International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology最新文献

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the views of Ghanaian speech-language pathologists about the development of a culturally appropriate speech and language assessment tool for children.

Method: The study used qualitative methods with data collected in two focus groups. A total of 11 Ghanaian speech-language pathologists discussed questions about the purpose, scope, target group, and target skills of a speech and language assessment tool for children. Discussions were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Result: Findings indicated that Ghanaian speech-language pathologists currently have challenges in accurately assessing the speech and language of children given the lack of culturally appropriate tools available. Speech-language pathologists stressed the importance of developing a culturally appropriate tool and shared their views on the purpose, scope, target group, and target skills of the tool. There were similarities and differences between the focus groups. The majority of speech-language pathologists stated that ideally they would prefer a diagnostic tool for both speech and language disorders.

Conclusion: This study contributes to the growing body of research that sheds light on the importance of using culturally appropriate tools to assess children in culturally diverse contexts.

Purpose: There is limited evidence regarding which clinical assessment tools are best utilised to assess feeding skills in Paediatric Feeding Disorder. This systematic review aimed to identify and assess the quality of clinical assessment tools designed to measure feeding skills.

Method: A search was conducted (up to 31 July 2023). Assessment tools were included if they: (a) targeted the feeding skills domain for Paediatric Feeding Disorder; and (b) were appropriate for children >6 months-18 years. Psychometric properties for each tool were extracted and assessed using the COnsensus-based Standards for the Selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist.

Result: In total, 12 clinical assessment tools were reviewed across 19 studies. These tools were found to be appropriate for a wide age range, of variable length, and mostly freely available. Variable methodological quality was observed, with most tools demonstrating adequate reliability but having limited information on validity. None of the reviewed tools used testing to demonstrate whether the tool could capture change over time.

Conclusion: There are limited clinical assessment tools available to measure paediatric feeding skills, and none of the reviewed tools demonstrated sensitivity to change in function over time. No tool was suitable for universal application in children with Paediatric Feeding Disorder.

Purpose: A variety of assessment tools (e.g. questionnaires) measure the type and degree of bilingualism in children in both research and clinical settings. Although these tools are often assumed to evaluate the same constructs and be interchangeable, this may not be the case, as indicated by other recent reviews. This review critically evaluated existing measures of child bilingualism, focusing on item-content overlap, measure development, and pragmatic quality.

Method: A database and manual search identified studies on child bilingualism measure development, which were then appraised using the Psychometric and Pragmatic Evidence Rating Scale and the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments.

Result: Analysis across the six identified measures showed weak between-measure content overlap, with less than one quarter of items shared on average, suggesting they assess different constructs. Ratings indicated varied pragmatic quality, especially in assessor burden (training, interpretation). Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments evaluations also highlighted shortcomings in measure design and development.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for improved content validity and better pragmatic criteria for the clinical use of these tools. We offer recommendations for measure selection dependent on use case (e.g. setting-specific needs) and suggestions for future bilingualism measure development, prioritising a pragmatic approach.

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are often the first point of contact for families of children with autism. Despite this, little is known about SLPs' understanding of autism and its early indicators. This study sought to investigate what Australian SLPs know about autism, the early indicators, and the actions they take when they identify these characteristics.

Method: A 34 question cross-sectional online survey was distributed through professional networks, social media channels, and industry contacts to Australian SLPs. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed.

Result: The 70 participants worked in various contexts around the country. The majority of participants demonstrated sound knowledge of the main characteristics of autism, and some early indicators. Quantitative analysis identified a significant correlation between participant age and confidence talking to parents about possible autism. Overarching themes were identified: (a) caution may delay or prevent SLPs from taking action, (b) some factors may influence SLPs' action, and (c) SLPs take action.

Conclusion: Australian SLPs working with children have the knowledge and understanding of the main characteristics of autism and some early indicators. However, they demonstrate a cautious approach around the subject of autism, and this caution may cause delays for children requiring diagnostic services.

Purpose: Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are at heightened risk for reading difficulty. We investigated the home literacy environments of kindergarten children with DLD and typically developing (TD) peers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: We analysed scores from standardised assessments of oral language, nonverbal intelligence, and word reading in conjunction with home literacy questionnaire data at three time points.

Result: Frequency of engagement in home literacy activities did not differ by group during school closures or when schools reopened. Caregivers from both groups reported increased home literacy engagement during closures. Engagement returned to pre-pandemic levels when schools reopened. For the DLD group, the child's word reading ability and interest in literacy were positively associated with the home literacy environment. Family history of language and/or literacy difficulty was negatively associated with the home literacy environment. For the TD group, only the child's interest in literacy was positively associated with the home literacy environment.

Conclusion: These findings elucidate the need for further research related to home literacy and families of children with DLD, with a focus on identifying potential strengths and vulnerabilities related to child and caregiver factors.

Purpose: Although discourse assessment is recommended, few tools exist for adolescent acquired brain injury (ABI) and few theories describe the contribution of cognition to discourse impairment. This study explored whether a novel discourse protocol can identify difficulties following ABI and whether a discourse processing model provides a useful account of impairment.

Method: Using a case-control design, two adolescent males with moderate ABI (12 and 14 years) were compared to a neurotypical sample on a range of language and cognitive assessments. Patterns in performance were interpreted using a theoretical model. Participants completed a standardised omnibus language assessment, discourse assessment, and battery of cognitive tasks.

Result: Analyses revealed significant differences in discourse and cognition between adolescents with and without ABI. No impairment was detected on a standardised language assessment. Patterns in discourse and cognition aligned with a contemporary model of discourse processing.

Conclusion: Participants with ABI demonstrated discourse deficits relative to the neurotypical reference sample. The findings demonstrate the value of discourse sampling across multiple genres and analysis of microlinguistic to superstructural features. A structure-building framework (SBF) model, originating in schizophrenia, provides a promising theory with which to interpret discourse impairment and has the potential to inform intervention for discourse in ABI.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a speech-language pathology (SLP) pathway on recovery following oesophagectomy.

Method: An audit was conducted at a single metropolitan public hospital in Sydney, Australia. Patients between 2014-2021 undergoing a three-stage oesophagectomy (n = 41) were included in the study. The sample was divided into two groups, those who received usual care (2014-2019) and those who received perioperative SLP assessment and intervention (2020-2021), with data collected across swallowing and health outcomes. Patient demographics and outcomes between the two groups were compared.

Result: Patients who received perioperative SLP intervention commenced oral intake faster postoperatively (SLP intervention group Mdn = 6.50 days, IQR = 6.00-7.00; usual care group Mdn = 9.00 days, IQR = 7.00-13.25; p = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in rates of aspiration on the postoperative leak test (p = 0.32). No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in length of hospital stay or number of swallowing-related medical images completed during their admission.

Conclusion: Perioperative SLP intervention has a positive impact on commencing oral intake following a three-stage oesophagectomy, however, it does not have a significant impact on rates of aspiration postoperatively. This pathway may contribute to enhanced recovery after oesophagectomy.

Purpose: To discuss whether early intervention can stop stuttering development. To inform junior clinicians and students of speech-language pathology about contemporary views on this issue.

Method: The issue was discussed by two university researchers and two speech-language pathologists who provide public clinical services. Written conversational turns in an exchange were limited to 100 words each. When that written dialogue was concluded, each participant provided 200 words of final reflection about the issue.

Result: Most differences that emerged centred on the clinical evidence base for early intervention, which emphasises stuttering reduction, and how it should be interpreted.

Conclusion: The evidence base for early intervention has limitations and it should be interpreted cautiously. One interpretation is that reducing stuttering severity is a justifiable core of early management. Another interpretation focuses on ease of communication, anticipation of stuttering, and covert stuttering.

Purpose: To investigate whether morphological intervention improves understanding of affixes in adolescents with a language disorder and whether progress generalises.

Method: A total of 25 adolescents aged 13-15 years participated in this single-blind trial with random allocation. All participants had a language disorder; 18 with developmental language disorder, four with associated genetic conditions, and three with autism. A total of 11 participants received twice-weekly morphological intervention for 30 min with a speech-language pathologist for 8 weeks, while 14 received intervention as usual. Two tests were administered pre- and post-intervention: Affix definition and an adapted rehit task, which tested participants' ability to work out the meaning of novel words containing affixes. To investigate generalisation to untaught affixes, only half of the affixes were taught in intervention.

Result: Those in the intervention group made significantly more progress than controls on both tasks, but only on taught affixes. Therefore, learning generalised to understanding the meaning of taught affixes in combinations with new roots (adapted rehit task) but did not generalise to untaught affixes on either task.

Conclusion: The intervention was effective and learning generalised to other words containing taught affixes. Intervention for affixes has potential to greatly increase understanding of vocabulary following relatively small amounts of intervention.