decreased vocal fold closure. Future studies comparing the LTAS measures to perceptual measures may facilitate the evaluation of laryngeal function in PD.
Advisors/Committee Members: Goberman, Alexander M.
Subjects: Speech Therapy
Keywords: Parkinson Disease; PD; Long-time average spectrum; LTAS; Acoustic analysis; Medication
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16.
Muttiah, Nimisha Anya.
Controversial Therapy and Evidence-Based Practice: The Clinicians' Perspective.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► Evidence-Based Practice is a process by which clinicians select assessment and intervention…
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▼ Evidence-Based Practice is a process by which clinicians select assessment and intervention approaches to provide the most effective and efficient services possible. According to Sackett, Strauss, Richardson, Rosenberg, and Haynes (2000) it involves the combination of current research, clinical expertise and client values. The purpose of this investigation was to explore one situation in which there is conflict between the three components of EBP in relation to one therapeutic approach. Specifically, although the current research evidence does not support the use of non-speech oral motor therapy (NSOMT) with children who have phonological and/or articulation disorders, approximately 85% of clinicians use it, based on their expertise, as reported by Hodge, Salonka, and Kollias (2005). To date, there have been no detailed descriptions of clinicians’ views and opinions on controversial treatments, like NSOMT, and EBP. This study was developed to learn more about clinicians’ thoughts and views on NSOMT and EBP. The participants were speech-language pathologists who have been practicing for over five years and who have used NSOMT for children with phonological and/or articulation disorders. Each clinician participated in a one-on-one interview with the researcher. During the interviews, they were asked questions pertaining to their client caseload, their history with using oral motor therapy, the three aspects of EBP, and EBP and NSOMT. The interviews were videotaped and transcribed, and the data were coded and analyzed for emergent themes regarding the clinicians’ opinions on NSOMT.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brackenbury, Tim.
Subjects: Health; Special education; Speech therapy
Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice; Non-Speech Oral Motor Therapy; Oral Motor Therapy; Controversial Therapies; Clinicians' Perspectives
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17.
Palasik, Scott T.
Development and Implementation of Implicit Association Tests for Perceptions toward Stuttering Speakers and Fluent Speakers.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2010, Bowling Green State University
► Past research regarding attitudes about people who stutter has generated a wealth…
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▼ Past research regarding attitudes about people who stutter has generated a wealth of knowledge from explicit methods of data collection like Likert scales, semantic differential scales, and open ended questionnaires. The addition of an implicit measure of attitudes like an Implicit Association Test (IAT) may complement the explicit knowledge the field already possesses toward stuttering. To date, few studies in stuttering have utilized implicit measures to explore attitudes towards people who stutter (PWS). The purposes of this manuscript was to develop stimuli to be inserted into two IATs for Stuttering Speaker versus Fluent Speaker instruments (Picture IAT and Word IAT), to gather implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes from fluent college students, and then compare implicit and explicit attitudes. Results indicated that the Picture IAT yielded significantly fewer strong implicit attitudes than the Word IAT which may indicate that these two instruments are stimulating different attitudes about fluent and stuttered speakers or speech. Results further indicate a gap between implicit and explicit attitudes from fluent college participants where moderate to strong implicit associations toward fluent speakers (inversely moderate to strong negative associations toward stuttering speakers) were present while moderate to strong positive attitudes were reported for explicit attitudes toward both PWS and People Who Do Not Stutter (PWDS). These findings may validate a duel processing model discussed in IAT research. Further research is needed in the field of fluency disorders with a variety of participants to examine strength of associations using these two implicit instruments and the relationships with explicit measures.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney.
Subjects: Psychology; Social psychology; Speech therapy
Keywords: Implicit; IAT; stuttering; attitudes; explicit; pictures; words
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18.
Philip, Biji A.
Conversational Repair Strategies in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this case study was to explore the conversational repair…
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▼ The purpose of this case study was to explore the conversational repair responses of 3 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to communication breakdowns that occurred naturally in conversations. Adolescents with ASD are at the threshold of entry into independent living in society where their ability to manage communication breakdowns is essential. Of equal interest to the purposes of this study was describing how individuals with ASD were similar or different from each other in their sources of communication breakdowns, types of clarification requests, and repair responses used. The study used an embedded multiple-case study design to identify the sources of breakdowns, types of clarification requests made by the listener, and the types of repair responses used. Language samples were elicited across two conversational contexts (an Adult-Client context and a Peer with ASD context). A compiled coding system based on coding systems in the existing literature, pilot study findings, and those that emerged from the data was used to analyze the language samples. Results showed that all 3 participants exhibited and repaired breakdowns. Although similarities existed between the 3 participants in the types of repair responses used, they differed from each other in the variety of repair strategies used to resolve the breakdowns. Furthermore, the use of a compiled coding system enabled the identification of a pattern of strengths and weaknesses for each participant when faced with a communication breakdown. Investigations of linguistic pragmatics in autism are needed because they will generate information essential in designing effective assessments, interventions and support. The findings of this study are discussed with respect to prior theory and research, and its implications for the clinical and research fields.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hewitt, Lynne.
Subjects: Speech therapy
Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; communication breakdowns; clarification requests; repair responses; conversational repair; case study; naturalistic; language sampling; pragmatic language analysis; pragmatics; language assessment
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19.
Rusnak, Emily S.
Addressing the Effects of Poverty on Early Language Development: A Feasibility Study for a Novel Parent Language Stimulation Program.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a novel parent language stimulation program for parents of toddlers living in low-income homes. This study was designed to address a gap in the research literature for interventions that target the unique needs of this population. This pilot study used an abbreviated version of a multiple baseline design with an embedded pretest-posttest design. This method was used to detail outcomes from the intervention that may suggest further research potential with the proposed intervention. Additionally, a qualitative review of the feasibility of the intervention and methods was conducted to determine specific barriers and benefits to the intervention as proposed. Previous research in child language development suggest that parent lexical diversity, parent responsivity to child communication attempts, parent promotion of language development in the home setting, and parent knowledge of child development are all negatively impacted by low-income status. Additionally, parents in low-income homes are more likely to demonstrate lower feelings of parenting self-efficacy and experience greater levels of parenting stress. In turn, these parent behaviors have been found to impact the types of learning experiences and communication that parents provide to young children throughout their day. The intervention program designed for this study, the Caregiver-Child Language Apprenticeship Program (CcLAP), was created to address these concerns. Results indicate that parent knowledge of development and parent promotions of development in the home setting, showed some signs of a positive increase after exposure to the intervention, but no other changes were noted in the other parent behaviors measured. Issues of feasibility with the proposed design were significant, with recruitment and retention of low-income participants emerging as a central barrier to research with this population. Limitations of the study and future directions for the language stimulation intervention program and related research with low-income families are discussed in light of the current results from this study.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brackenbury, Tim.
Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Language; Speech Therapy
Keywords: language development; toddlers; early intervention; poverty; Low-SES; low-income; speech-language pathology; language stimulation; parent education; intervention
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20.
Swartz, Eric R.
COPING WITH STUTTERING.
Degree: PhD, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to investigate how people who stutter…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to investigate how people who stutter (PWS) cope with stuttering. A concurrent mixed method design was utilized to examine how experiences, knowledge, and career choice effected how PWS coped with and accepted their stuttering. Sixty- eight participants responded to a 7 item, open and closed ended survey. The closed ended questions were on a 9 point likert scale with 1 being a positive attribute and 9 being a negative attribute. The completed surveys were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The results of this study suggested that successful coping with stuttering and acceptance of stuttering share several common themes: 1) managing stuttering with no negative impact, 2) variability of stuttering, and 3) speech therapy and techniques. Common themes were also shared by participants who were unsuccessfully coping and not accepting their stuttering: 1) avoidance and 2) stuttering can inhibit life. Significant correlations suggested that PWS self-report to coping effectively and being more accepting of their stuttering when they self-reported less severe stuttering. Another significant correlation was that acceptance of stuttering and coping with stuttering were related as was seen with the themes. In addition, stuttering modification and fluency shaping, along with counseling were found to be quite successful for the participants in this study. Other treatment approaches, such as use of devices and medication were self-reported to be less effective. Finally, the current research findings were discussed in the context of future research.
Advisors/Committee Members: Gabel, Rodney.
Subjects: Speech Therapy
Keywords: Coping; stuttering; acceptance; mixed methods
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21.
Whitfield, Jason A.
Pressures and Flows for a Convergent and Divergent Oblique Glottis of 15 Degrees.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2012, Bowling Green State University
► Current high-speed imaging of vocal fold motion has shown vibrational asymmetries in…
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▼ Current high-speed imaging of vocal fold motion has shown vibrational asymmetries in both individuals with and without voice disorders. However, empirical data regarding aerodynamic pressure of asymmetric glottal configurations is limited. The current investigation examined empirically derived intraglottal pressures of left-right glottal asymmetry (obliquity) using the static constant flow model, M5. Two cases, one convergent and one divergent, having an obliquity of 15o were examined. Seven diameters along with a range of transglottal pressure were studied for each case. For both cases of obliquity, when the diameter was small, the vocal folds were more aerodynamically entrained, with each vocal fold having similar intraglottal pressures. As the diameter increased, the aerodynamic coupling of the vocal folds decreased, leading to cross channel pressure differences at glottal entrance as large as 70% for the convergent Case I and 40% for the divergent Case II. These aerodynamic differences may potentially enhance out of phase motion of the vocal folds. These data suggest that the aerodynamic effects of obliquity are highly dependent on diameter and angle. Results from this study should be incorporated into multimass computer simulation models to further examine the dynamic effects of obliquity on vocal fold oscillation and glottal flow.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scherer, Ronald.
Subjects: Biomechanics; Biophysics; Civil Engineering; Engineering; Speech Therapy
Keywords: Glottal Asymmetries; Vocal Fold Asymmetries; Vocal Fold Physiology; Glottal Aerodynamics; Vocal Fold Modeling
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22.
Witter, Elizabeth Ashlee.
Undergraduates' Knowledge and Interest in the Doctorate of Philosophy Degree for Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Degree: MS, Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, 2011, Bowling Green State University
► The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association has projected a shortage of professionals…
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▼ The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association has projected a shortage of professionals in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) who hold a doctorate of philosophy degree. These professionals have expertise in the field and contribute to its development through research and the education of future clinicians. Efforts have been made to remediate this problem through increasing awareness of the shortage and promoting the doctorate degree to students. However, the knowledge and interests that students have about the doctoral degree are not known. To evaluate this, 985 undergraduate CSD students from across the nation participated in a survey inquiring about their perceptions, knowledge, and interests in the doctorate degree in CSD. Results of the survey indicated that the educational backgrounds and experiences undergraduates have relate to their level of knowledge of the doctorate degree. Undergraduate students’ level of interest in achieving a doctorate related to their perceived knowledge of the degree, but not their demonstrated knowledge. Overall, opportunities that relate to the doctoral careers should be promoted to undergraduate students in order to increase knowledge and interest in the degree.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brackenbury, Tim.
Subjects: Audiology; Communication; Education; Higher Education; Speech Therapy
Keywords: Communication Disorders; Doctorate; PhD; Undergraduate; Knowledge and Interest; Education
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