Speech-language Pathology Programs Research Articles

Evaluating ExpandED: Evaluating the effectiveness of a serious game expansion pack in teaching health professional students about interprofessional care.

The emergency department (ED) is a challenging fast-paced environment with high-acuity, undifferentiated patients who often require extensive interdisciplinary care. This paper introduces ExpandED, an expansion pack to the serious board game GridlockED, designed to enhance players' understanding of interprofessional collaboration in the ED and the diverse scope of practice of different ED professionals including physicians, residents, registered nurses, registered practical nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. This investigation evaluates the effectiveness of ExpandED as a teaching tool for medical and allied health professions students about interprofessional collaboration in the ED. A program evaluation harnessing a playtest framework was employed. Participants completed pre- and postgame surveys including quantitative measures (e.g., Likert scales) and qualitative free-text feedback that focused on participant familiarity with ED functioning, valuation of interprofessional collaboration before and after playing, and feedback on game usability and effectiveness. Recruitment was open to students in all health care and allied health professional programs at the institution. Forty-five participants were recruited from medical doctor, nursing, physiotherapy, and speech language pathology programs. ExpandED enhances participants' understanding of ED workflow (p < 0.001) and provides an enjoyable playing experience. However, participants' valuation of interdisciplinary teamwork did not change significantly before and after game play (p = 0.17). Participants expressed satisfaction with the game's accuracy in simulating the ED environment and appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with peers from different disciplines. Challenges reported included some tension among players, potential biases, and limitations of fidelity to a real-life ED. While this study has limitations regarding participant sampling and duration of gameplay sessions, it highlights the potential of ExpandED for teaching interprofessional collaboration in the ED. These findings will guide further development to optimize the expansion pack's effectiveness and its implementation into health care curricula.

Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions From the Perspective of Speech-Language Pathology Students.

Implicit racial and ethnic biases have been documented across a variety of allied health professions; however, minimal research on this topic has been conducted within the field of speech-language pathology. The purpose of this study was to understand implicit racial and ethnic bias in speech-language pathology students by examining their perceptions and attitudes about the acceptability of racial and ethnic microaggressions. We also examined whether the student ratings varied by their racial and ethnic identity (White vs. people of color [POC]). Fifty-nine students (72% White, 28% POC) currently enrolled in a speech-language pathology program voluntarily completed the Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions Scale via an online Qualtrics survey. Although 70% of the student ratings classified the microaggressive statements as unacceptable, 30% of their ratings classified the statements as either (a) acceptable or (b) neither acceptable nor unacceptable. Although both groups of students rated the majority of statements as unacceptable, students who self-identified as White rated more statements as acceptable than students who self-identified as POC. Findings indicating relatively high rejection of microaggressive statements by speech-language pathology students are promising. However, responses were not uniform, and a nontrivial proportion of responses provided by speech-language pathology students reflected passivity toward or active endorsement of microaggressive statements.

The Acquisition of Static and Dynamic Intervention Skills by Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Students.

Speech-language pathology programs use simulated learning experiences (SLEs) to teach graduate student clinicians about fidelity to therapeutic interventions, including static skills (clinical actions that are delivered in a prespecified way regardless of the client's behavior) and dynamic skills (contingent responses formulated in response to a client's behavior). The purpose of this study was to explore student learning of static and dynamic skills throughout SLEs and live clinical practice. Thirty-three speech-language pathology graduate students participated in this study. Students were first trained to deliver an intervention before having their treatment fidelity measured at three time points: an initial SLE, actual clinical practice, and a final SLE. Treatment fidelity was first summarized using an overall accuracy score and then separated by static and dynamic skills. We hypothesized that (a) overall accuracy would increase from the initial simulation to treatment but remain steady from treatment to the final simulation and that (b) students would acquire dynamic skills more slowly than static skills. In line with our hypotheses, students' overall accuracy improved over time. Although accuracy for static skills was mostly established after the first simulation, dynamic skills remained less accurate, with a slower acquisition timeline. These results demonstrate that SLEs are efficacious in teaching students the clinical skills needed for actual clinical practice. Furthermore, we show that dynamic skills are more difficult for students to learn and implement than static skills, which suggests the need for greater attention to dynamic skill acquisition during clinical education.

A 10-Year Retrospective Case Study of the Relation between Four Summative Assessment Measures in a Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program

A 10-Year Retrospective Case Study of the Relation between Four Summative Assessment Measures in a Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program

Uso de material multimídia: efeitos no conhecimento de graduandos de Odontologia e Fonoaudiologia

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the knowledge of Dental and Speech-Language Pathology undergraduate students about prosthesis treatment of velopharyngeal dysfunction in cases of cleft lip and palate before and after using educational multimedia material. Methods: The sample comprised 58 students (38 from the Dental program, and 20 from the Speech-Language Pathology program). A questionnaire on prosthesis treatment of velopharyngeal dysfunction in cases of cleft lip and palate was administered to a group of Dental and Speech-Language Pathology undergraduate students before and after they had access to educational multimedia (video) material on the topic approached in this study. Inferential statistics were used to investigate the significance of differences in correct answers before and after the Dental and Speech-Language Pathology undergraduate students had access to the multimedia/video material. Results: Before having access to the multimedia/video material, Speech-Language Pathology students had more correct answers (Dental: 4.89±1.31; SLP: 6.30±0.57). After having access to the material, the difference in correct answers between the students of both programs decreased (Dental: 6.00±0.66; SLP: 6.45±0.51), as Dental students’ knowledge of the research topic increased. The comparison of the total sample before and after applying the multimedia/video material also demonstrated an increase in correct answers. Conclusion: Speech-Language Pathology students proved to have greater previous knowledge of palatal prostheses used for velopharyngeal dysfunction in cases of cleft lip and palate. Moreover, using the multimedia material possibly increased both Dental and Speech-Language Pathology students’ knowledge of this topic.

Racial Colorblindness in Speech-Language Pathology Students

Purpose: Implicit racial biases have been documented across a variety of allied health professions and training programs. The purpose of this study was to examine implicit racial bias within speech-language pathology (SLP) students by evaluating their attitudes towards statements reflecting racial colorblindness. Method: Fifty-nine students currently enrolled in an SLP program completed the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS; Neville et al., 2000) via an online Qualtrics survey, comprised of three subscales: Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination, and Blatant Racial Issues. Results: Results suggested that although 67% do not endorse colorblind statements on the CoBRAS, 33% of the students either agreed with colorblind statements (18%) or indicated neither agreement nor disagreement with colorblind statements (15%). Colorblind statements related to Racial Privilege (e.g., Everyone who works hard, no matter what race they are, has an equal chance to become rich.) were rejected less frequently (55%) than statements related to Institutional Discrimination (68%; e.g., Racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. have certain advantages because of the color of their skin.) or Blatant Racial Issues (79%; e.g., Racial problems in the US are rare, isolated situations.). Conclusion: Voluntary self-examination of implicit racial bias within any pre-professional training program is a difficult, but important step towards addressing issues of systemic racism prior to entering the field. This study is the first to do so within speech-language pathology. Although data indicating relatively high rejection of colorblind statements found in this study are promising, students did not uniformly reject colorblind statements. Such response variation provides a foundation to further educate SLP students about implicit bias and its potential to impact one’s cultural responsivity.

Undergraduate Nursing Application of the Rapid Aspiration Screening Tool (RAS-3): An Interprofessional Swallow Screen Simulation

BackgroundSwallow screenings for patients with suspected stroke may increase early identification of aspiration risk potentially reducing the incidence of pneumonia, length of stay, hospital costs, and patient mortality (Benfield et al., 2020; Daniels et al., 2016; Murray et al., 2021; Sherman et al., 2021). A simulation activity including graduate speech-language pathology (SLP) students and nursing students facilitates an experiential learning opportunity that paves the way for future knowledge and professional collaboration. MethodsThis study utilized an interdisciplinary swallow screen (Rapid Aspiration Screening [RAS-3]) lab, which included a standardized training protocol and simulation activity using standardized patients. The archival dataset included assessment data of 72 students from two programs, an accelerated undergraduate nursing (RN) program and SLP program within the same university. ResultsRN and SLP students obtained similar swallow screen interpretation results (e.g., x2 [1, 97] = 0.01, p = .92). Overall competency scores increased from pretraining (Mean = 82.4, N = 72) to posttraining (Mean = 96.5, N = 71). Twenty-six RN students and 23 SLP students (Mean difference = 19.2 and 25.2, respectively) scored higher after the RAS-3 training (Mean rank = 30.1). A significant difference in pretraining competency scores between RN students (Mean rank = 43.6, N = 48) and SLP students (Mean rank = 22.4, N = 24) (U = 236.5, z = -4.16, p < .00) was also observed, with a moderate effect size (r = -0.49). Furthermore, using the RAS-3 Lab Follow-up Questionnaire, 75.9% indicated they strongly felt that standardized patients helped them prepare for clinical practice. ConclusionBy providing a structured training program and then supporting the didactic material with an experiential, interdisciplinary activity, RN students were able to achieve results comparable to SLP students when performing the RAS3 swallow screen (Table 4).

Developing novice analysts’ videofluoroscopic swallowing study skills in speech-language pathology: A randomised control trial comparing blended and online training approaches

Purpose This research investigates the relative effectiveness of independent online and blended learning approaches for novice analysts’ development of videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) analytical skills. The secondary aims were to explore the impact of training on decision-making and to describe learners’ perspectives of training outcomes. Method Undergraduate speech-language pathology students (n = 74) who had completed the dysphagia academic curriculum in an undergraduate speech-language pathology program were recruited for a randomised control trial. The ability to identify swallowing impairments in adults was compared pre- and post-training across three conditions: independent online (n = 23), peer-supported (n = 23), and expert-facilitated training (n = 28). The training comprised online VFSS training and practice with a commercially available digital video disc (DVD). Result The three training approaches were equal in improving novice analysts’ identification of impairments on VFSS. Participants’ analysis improved pre- to post-training (p = <.001), with no statistical difference amongst training conditions (p = .280). However, the expert facilitation condition resulted in better decision-making skill for novice analysts, as well as higher levels of confidence and greater engagement in the learning. Conclusion Well-designed independent online methods are appropriate to prepare novice analysts for VFSS analytical training. Expert facilitation and peer-supported environments may have benefits for more advanced skill development and engagement, and should be investigated in future studies.

Perceptions of Racism and White Privilege Among White Graduate Students in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

In the White-dominated fields of audiology and speech-language pathology, graduate students should demonstrate awareness of racism and racial privilege to begin developing cultural humility. A 2013 survey of graduate students in audiology and speech-language pathology indicated that White students demonstrated minimal awareness of White privilege (Ebert, 2013). This study builds on Ebert (2013) by investigating changes in White students' perceptions of White privilege over time and by adding characterization of their perceptions of systemic racism. A web-based survey was distributed to graduate students in audiology and speech-language pathology programs across the country. The survey combined repeat questions from the work of Ebert (2013) with novel questions on systemic racism within the fields. For this study, only responses from White students were analyzed. The majority of White respondents (n = 104) acknowledged White privilege and systemic racism, though colorblindness and denial were still present among student responses. Significant increases in acknowledgment of White privilege from the Ebert (2013) results were observed across all questions. In qualitative analyses, the most common themes were the impact of White privilege and systemic racism on quality of services, access and opportunities, and clinician-client mismatch. Among White audiology and speech-language pathology graduate students, awareness of White privilege has increased over the past decade and most students acknowledge this privilege, as well as systemic racism. However, additional steps should be taken by students, graduate training programs, and practicing clinicians to continue confronting racial inequities in the fields. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.22714222.

Graduate-Level Training of Speech-Language Pathologists for the Provision of Auditory Rehabilitation

Purpose: This study investigated the type and amount of graduate-level training speech-language pathology students receive in the area of auditory rehabilitation to prepare them to provide clinical services for individuals with hearing loss. Method: The curricula of 251 accredited speech-language pathology programs in the United States were reviewed. The data were used to document the current trends in higher education to prepare speech-language pathology students to provide auditory rehabilitation. Results: Only 52% of the graduate programs required a course related to auditory rehabilitation, while 12% offered courses only as elective content. Conclusions: Given the scope of practice of speech-language pathologists and the increased likelihood of working with individuals with hearing loss due to an upward trend in the diagnosis of hearing loss, it is important that higher education programs ensure that future speech-language pathologists are prepared to provide auditory rehabilitation and be well prepared for working with individuals with hearing loss across the life span. A review of curricula as well as a strong consideration to require an auditory rehabilitation course and clinical training at the graduate level for speech-language pathologists is warranted.

Interprofessional education as a potential foundation for future team-based prevention of alcohol use disorder

BackgroundEffective screening of alcohol use and prevention of alcohol use disorder (AUD) requires the continuous preparation of educated and confident providers across all health professions who will ideally work in close collaboration in their future practices. As one mechanism for achieving this goal, the development and provision of interprofessional education (IPE) training modules for health care students may cultivate beneficial interactions among future health providers early in their formative education.MethodsIn the present study, we assessed attitudes about alcohol and confidence in screening and AUD prevention in 459 students at our health sciences center. Students represented ten different health professions (audiology, cardiovascular sonography, dental hygiene, dentistry, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, public health, respiratory therapy, and speech language pathology programs). For purposes of this exercise, students were divided into small, professionally diverse teams. Responses to ten survey questions (Likert scale) were collected via a web-based platform. These assessments were collected before and after a case-based exercise that provided information to students on the risks of excessive alcohol use as well as the effective screening and team-based management of individuals susceptible to AUD.ResultsWilcoxon signed-rank analyses revealed that the exercise led to significant decreases in stigma toward individuals engaging in at-risk alcohol use. We also discovered significant increases in self-reported knowledge and confidence in personal qualifications needed to initiate brief interventions to reduce alcohol use. Focused analyses of students from individual health programs uncovered unique improvements according to question theme and health profession.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate the utility and effectiveness of single, focused IPE-based exercises to impact personal attitudes and confidence in young health professions learners. While additional longitudinal cohort follow-up studies are needed, these results may translate into more effective and collaborative AUD treatment in future clinical settings.

What students can teach each other: Promoting optimal voice use for teaching through a speech-language pathology student-led voice clinic

Initial teacher education (ITE) students experience voice problems while studying and subsequently in their careers with the potential to impact their teaching careers. Education about voice and vocal techniques required for teaching is not routine in teacher education. Speech-language pathology (SLP) programs require clients for voice-related training. This descriptive study considered student experiences and perceptions of benefit related to an SLP student-led voice clinic for ITE students. A cross-sectional survey revealed that 28.9% of ITE students presented with a voice problem on the Screen6, and 24.4% perceived themselves as vocally handicapped (VHI-10). Findings support the importance of routine screening of voice in ITE students, and that a student-led clinic may address preparation/training needs of both ITE and SLP students.

Pediatric Dysphagia: A Look Into the Training Received During Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Programs to Support This Population.

The purpose of this study was to examine academic preparation in pediatric swallowing and feeding, specifically, how speech-language pathology graduate programs were addressing pediatric swallowing and feeding, both academically and clinically, prior to guideline changes and modifications in 2020 due to updates and the global health pandemic. To gain a rounded image of speech-language pathology academic programs, two different methodological approaches were utilized. First, courses from 272 accredited programs were analyzed. Second, survey results from 100 participants were analyzed to investigate clinical clock hours and experiences received during participation in a graduate speech-language pathology academic program. Less than 1% (0.4%) of academic courses analyzed were categorized as pediatric swallowing and feeding. Greater than 90% of participants reported receiving 20 hr or less in pediatric dysphagia, assessment, or treatment. Sixty percent of participants reported not feeling well prepared at all to provide pediatric swallowing and feeding services. There are a growing number of children requiring swallowing and feeding services, a trend that looks to continue its rise. Pediatric dysphagia is a complex area requiring unique knowledge and skills. Academic programs have a responsibility to their students, and the individuals requiring speech-language pathology services, to provide experiences that allow for knowledge and skill development across the entire scope of practice and life span.

Survey of Communication Sciences and Disorders Applicants: Factors That Influence Graduate School Selection

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive analysis of the aspects within speech-language pathology programs that students deem to be important or relevant as they apply to and subsequently select a graduate program. Method: Data were collected through an online survey of 627 individuals who had applied to a master's degree program in speech-language pathology. Ninety-nine applicants participated in the survey (15.7% response rate) with approximately half (46%) providing information to an open-ended question. Survey questions explored 28 different factors for consideration. Results: Respondents indicated that clinical opportunities on and off campus, ability to attend full time, and responsiveness of the university to inquiries were the top most important factors when deciding where to apply and then attend graduate school. The top factors considered not important, or irrelevant, included attending a large university, ability to attend part time, and the program being located in a small town/city. An open-ended response question identified other factors applicants valued, including diversity within the program, diversity of clients, the campus community, and university supports. Conclusions: Results from this study identified factors important to communication sciences and disorders (speech-language pathology) graduate program applicants to a small, public university in rural Virginia and supported findings from previous studies. Furthermore, additional factors emerged including university assistance and supporting students from diverse backgrounds. Graduate programs can use these findings in developing and refining programs and in recruiting students to their programs.

The Utility of Peer-to-Peer Practice for Teaching Speech-Language Pathology Students Transnasal Endoscopy

Introduction: Transnasal flexible endoscopy (TNFE) is necessary for multiple assessments in speech-language pathology (SLP), but it is generally considered an advanced practice technique to be learned during clinical practice. As such, there is no standardized way that it is taught in training programs, leading to a substantial knowledge gap for new graduates. Though peer-to-peer practice has been discussed as an important step in training, it is not clear whether it confers additional benefits above and beyond simulation. This study sought to answer that question in the areas of student confidence, endoscopy speed, and motivation to pursue further TNFE experiences. Methods: Thirty-six SLP graduate students completed TNFE training and one of two practice conditions: simulation only or simulation with additional peer-to-peer practice. Outcome measures included confidence and comfort surveys, intrinsic motivation to complete an additional TNFE experience, and speed of TNFE. Results: No significant differences were found between the two groups for any measure, and consistently low effect sizes indicated there was little difference between groups. Conclusions: These results indicate that teaching TNFE through simulation may provide similar outcomes to peer-to-peer practice during the initial training that an SLP graduate program can provide. This adds to the literature indicating that TNFE simulation is a worthwhile addition to SLP programs.

Pediatric interprofessional education opportunities in entry-level doctor of physical therapy programs

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an essential curricular component for future pediatric physical therapists. Current research is inconclusive regarding the amount of pediatric IPE recommended for physical therapy (PT) education programs. This study's purpose is to explore practices guiding inclusion of IPE within entry-level PT pediatric curriculum in the United States. Data was collected using a cross sectional survey of US PT education programs. Descriptive statistics were collected for program demographics, pediatric IPE offerings, and interprofessional collaboration. Sixty percent of programs offer pediatric IPE. The most frequent IPE learning experiences are case studies and clinical rotations. PT students collaborate primarily with occupational therapy and speech language pathology programs. These results identify an opportunity to include additional interprofessional opportunity development in preparation for collaborative practice. Additional research is indicated to address the challenges to inclusion of pediatric IPE in PT education programs.

Engaging clinical end users in the development of an outcome measurement protocol for paediatric communicative health systems

Purpose To develop a conceptual framework of the factors likely to influence clinicians’ use of a new participation-focused outcome measurement protocol in a large paediatric speech-language pathology program. Method A convenience sample of 27 end users (clinicians, managers) were recruited from Ontario, Canada’s Preschool Speech and Language Program. Participants engaged in one virtual concept mapping session in groups of five to six during which they learned about the new protocol, and generated statements in response to a prompt asking them to identify factors that would influence their use of the protocol. Following all sessions, participants asynchronously sorted and rated all statements, and data were analysed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses. Result Six themes were identified: (1) response from families; (2) use of resources; (3) feasibility and clinical utility; (4) relevance and value-added for clinicians; (5) streamlining policies and guidelines; and (6) delivery, administration, and modification of tool. Response from families, feasibility and clinical utility, and use of resources received the highest importance ratings. Conclusion Concept mapping methodology was used to engage clinicians and managers to identify the barriers to a new implementation protocol for outcome measurement. Results will support future research and implementation efforts.

Training School Professionals in a Global Pandemic: Insights From Elementary Education and Speech-Language Pathology.

The purpose of this research was to explore the preparation of practitioners from two disciplines-speech-language pathology and elementary education-who often work together in a school setting to identify ways to best support future professionals in their educational practicum settings. The primary research questions guiding this investigation were as follows: Did the student teaching and supervision experiences of preservice K-6 teachers (PSTs) and their mentors and speech-language pathology graduate student clinicians and their supervisors differ during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if so, in what ways? A total of 54 participants from one university participated in this study from four groups: 15 graduate student clinicians in a speech-language pathology program, 14 speech-language pathology supervisors, 14 PSTs, and 11 teacher mentors. Survey questions were designed to capture the perceptions of students and supervisors in the fields of speech-language pathology and elementary education who were in the school setting during the fall 2020 semester. Quantitative and qualitative questions were included to obtain information related to the following areas: planning, environment, supervision preferences, team experiences, professional development, and telepractice. Speech-language pathologists and teacher mentors reported being able to successfully mentor and supervise students in the school setting despite significant challenges presented by the global pandemic. Findings also identified several significant differences in the experiences of PSTs and speech-language pathology graduate student clinicians who were in the schools for field experiences. Overall, speech-language pathology graduate student clinicians and their supervisors as well as PSTs and their teacher mentors reported adequately navigating their field experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for how these findings can inform professional preparation programs to optimize future educational and therapy outcomes for students are discussed.

Understanding the Experiences of Students Within Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology Programs: Perceptions About Their Educational Experiences

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of doctor of speech-language pathology (SLPD) students and graduates related to their engagement with the SLPD application process, their career goals and outcomes, and their general reflections regarding their decision to pursue the SLPD degree. Method: One hundred seven current students and alumni from SLPD programs completed a survey regarding their motivations and goals for applying to an SLPD program, experiences during the application process, the advantages and disadvantages of the SLPD degree and individuals' specific programs, and the impact of acquiring this degree. Recruitment efforts included contacting program directors and posting to national social media sites. Results: Survey results suggested that the majority of respondents felt that the SLPD degree is a good fit for working speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are motivated to further their education and that there is the potential to expand clarity and communication related to the purpose of the SLPD degree. Conclusions: The SLPD degree offers SLPs the flexibility to continue full-time work while deepening their knowledge and expertise in communication sciences and disorders. Increasing messaging by key stakeholders related to career outcomes would be beneficial. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20372331

Clinical feasibility, utility, and usability of the Profile of Preschool Communication: A pilot test in community settings

Aim. This study aimed to pilot test, assess usability and utility of, and identify barriers to implementation for the Profile of Preschool Communication (PPC) - a new data collection tool designed to support outcome monitoring in preschool speech-language programs and practice-based research. Methods. This pilot study was conducted with three sites in the Ontario Preschool Speech and Language (PSL) program. Twenty-three speech-language pathologists used the PPC for all outcome monitoring assessments for 2–3-months and provided feedback about their experience using it in practice. Then, 18 of the 23 speech-language pathologists completed online surveys to rate usability and utility, and report their perceived implementation barriers and facilitators. Results. Speech-language pathologists reported difficulties completing some sections of the PPC, most notably obtaining data related to maternal education and family history of mental health concerns. Usability and utility were generally rated favorably with some items rated as neutral. Barriers to implementation included the paper format, completion time, requirement to ask personal questions, and the perception by some that data were useful for outcome monitoring but not practice. Facilitators included ease of use, an improvement over the existing tool, and the collection of data to support service planning. Conclusions. The PPC shows potential as an outcome monitoring data collection tool in preschool speech-language pathology programs. Findings will be of interest to researchers engaged in practice-based research and those interested in engaging end users to develop clinically meaningful tools.