With Communication Disorders Since 1936
IMPORTANT: View up to up four posters to receive 1.0 hours or 0.10 ASHA CEUs.
Poster session recording will be made available May 13.
P01 - A Narrative Review of Physiological Exercises in Muscle Tension Dysphonia
Nicole Clare, BA; Negin Moradi, MS, BCS-S, PhD; University of Wisconsin – River Falls
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe in detail muscle tension dysphonia and summarize existing research regarding physiological exercises for treatment of this disorder.
Method: A review of the literature was conducted utilizing academic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar and recent Voice Disorders textbooks.
Results and Conclusions: muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a vocal fold disorder associated with neuromuscular hyper-function and is characterized by a hoarse, breathy, strained or weak vocal quality. Neck muscles may also be tender or sore. MTD is one of the most common voice disorders. We identified four promising interventions including Circumlaryngeal Manual Therapy (CLMT), Semi Occluded Vocal Tract exercises (SOVT), Stretch and Flow Voice Therapy (SnF) and Resonant Voice Therapy (RVT). CLMT is a therapy that focuses on correcting laryngeal position and manually relaxing the cervical muscles to improve voice quality. SOVT refers to the use of straw phonation to increase vocal output and minimize vocal fold effort. RVT is a therapy that assists in a less effortful production to decrease the likelihood of injury. Similarly, SnF therapy focuses on airflow management to decrease breath holding tendencies. Findings from this review show the positive impact on voice quality and satisfaction post treatment across a diverse population of participants with voice disorders. Future research should expand evidence-based practice for MTD, specifically randomized control trials (RCT) on effective techniques such as CLMT, SOVT and RVT. Finally, standard guidelines for intervention and treatment for MTD are needed for practitioners, as none appear to currently exist.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Define and describe muscle tension dysphonia.
- Identify treatments that have been shown to be effective.
- Identify some of the current gaps in research to practice for treatment of muscle tone dysphonia.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P02 - Application of Kinesio Tape for Improving Nutritive Sucking in Premature Infants
Azadeh Abedinzadeh, MS, Ahvaz Jundishapur University; Ehsan Naderifar, Ahvaz Jundishapur University; Mohammadjafar Shaterzadeh, Ahvaz Jundishapur University; Arash Malekian, Ahvaz Jundishapur University; Debra Beckman, MS, CCC-SLP; Private Practice, Negin Moradi, PhD, University of Wisconsin-River Fall
Oral feeding is one of the greatest challenges for preterm infants and a cause of delay in discharge for these infants, so choosing the best intervention methods that result in more rapid achievement of oral feeding is necessary for these infants. Since the premature infants’ biological systems develop outside of the uterus, interventions that provide treatment in a neuro-protective care environment are considered best practices. Kinesio tape as a new therapeutic approach can have a facilitating effect on the infant’s sucking by constantly stimulating the muscles involved in sucking and swallowing. Kinesio tape works to improve muscle function by affecting skin receptors and proprioception, altering tone and supporting muscle control, thus strengthening afferent signals. In the present study, we intend to instruct therapists on how to perform taping to improve nutritive sucking of preterm infants. There are some considerations in applying kinesio tape, such as the type of tape, the shape and the pulling force of tape and the muscles on which the tape is applied, which have been discussed in our study. Results of this study revealed that the use of kinesio tape can effectively accelerate the achievement of feeding milestones, this is clinically significant and may reduce the length of stay and ultimately the negative consequences and costs of hospitalization for this population. It appears that Kinesio Taping contributed significantly to improving sucking and swallowing and can be utilized as a rehabilitation approach for infants who suffer from such problems.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify oral feeding challenges in premature infants.
- Explain how to perform kinesio tape for premature infants.
- List the benefits of kinesio tape for premature infants.
Level of Learning: Intermediate
P03 - Bilingualism and Stuttering: A Link or a Misconception?
Kayla Polanco; Eric Strong, PhD, CCC-A/SLP; Minnesota State University, Mankato
The relationship between monolingualism, bilingualism and stuttering is not well understood. It has previously been shown that 20 percent of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) inaccurately classified bilingualism as a risk factor for the onset and persistence of stuttering (Byrd et al., 2016). This misconception jeopardizes the ability of bilingual children to receive appropriate SLP care. As a result, we explored how a stutter manifests in monolingual versus bilingual children and the interaction with SLP care through a comprehensive literature review. We found that there are approximately 3.5 studies per year that use bilingual people who stutter as their subjects in fluency research. Key studies demonstrated that SLP comfort level was very low not only for working with bilingual children, but also with diagnosing stuttering (Gkalitsiou et al., 2017). In addition, many bilingual children were being tested with monolingual guidelines which resulted in diagnosis of increased amounts of disfluencies compared to their monolingual peers (Byrd and Johnson, 2020). Our findings highlight the need for improved SLP training in cultural awareness and multilingual individuals, updated testing guidelines appropriate for multilingual individuals and increased research on development of and treatment options for stuttering and other speech disorders in multilingual individuals.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify awareness that there are misconceptions related to stuttering and bilingualism in children.
- Describe key research showing difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of multilingual children with speech disorders.
- Identify specific actionable recommendations to improve care of multilingual children with speech disorders.
Level of Learning: Intermediate
P04 - Camp Maverick's Impact on Literacy Growth and Self-Confidence
Vanessa Dahlgren, BS; Kaitlyn Sizer, BS; Alison Brunmeier, BS; Megan Mahowald, PhD, CCC-SLP; Brooke Burk, PhD; Minnesota State University, Mankato
Camp Maverick: Rec N’ Read is a ten-week, full-time summer camp that provides literacy and recreation intervention for children struggling to read and write. Research suggests that children who struggle to learn to read and write, frequently report having lower self-worth and academic concept of self (Cortiella et. al., 2014). Therefore, an effective literacy intervention program must encompass both literacy skill development and address self-confidence and engagement around reading and writing. Data was collected with 15 participants pre/post Camp Maverick and in December following the summer of Camp attendance. These participants included campers who attended varying number of weeks (from 1-2 weeks to 9-10 weeks). Data sources include the Gray Oral Reading Test – 5th Edition, Qualitative Reading Inventory, Words Their Way spelling inventory, a writing sample and a parent and child interview. Mixed methods data analysis was used to determine if there was a substantial change in literacy skills and how children and parents felt about reading and writing improvement, engagement and self-confidence. Preliminary results indicate that children who attended Camp for more weeks tended to feel more confident in their reading and writing skills and demonstrated growth in literacy skills beyond what would be expected for normal development. Parents indicated that their children appeared more confident post camp.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify assessments to track progress in literacy intervention.
- Describe a literacy intervention program.
- Describe results from an interprofessional literacy camp.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P05 - Capitalizing on Engagement and Senses for Individuals With Dementias
Kaitlyn Sizer; Jasmine Ortuno Jimenez; Emily Rowbotham; Hailey Eibes; Corena Powell; Hsinhuei Sheen Chiou, PhD, CCC-SLP; Jeff Buchanan, PhD; Minnesota State University, Mankato
The stigma against dementia persists while few dementia friendly programs currently exist. Montessori-based activities are designed to offer active and meaningful engagement and provide socialization and enjoyment for individuals with dementia despite their cognitive deficits (Hindt, Morris, Sohre, & Buchanan, 2018; Jarrot, Gozali, & Gigliotti, 2008). Research participants in this study comprised of eight college students who completed specialized dementia-friends training. Student participants conducted two 30-minute activities with a small group of residents with dementia twice a week for ten weeks. This study aims to examine meaningful engagement by comparing two Montessori-based activities addressing verbal modality vs. multiple senses. The sensory station allows individuals with dementia to explore a variety of theme-based objects along with a theme-based scent. This activity promotes individuals with dementia to engage with student volunteers while capitalizing on their five senses encouraging them to reminisce and engage in theme-based conversation without requiring demand on their impaired short-term memory. Memory bingo is similar to bingo but replaces the numbers on the bingo cards with theme-based sounds that may be familiar to the individual. This activity allows individuals with dementia to recognize sounds and relate the corresponding sound to a memory they may potentially have. Qualitative and quantitative measures prior to and after completing the program will be conducted to measure student perceptions on ageism, dementia and meaningful engagement. The expected outcome of this programming is for student volunteers to develop and facilitate purposeful engagement activities by maximizing the abilities of individuals with dementia.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate creating a Montessori-based activity.
- Compare two Montessori-activities addressing verbal modality vs. multiple senses.
- Explain student perception on ageism, dementia and meaningful engagement.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P06 - Culturally Responsive Practices With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients and Students
Kari Sween, MS; Kristi Oeding, PhD, AuD; Hsinhuei Sheen Chiou, PhD, CCC-SLP; Minnesota State University, Mankato
Speech language pathology and audiology do not have a good history of working with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Oftentimes, a medical model was used that did not consider the needs and goals of the person as well as the barriers in the environment. The goal of this poster session is to provide tools that speech language pathologists and audiologists can use to provide person centered care for their clients. In addition, as supervisors you will encounter students who are deaf and hard of hearing. It is important to know how to meet the students’ needs when working together as a team and with clients. We will discuss how to have these conversations. In addition, we will address audist views that we as professionals have towards our clients and students we work with. We will provide information on how to prevent this so that our clients feel empowered by their decisions in a safe environment and that the students we work with will thrive and be able to complete their career journey by reducing these barriers that are in place.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Explain the medical and cultural model that come with understanding cultural responsiveness within the deaf and hard of hearing community.
- Describe the working definition of audism.
- Integrate tools to have a better communication practice in place.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P07 - Essential Functions and Core Functions for Speech-Language Pathology: Changing Perspectives
Audrey Urbanowicz; Jolene Hyppa-Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP; University of MInnesota Duluth
This student poster session highlights the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) diversity and inclusion initiative. ASHA states that “Inclusion is the act of employing systems, policies and practices that support, engage and demonstrate value for all individuals.” Recently, ASHA has emphasized the requirement for multicultural and multilingual infusion in association programs, products and services. ASHA describes inclusion as employing policies and practices that demonstrate value for all individuals. A possible contributor a lack of diversity may be restrictions within admission to communication sciences and disorders (CSD) programs, evidenced in essential function documents (also called core function documents), which state the basic requirements that any potential student must perform to succeed in the speech-language pathologist (SLP) academic preparatory program. In 2021, Meidl & Lenz conducted a systematic search of all United States CSD program and reported on the frequency and type of essential functions documents that were in use; the present project details how criticisms of essential functions have become more common recently and how the use of essential functions documents have evolved across United States SLP graduate and undergraduate programs in the past few years. Finally, this session will summarize a nationwide survey examining opinions about essential functions for SLPs. Results, and implications for SLPs, are discussed relative to the ADA, diversity initiatives and holding client welfare paramount.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe the need for ASHA’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative and the current demographics of SLPs in the US.
- Explain how the frequency of use of essential functions in US SLP graduate programs has changed in recent years.
- Compare and contrast perspectives regarding essential functions, the importance of inclusion, diverse perspectives, the ADA, and holding our clients’ needs paramount.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P08 - Exploring Communication Behaviors of a Resident With Dementia Using Montessori-Based Activities
Alison Brunmeier; Zoe Porter; Alyssa Bartholow; Morgan Ellis; Jeff Buchanan; Hsinhuei Sheen Chiou, PhD, CCC-SLP; Minnesota State University, Mankato
The study explored how implementation of a Montessori-based group activity promotes more active engagement for individuals with dementia. The study explored activity implementation with a progressive complexity influencing engagement amongst individuals with dementia. Activity modification includes simplifying task demands (downward) and challenging cognitive and motor skills (upward) (Jarrott, Gozali, & Gigliotti., 2008). This treasure hunt activity uses their senses of vision, hearing, touch and verbal skills along with motor movements to help identify objects in the themed tray. The goal of this activity is to stimulate long-term memories and discussion to enforce a meaningful engagement. Individuals with dementia were invited to participate, prompted to engage, identify different objects in the bin and share their thoughts. Activity protocols were developed to support conversation based on the individuals’ abilities and their intact senses. A small group of college students who completed dementia-friends training and mentored by a faculty member specialized in dementia conducted the activity with a small group of residents with dementia twice a week for ten weeks. They followed a protocol to identify preferred complexity version (upward/downward) based on engagement level and conduct the activity and engage in conversation for individuals with dementia. Qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of communicative behaviors measures from upward/downward versions will be obtained. The expected outcome is for college students to create appropriate meaningful engagement activities for individuals with dementia.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Explain how Montessori-based activities stimulate meaningful conversations among individuals living with dementia.
- Demonstrate how Montessori-based activities involve upward/downward approaches for creating meaningful engagement to meet the individual’s needs.
- Classify how Montessori-based activities stimulate communication skills for an individual with dementia.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P09 - Factors of Adherence to Modified Diets in Individuals With Dysphgia
Sharyl Samargia-Grivette, PhD, CCC-SLP; Abigail Klemm; University of Minnesota Duluth
The purpose of this study is to better understand the reasons people do not adhere to their modified diets and if there is a relationship between level of adherence and level of diet. The specific aims of the study are to (a) compare adherence between diet level groups, (b) identify the relationship between diet level and adherence and (c) qualitatively analyze rationale for non-adherence.
A 66-item survey was created using Qualtrics and adapted from the Caregiver Analysis of Reported Experiences with Swallowing Disorders (CARES), Medication Adherence Ratings Scale (MARS) and Brief Adherence Ratings Scale (BARS). The survey was distributed through e-mail and flyers sent to speech language pathologists, stroke support groups, dysphagia support Facebook groups, home health agencies and hospital patients that met the inclusion criteria. To be included in the study, participants had to have a diagnosis of dysphagia, live in a private residence, be prescribed a modified diet and be above the age of 18. Results of the survey will be reported in the form of raw scores.
This study will provide valuable information regarding level of adherence and reasons for non-adherence to modified diets in individuals with a dysphagia diagnosis in private residences. Speech-language pathologists can use the results of this study to create more effective education and training for individuals living in the community because they will have knowledge of barriers to modified diet adherence.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify barriers to adherence to a modified diet for individuals with dysphagia.
- Compare barriers to adherence between those living in a residential facility and those living in a private residence.
- Identify ways to address barriers to adherence can be addressed by SLPs.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P10 - First-Year Graduate Student Experiences Developing Cultural Humility
Alyssa Bartholow; Abigail Gruber; R. Danielle Scott, PhD, CCC-SLP; Minnesota State University Mankato
Objective: This qualitative study explores how first year speech-language pathologist (SLP) graduate students use cultural humility to build mutually beneficial partnerships with clients and families.
Research Question: How are first year graduate students developing cultural humility as it pertains to building mutually beneficial partnerships with clients and families?
Methods: The participants in this study are first year SLP graduate students at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Researchers designed an 11-item open-ended survey containing questions pertaining to cultural humility in therapeutic relationships with clients and their families. The online Qualtrics survey was provided to the first-year graduate cohort, as a part of their Research Methods course. Five first-year graduate students completed the survey. Examples of survey questions include, “Do you seek to shift power imbalances within your interactions with your clients?” and “Have you ever had to change your treatment plans in order to suit your clients’ preferences or values?”
Results: Survey responses were downloaded and transferred to Microsoft Excel for open coding. Two undergraduate researchers completed individual, complete coding, followed by shared, complete coding. Codes were combined, then categorized and themes were identified. The following themes emerged: commitment to lifelong learning; culturally responsive practices and family-centered relationship building.
Conclusion: Overall, first year graduate students developed their cultural humility journeys by consistently reflecting on their relationships with clients and families and recognizing areas for improvement in their clinical skills. The process of cultural humility is a journey of lifelong learning and critical self-reflection.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Define the concept of cultural humility and the pillar of mutually beneficial partnerships.
- Explain how first-year graduate clinicians develop the orientation of cultural humility.
- Identify three ways to cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships with clients and families.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P11 - Hearing Screening Results Using Steady, Pulsed and Warbled Pure-Tones
Kristi Oeding, PhD, AuD; Hedaya Abdulgefar; Jordan Ausen; Sophia Lee; Minnesota State University, Mankato
Hearing screenings are commonly conducted in schools each year to determine if a child has a temporary hearing loss due to an ear infection or a permanent hearing loss that could impact the child’s learning long-term. The researchers have encountered many different ways to test a child’s hearing. Some schools prefer a steady pure-tone, some a pulsed tone, while others have wanted a warbled and pulsed pure-tone. In addition to using different pure-tones, some schools have more background noise than others, making our ability to test a child’s hearing challenging. A few schools have been adamant that only one type of tone should be used as this could impact the results of the hearing screening. However, there is no evidence proving that this concern is true. The purpose of this research study is to determine which tone for testing hearing is the best for listening in a quiet and in a noisy environment. This is valuable information to know as it will help screeners obtain more accurate results and potentially prevent children from not passing the hearing test due to noise in the environment. Participants had their hearing tested in a booth in a quiet environment and then in a noisy environment that simulated the levels experienced when testing students in the classroom. Results will discuss how these two environments and how the different types of tones impacted the hearing screening results.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe what factors impact hearing screenings in a school setting.
- Describe how noise impacts a hearing screening result versus a quiet setting.
- Describe which tone provides the best hearing screening result in a quiet and noisy environment.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P12 - Interdisciplinary Learning Experience in Neurorehabilitation: Graduate Student Perceptions
Kristen Gee, BA; Dana Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP; Sharyl Samargia-Grivette, PhD, CCC-SLP; June Lee, PhD; University of Minnesota Duluth
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the learning benefits of a graduate level interprofessional educational (IPE) experience among physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT) and speech-language pathology (SLP) students.
Method: Seven hundred seventy-four pre- and post-survey records (360 pre-surveys and 384 post-surveys) were documented in an IPE experience across three years. Participants answered a total of nineteen survey questions (McFadyen et al., 2005) and seven were identified to best align with the purpose of the current study. Questions focused on the efficacy of working with team members, patient benefits, value in IPE and understanding roles. Item by item analysis was performed for each research question. In the cases where statistical significance was found, a post-hoc test for multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni method was completed.
Results: The between group comparisons revealed statistically significant differences in pre- and post-survey responses across all seven questions (p=0.016). The highest number of significant differences were found between OT and SLP, while OT and PT had none. Comparisons within each group also revealed statistically significant differences (p=0.05) for all pre- and post-survey response means for OT students, between 5/7 pre- and post-survey response means for PT students and between 4/7 pre- and post-survey means for SLP students. Additionally, it was noted that SLP students recorded the highest scores before the event with even higher scores after the event.
Conclusions: Statistically significant differences indicate this event enhances student perceptions of IPE and highlights overall the importance of interactive engagement among allied health professions.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Summarize student responses regarding their experience with IPP activity.
- Identify three benefits of engaging in interprofessional education activities during graduate-level education.
- Identify one challenge of incorporating IPP activities into the curriculum.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P13 - Intersectionality and Attitudes Directed Toward Individuals Who Use AAC
Annika Dubbs, BS; Paige Jansen, BS; Clara Olson, BS; Jolene Hyppa-Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP; University of Minnesota Duluth
Systematic reviews assist time-pressed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) by providing a summary of clinically-relevant information and provide a high level of scientific evidence because they present a comprehensive, replicable summary of multiple studies, using methodology that is designed to resist bias (Jones et al., 2017; Marshall et al., 2011). This systematic review highlights voids and biases in the extant evidence and then provides SLPs with a list of five take-aways that can support social inclusion of and improved attitudes towards their clients who use AAC to communicate.
A limitation of the current research regarding attitudes and AAC is that it represents perspectives of a very homogenous group of people, mainly consisting white individuals and participants who speak English and live in the United States. Our study aims to shine a light on this issue and ignite a spark about the idea that there needs to be a more diverse representation of referents (the individual who uses AAC and to whom the attitudes are directed), participants (whose attitudes are measured) and researchers in our studies. We need to be able to better understand how the knowledge that we have from our current extant evidence can be generalized to a more culturally, linguistically and financially diverse population.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Summarize why systematic reviews are beneficial for evidence-based practitioners.
- Describe intersectionality and its relationship with the demographics of people whose attitudes are measured in AAC attitudes research.
- List five strategies for SLPs who seek to improve attitudes toward and social inclusion of individuals who use AAC.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P14 - Listening Practice Effects on Graduate Students’ Ratings of Voice Characteristics
Maddy Dornfeld, BS; Dana Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP; Sharyl Samargia-Grivette, PhD, CCC-SLP; University of Minnesota Duluth
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of listening practice on graduate students’ confidence and ability to rate perceptual features of voice using the consensus auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice (CAPE-V).
Method: Participants were students recruited from a communication science disorderes (CSD) graduate program and randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) high frequency practice (10 samples per week) or low frequency practice (5 samples per week). Scores from a group of professional speech language pathologist (SLPs) served as a benchmark. All participants completed pre training listening ratings and post training listening ratings using the CAPE-V on the same set of dysphonic voice samples. During the training period, each participant practiced rating features of dysphonic voices using the CAPE-V and completed a self-efficacy survey. The self-efficacy survey measured confidence in using the CAPE-V and discriminating between vocal characteristics in dysphonic voices. Mean CAPE-V scores for pre and post training were compared between three groups: high frequency practice, low frequency practice and professional SLPs.
Results: This analysis includes data collected from a past study in which the practice duration was twelve weeks and recently collected data using the same standard operating procedures across four weeks of training. Between group differences and implications of the effects of the frequency and duration of the listening practice will be discussed.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe the effect of high versus low frequency listening practice amounts on graduate students’ ability to rate perceptual voice characteristics during a four week training session.
- Describe the effect of high versus low frequency listening practice amounts on graduate students’ ability to rate perceptual voice characteristics during a 12 week training session.
- Describe the effect of high versus low frequency listening practice amounts on graduate students’ confidence and reliability in identifying perceptual voice characteristics.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P15 - SLP’s Engagement in Cultural Humility With Bilingual Children Who Stutter
Kayla Polanco; R. Danielle Scott, PhD, CCC-SLP; Minnesota State University Mankato
Background: cultural humility is a lifelong journey of self-reflection (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998). It is imperative for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to reflect on intersectionality and all aspects of identity when working with bilingual clients. Intersectionality is the interaction of an individual’s social categorizations that make up their identity, emphasizing that the presence of multiple marginalized identities creates compounded experiences with oppression. This concept relates to stuttering especially in bilingual individuals, as bilingual individuals who stutter experience linguistic discrimination and ableism. SLPs aid in cultivating the development of identity in relation to supporting communication (Daniels et al., 2023).
Objective: The current literature review explores SLPs’ engagement in culturally responsive practices when working with bilingual children who stutter.
Results: Existing research focuses on bilingual acquisition, translanguaging and the need to develop culturally responsive guidelines for assessment and diagnosis. However, there is little research literature demonstrating SLPs’ engagement in cultural humility through reflection of biases, using and intersectional lens, with bilingual individuals who stutter.
Conclusion: Research findings suggest that SLPs lack cultural responsiveness training and researchers note that honoring clients/families’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds includes emphasizing the home language and secondary language (Souza Mumy, 2023). SLPs working with bilingual individuals who stutter should embrace cultural humility by engaging in critical self-reflection to center the richly diverse identities of their clients in therapy.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe the concept of intersectionality, and the connection between identity development and supporting communication for bilingual clients who stutter.
- Explain the significance of cultural humility when working with bilingual clients who stutter.
- List three strategies for engaging in cultural humility to enhance service delivery for bilingual clients who stutter.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P16 - Speech-Language Pathologists’ (SLP) and Teachers’ use and Perspectives on Telegraphic Speech With Children Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Lindsey Johnson; Lori Swanson, PhD, CCC-SLP; University of Wisconsin River Falls
Simplified speech is often used by adults when speaking with young children, especially children with language delay. However, there is research that has shown that there is controversy surrounding whether this simplified speech should be telegraphic (e.g., Doggie go, more toy) or grammatical (e.g., Go, Doggie! More toys) (Venker, Yasick, McDaniel, 2019). Use of telegraphic input has been studied regarding children with language delay, but there is limited information on use of telegraphic input with other populations, such as children who are deaf and hard of hearing. The purpose of this study is to expand on prior research regarding use of telegraphic input with children with language delay titled, “When Is Simplified too… Simple?” (Venker & Stronach 2017) and examine parent, teacher and speech-language pathologist (SLP) perspectives on and use of telegraphic input when speaking/working with children who are deaf and hard of hearing at the prelinguistic, one-word, two-word and telegraphic stages of spoken language acquisition, through a set of survey questions. These survey questions come from a research study titled “Saying too Little Can Make a Big Impact: Graduate Student Knowledge and Use of Telegraphic Input” (Schaar & Stronach 2021), with modifications made to focus on children who are deaf and hard of hearing. This research study will present new perspectives on use of telegraphic speech and its perceived importance by caregivers for use with children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Define telegraphic speech.
- Identify examples of telegraphic speech versus simplified grammatical speech.
- Identify teacher and SLP attitudes towards telegraphic speech.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P17 - Speech-Language Pathologists’ Overall Satisfaction With the Use of Telepractice
Morgan Johnson, BS; Dana Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP; Jolene Hyppa Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP; Julie Slowiak, PhD; University of Minnesota Duluth
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, telepractice has become much more widely used in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP). The primary purpose of this study was to examine Minnesota SLPs perspectives and overall satisfaction with the use of telepractice in educational and medical settings. Participants for this survey were recruited from SLPs from educational and medical settings in the state of Minnesota. The survey for this investigation was adapted from the Provider Satisfaction With Telemedicine Survey (Malouff, 2021). Questions on the survey included the use of telepractice and how satisfied SLPs in both settings felt about their jobs and with providing therapy. The software program Qualtrics was used to develop and distribute the adapted survey. Participants were asked to complete the survey via an email invitation sent to members of the Minnesota Speech Hearing Language Association. Participant responses to the survey questions were collected and stored in the Qualtrics software program. An item by item frequency of analysis was conducted for each question based on the number of participant responses for each question. Frequency distributions were also calculated based on participant demographic information which will include setting, years of practice and caseload. A Chi-Square analysis on participant responses was completed to determine if significant differences for frequency of response based on the setting of employment exist.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe participants’ ease, comfort, and amount of support with using telepractice.
- Describe participants’ opinion regarding quality of care while using telepractice.
- Describe participants’ preference and skill with telepractice.
- Describe the effects that telepractice had on participants’ job satisfaction.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P18 - Student Internships in the Medical Setting: Lessons Learned and Opportunities
Rebecca Pittelko, MS, CCC-SLP, Mayo Clinic; Bruce Poburka, PhD, CCC-SLP, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Kristin Berndt, MS, CCC-SLP, Minnesota State University, Mankato
This poster session will provide an overview of the pearls and pitfalls of student internship placements in a tertiary care medical setting. Challenges for the academic program, clinical supervisor and student intern will be discussed with a focus on optimizing the experience for all involved. We will discuss the limits of preparation for providing clinical supervision, student readiness and opportunities for growth. We will discuss the reasons to consider starting a student internship program.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify three challenges for students entering internship in medical setting.
- Identify three opportunities to advance student knowledge and skills.
- Identify strategies to enhance student readiness for medical setting placements.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P19 - Supporting SGD Users in Online Support Groups and Telepractice: Captioning Accuracy
Khaliana Gray; Jolene Hyppa-Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP; University of Minnesota Duluth
Organizations like the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) regularly host web-based discussion and support groups for individuals who use speech-generating devices to communicate. Similar activities have been featured in presentations such as the Virtual AAC Town Hall at Minnesota’s own Closing the Gap Conference. Unfortunately, some web-based assistive technologies like live captioning, that are available to support most people during web-based conferencing, have been problematic for people who communicate using SGDs. SGD users need to have full access to web-based conferencing used in education, healthcare, commerce and other activities like online support and discussion groups (ISAAC, 2023) and it is very important SGD users have access to accurate captioning in their online activities (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013; Simacek et al., 2022). Unfortunately closed captioning can be inaccurate (Kruel et al., 2021). Research has examined accuracy of different platforms across different pitch levels of the speaker and has documented 53 percent to 74 percent accuracy rates for captioning in Google Slides (Kruel et al., 2021) with adult male voices captioned more accurately than female or child voices (Schouviller, 2023). Research has focused on adults and children who produce natural speech. This study summarizes closed captioning of speech generated by individuals who communicate using common adult and child synthetic voices on SGDs. Learn which captioning services are most accurate and how you can support SGD users’ participation in online education, commerce, and healthcare activities.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- List several reasons that SGD users need to access online web-conferencing with accurate captioning.
- Describe the relative accuracies of three commonly-used web conferencing platforms when captioning common synthetic voices.
- State how the Americans with Disabilities Act and WC3 Web Accessibility Guidelines apply to SGD users who engage in web-based conferencing and telehealth activities.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P20 - Surveying the Care of Children With Cleft Lip and Palate
Grace Nagel, BS; Dana Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP; Lynette Carlson, MA, CCC-SLP; Kathy Dowell, PhD; University of Minnesota Duluth
The purpose of this research study is to assess the most common target areas addressed when assessing and treating children aged zero to three with a cleft lip and/or palate and to evaluate the continuing education available and desired by speech language pathologists treating individuals within this population. A 15 question electronic survey was adapted from the work of Bedwinek et al. (2010) and was distributed to potential participants via email. This survey was adapted by the author to obtain responses from participants regarding their background and training regarding the assessment and treatment of children aged zero to three with cleft lip and/or palate, to evaluate the continuing education available and desired by speech language pathologists treating individuals within this population and to identify common goal areas for children in this population. The survey included both quantitative data such as rating scales and qualitative data such as open-ended questions. Frequency of response was determined using item by item analysis and responses for open-ended questions were analyzed to recognize common themes.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Identify the common goal areas and evaluation/treatment strategies for children aged 0-3 with cleft lip/palate.
- Identify continuing education resources available to SLPs regarding the assessment and treatment of children aged 0-3 with cleft lip/palate.
- Identify resources desired by SLPs in the state of Minnesota regarding the assessment and treatment of children aged 0-3 with cleft lip/palate.
Level of Learning: Introductory
P21 - The Necessity of Mental Health of Mothers in Speech Therapy
Negin Moradi, PhD, University of Wisconsin-River Falls; Zohre Safari, MS, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences
In the field of speech and language pathology (disorders such as autism, hearing Impairment, stuttering, cleft lip and palate and developmental language disorders), the impact of parental involvement in all aspects of assessment, diagnosis and treatment has been proven. Changes in health systems and social attitudes lead to almost all children being at home and under the care of their families, rather than in centers or group institutions. Although the home environment can maximize a child’s abilities and minimize the impact of the disorder, providing the quality care needed by a child with long-term functional limitations may affect the health and quality of life of caregivers (and especially mothers as the main caregiver in most families) and the poor mental health of the caregiver can also have negative effects on the child’s performance. The high stress level observed in the mothers of these children can affect their mental health. Also, the styles of coping with stress are not the same in terms of effectiveness for mental health and coping strategies for different people can be different. Therefore, it is recommended that speech and language therapists be sensitive to these issues and, if necessary, help increase the level of health and functioning of the family with the help of interdisciplinary evaluation and treatment teams.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Explain the impact of the child’s disability on her family and caregivers.
- Explain the importance of the mental health of the mother on the performance of the child.
- Explain and diagnose primary problems in the mental health of caregivers and provide timely and appropriate referrals.
Level of Learning: Intermediate
P22 - The Perceptions of Non-Binary College Students Regarding Gender-Affirming Voice
Sophie Carlson, BS; Dana Collins, PhD, CCC-SLP; Samantha Burlingame, MS, CCC-SLP; Abel Knochel; University of Minnesota Duluth
The purpose of the this study was to gain insight into the perceptions and opinions of non-binary college students regarding gender-affirming voice (GAV) services. Participants included college students who were members of their university’s LGBTQ+ campus organization. Forty-eight Midwest universities were selected for this study. Participants were recruited through an email sent to the administrators of the LGBTQ+ campus center at their university.
This email invitation contained an anonymous qualtrics-based survey, which asked participants questions regarding (a) knowledge of gender-affirming voice services, (b) perceptions of clinician competence, (c) opinions of gender-affirming voice services and (d) demographic information. The survey remained open for eight weeks and email reminders were sent every two weeks during this period.
Data was analyzed through item-by-item analysis that calculated the frequency of responses from the participants. Open-ended survey questions were analyzed for common themes across responses. The survey responses were analyzed to identify the perceptions and opinions of participants regarding GAV services.
Results of the survey indicated an expressed interest in GAV services from the non-binary community for the purpose of achieving a voice that aligns with their gender identity and code-switching. However, a lack of knowledge of GAV services, concerns about provider competence/support, cost and other limitations to access (lack of providers, location, etc.) may prevent these individuals from pursuing these services. The results of this study highlight a gap in the current research and the need for further development of GAV services as they apply to non-binary individuals.
Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
- Describe the general awareness of the non-binary survey respondents of gender-affirming voice services.
- Identify the reasons a non-binary individual may seek gender-affirming voice services.
- Discuss the implications of the survey responses on the delivery of gender-affirming voice services by speech-language pathologists.
Level of Learning: Introductory