Job Conditions and Practice of Private Office-Based Speech-Language Pathologists in Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Purpose: Private speech therapy centers remain an ongoing concern, especially as the primary working environment for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Korea. The purpose of this study is to investigate the current working conditions and contents of the speech therapy services of private practice-based SLPs from the perspectives of employed SLPs to find factors that can positively affect future job retention, recruitment, and satisfaction.Methods: This study conducted a web-based survey across Korea targeting private practicebased SLPs. A total of 265 SLPs were invited to participate, and 219 completed the response. The study was divided into three parts, covering demographic information, work type, environment information, service contents, and client-related information, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape.Results: Regular full-time jobs with social insurance were the most employed types of Korean SLPs in private practice. Fisher’s exact tests showed no significant effects on the type of employment and salary according to the kind of certificate. The location of the private speech therapy center affected the unit price per session. In addition, there was no significant difference in salary level depending on the employment conditions and certificate type.Conclusions: The findings of this study are significant for the field of speech therapy. Despite being the main service of private speech therapy centers, the costs related to evaluation and treatment were found to have lower unit fees than other psychological and developmental rehabilitation service areas. This disparity could potentially impact the recruitment and job retention of private practice-based SLPs. Therefore, it is crucial to consider supporting incentives based on the type of certificate and career, along with fee adjustments suitable for the current reality, to address these issues.