Not All Pacifiers Are Created Equal: A Mechanical Examination of Pacifiers and Their Influence on Suck Patterning

Purpose

Many pacifier companies advertise that their product is the "best choice" to support proper sucking, feeding, and dental development; however, very little evidence exists to support these claims. As the primary differences across pacifiers are structural and mechanical, the goals of this study were to measure such properties of commercially available pacifiers and to examine how these properties alter suck patterning in healthy, full-term infants.

Method

Seven commonly utilized pacifiers were mechanically tested for pull and compression stiffness levels and categorized into nipple shape types based on their aspect ratio. Next, 3 pacifiers (Soothie, GumDrop, and Freeflow) with the most salient differences in pull stiffness levels with 2 different pacifier nipple types were tested clinically on 16 full-term infants (≤ 6 months old) while measuring non-nutritive suck (NNS).

Results

A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences between NNS burst duration (p = .002), NNS cycles per burst (p = .002), and NNS cycles per minute (p = .006) and pacifier type. With each significant dependent measure, pairwise comparisons showed that the GumDrop and Freeflow pacifiers differed significantly on these measures.

Conclusions

Pacifier compression, pull stiffness, and nipple shape type yield different NNS dynamics. These findings motivate further investigation into pacifier properties and suck patterning in young infants.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1202/2662909/Not-All-Pacifiers-Are-Created-Equal-A-Mechanical
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A Review of Phonological Development of Mandarin-Speaking Children

Purpose

Research into the phonological development of Chinese children is in its infancy compared with the relatively extensive data available on the English-speaking population. This article provided a comprehensive review of empirical studies on the acquisition of Mandarin phonology.

Method

Studies over the past 45 years that describe phonological development in Mandarin-speaking children were located through electronic databases, citation searches, keyword searches through online search engines, and manual searches of libraries. The research design of the studies was reviewed, and findings of acceptable studies were summarized.

Results

After reviewing the abstracts of 798 studies, a total of 12 that met the inclusion criteria were retained. These studies are discussed with reference to the demographic background of participants, geographic regions, aspects of speech sounds measured, data collection tools, transcription systems used, reliability, and the main findings.

Conclusions

The general developmental patterns reported were consistent. The methodological design varied substantially. These discrepancies, however, provide insights for further systematic investigations into phonological development in Mandarin.

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Training Direct-Care Staff to Provide Communication Intervention to Adults With Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review

Purpose

The aim of this review was to summarize and evaluate studies on training direct-care staff to provide communication intervention to adults with intellectual disability.

Method

Systematic searches identified 22 studies. These were summarized and evaluated in terms of (a) participants; (b) settings; (c) training aims and procedures; (d) research designs; (e) reliability, integrity, and social validity; (f) outcomes; (g) generalization and follow-up; and (h) certainty of evidence.

Results

A total of 437 staff and 254+ adults with intellectual disability participated. Staff training most frequently involved combinations of verbal instruction, role play, modeling, practice, and feedback. Reliability was assessed in 18 studies with acceptable standards for most of these studies. Treatment integrity and social validity were assessed in 1 and 3 studies, respectively, with positive outcomes. Generalization and maintenance were assessed in 5 and 8 studies, respectively, with predominantly positive outcomes. Most studies reported positive outcomes for staff and positive or mixed outcomes for the adults with intellectual disability. Certainty of evidence was rated as conclusive in 1 study, suggestive in 14 studies, and inconclusive in 7 studies.

Conclusions

There is sufficient evidence to conclude that direct-care staff can be taught to provide effective communication intervention to adults with intellectual disability. Professionals involved in providing training and support to direct-care staff could expect positive outcomes from multicomponent training programs that include opportunities for practice and feedback.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1279/2661487/Training-DirectCare-Staff-to-Provide-Communication
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Impact of Performance Feedback in Family-Centered and Culturally Responsive Interview Instruction

Purpose

Conducting culturally responsive and family-centered diagnostic interviews is an important part of speech and language services. However, there is limited information on the effective ways to teach speech-language pathology graduate students to acquire these skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of performance feedback on graduate students' use of ethnographic principles, open-ended questions, and restating and summarizing comments in caregiver interviews.

Method

A randomized controlled crossover design (n = 26) was used to examine the differential effects of students receiving performance feedback or general feedback on role-play interviews. Ethnographic principles, open-ended questions, and restating and summarizing comments were measured at 3 time points: after class instruction (Groups 1 and 2), after the first feedback type allocation (Group 1: performance feedback; Group 2: general feedback), and after the second feedback type allocation (Group 1: general feedback; Group 2: performance feedback).

Results

Statistically significant increases, with large effect sizes, were found in students' use of ethnographic principles, open-ended questions, and restating and summarizing comments following the performance feedback conditions.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that performance feedback is an effective and efficient instructional procedure to increase culturally responsive and family-centered interview skills through an ethnographic interview approach in preservice speech-language pathology students.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1244/2661518/Impact-of-Performance-Feedback-in-FamilyCentered
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Predicting the Future: A Case Study in Prognostication

Purpose

Clinicians are regularly asked to make long-term prognoses. The aim of the current report was to present one systematic approach to doing so. A case example from a malpractice case involving a child fitted with a cochlear implant was presented. Implantation occurred at age 17 months (activation 1 month later), but due to a procedural error, the implant was not functional for 19 months. The problem was ultimately rectified, but the legal case hinged largely on whether the child would be able to make up for the lost time.

Method

A review of the literature on long-term outcomes in children with cochlear implants was conducted. Using 4 studies measuring outcomes 7–10 years later, outcomes were compared between children implanted at age 17–18 months and those implanted at age 36–37 months.

Results

Analysis suggested no potential impact on nonverbal cognitive skills. However, analysis in the areas of speech perception, word comprehension, speech intelligibility, and reading suggested that after 7–10 years, this child would potentially continue to be approximately 1–2 years behind where she might otherwise have been.

Conclusions

This case illustrated the possibility of deriving a long-term prognosis using a systematic examination of the existing outcomes literature. Such an approach is consistent with our mandate to engage in evidence-based practice.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1057/2655029/Predicting-the-Future-A-Case-Study-in
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A Clear Speech Approach to Accent Management

Purpose

A 5-session twice-weekly clear speech protocol with daily home practice was developed to enable Spanish-accented speakers of English to code-switch for increased listener ease of understanding. This study provides preliminary data to test the hypothesis that this protocol results in increased ease of understanding for native English listeners, not in decreased talker accentedness.

Method

Using a single-case experimental design, 6 adult native Spanish speakers with English proficiency participated in the protocol. Ease of understanding and accentedness were probed at least 5 times pretraining, at each training session, and once per week for 5 weeks posttraining. Thirty native English–speaking listeners assessed the probes using 7-point scales for each measure.

Results

Ease of understanding improved for all participants (mean improvement = 3.5 points; effect size range = 6.98 to 15.33). Accentedness improved for 4 of 6 participants (mean improvement = 2.3 points; effect size range = 4.04 to 10.48). At the outset, most participants expressed concern that this approach would highlight speech errors. Upon follow-up, all participants reported confidence in using the approach and found it helpful in daily communication.

Conclusions

Further research should explore the effects of this protocol on intelligibility and acoustic metrics and their relationship to ease of understanding and accentedness.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1178/2660006/A-Clear-Speech-Approach-to-Accent-Management
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Intensive Treatment for Persisting Rhotic Distortions: A Case Series

Purpose

The study explored changes in accuracy of American English rhotics as a result of an intensive 1-week therapy program for adolescents and young adults with residual speech sound errors that had not resolved with previous therapy.

Method

Four case reports are presented of individuals aged 13, 17, 21, and 22 years with residual /ɹ/ distortions. Each participant attended a 1-week intensive program consisting of pretreatment assessments, 14 hr of therapy, and posttreatment assessment. Treatment sessions included structured motor-based practice, ultrasound visual feedback of the tongue, and auditory speech perception training. To assess generalization, untreated words and sentences with rhotics were recorded before and after therapy; these were rated by listeners who were blind to when the recordings were taken.

Results

All participants showed measurable and statistically significant improvement in speech sound accuracy. Averaged across the 4 participants, rhotic accuracy at the word level improved from 35% to 83%. At the sentence level, rhotic accuracy increased from 11% pretreatment to 66% posttreatment in 1 week.

Conclusion

The promise of an intensive treatment program that includes motor-based practice, biofeedback, and auditory perception training is illustrated by the case presentations in which substantial improvements in speech sound accuracy were observed.

Supplemental Materials

http://ift.tt/2iA3f0l

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Using the Delphi Technique to Explore Complex Concepts in Speech-Language Pathology: An Illustrative Example From Children's Social Communication

Purpose

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in expanding the research approaches that speech-language pathologists utilize, particularly for addressing complex questions. Consensus-building techniques can be useful for addressing such questions. The Delphi technique is a consensus-building process involving structured communication among members of an expert panel via independent responses to iterative rounds of questionnaires. The purpose of this research note is to describe and demonstrate the Delphi technique using an application to a complex problem in speech-language pathology, that is, the bases of social communication and pragmatics.

Method

The Delphi technique was described and illustrated via the following study: 10 expert speech-language pathologists participated in a 3-round Delphi study. Participants were asked to list the key features of social communication and pragmatics in Round 1. Questions for Rounds 2 and 3 were developed on the basis of the participants' responses to previous rounds.

Results

The Delphi technique was useful in bringing participants to consensus on the key features of social communication and pragmatics and offered a starting point for the continued exploration of this complex problem.

Conclusion

A discussion of the benefits and limitations of the technique is included, highlighting the utility of the technique to the field of speech-language pathology.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1225/2661520/Using-the-Delphi-Technique-to-Explore-Complex
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Quantity Matters: Children With Dyslexia Are Impaired in a Small, but Not Large, Number of Exposures During Implicit Repeated Sequence Learning

Purpose

The present study investigated the onset of statistical learning and examined whether the number of exposures to a repeated sequence influences the learning performance of children with dyslexia on a serial reaction time task.

Method

Three groups of children (29 with dyslexia, 29 age-matched controls, and 30 reading level–matched controls) were administered a serial reaction time task, and their statistical learning performances after a small and a large number of exposures (40 vs. 180 exposures) were recorded and compared.

Results

Children with dyslexia showed impaired statistical learning after a small number of exposures to a sequence, but intact statistical learning after a large number of exposures. In contrast, the age-matched and reading level–matched control groups showed intact statistical learning after both small and large numbers of exposures. Children with dyslexia also exhibited a slower learning rate than either control group.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the amount of exposure to statistical patterns influences statistical learning performance in children with dyslexia.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1080/2648946/Quantity-Matters-Children-With-Dyslexia-Are
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Flow and Grit by Design: Exploring Gamification in Facilitating Adherence to Swallowing Therapy

Purpose

Delivery of swallowing therapy is faced with challenges regarding access to in-clinic services and adherence to prescribed home programs. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are being developed at a rapid pace to address these difficulties. Whereas some benefits to using these modern tools for therapy are obvious (e.g., electronic reminders), other advantages are not as well understood. One example is the potential for mHealth devices and apps to enhance adherence to treatment regimens.

Method

This article introduces a number of psychological concepts that relate to adherence and that can be leveraged by mHealth. Elements that contribute to flow (optimal experience) during an activity and those that reinforce grit (perseverance to achieve a long-term goal) can be used to engage patients in their own rehabilitation.

Results

The experience of flow can be targeted by presenting the rehabilitation exercise as an optimally challenging game, one that offers a match between challenge and ability. Grit can be supported by reinforcing routine and by varying the therapy experience using different games.

Conclusions

A combination of hardware and software design approaches have the potential to transform uninteresting and repetitive activities, such as those that make up swallowing therapy regimens, into engaging ones. The field of gamification, however, is still developing, and gamified mHealth apps will need to withstand scientific testing of their claims and demonstrate effectiveness in all phases of outcome research.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1296/2661757/Flow-and-Grit-by-Design-Exploring-Gamification-in
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Influence of Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Variables on Generalization and Maintenance Following Phonomotor Treatment for Aphasia

Purpose

Although phonomotor treatment shows promise as an effective intervention for anomia in people with aphasia, responses to this treatment are not consistent across individuals. To better understand this variability, we examined the influence of 5 participant characteristics—age, time postonset, aphasia severity, naming impairment, and error profile—on generalization and maintenance of confrontation naming and discourse abilities following phonomotor treatment.

Method

Using retrospective data from 26 participants with aphasia who completed a 6-week phonomotor treatment program, we examined the relationships between participant characteristics of interest and change scores on confrontation naming and discourse tasks, measured pretreatment, immediately following treatment, and 3 months following treatment.

Results

Although the participant characteristics of aphasia severity and error profile appeared to predict generalization to improved confrontation naming of untrained items and discourse performance, a post hoc analysis revealed that no one characteristic predicted generalization across participants at 3 months posttreatment.

Conclusions

Response to phonomotor treatment does not appear to be influenced by aphasia and anomia severity level, error profile, participant age, or time postonset. Other factors, however, may influence response to intensive aphasia treatment and are worthy of continued exploration.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1092/2652491/Influence-of-Linguistic-and-Nonlinguistic
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Self-Ratings of Vocal Status in Daily Life: Reliability and Validity for Patients With Vocal Hyperfunction and a Normative Group

Purpose

The aim of this study was to establish reliability and validity for self-ratings of vocal status obtained during the daily activities of patients with vocal hyperfunction (VH) and matched controls.

Method

Eight-four patients with VH and 74 participants with normal voices answered 3 vocal status questions—difficulty producing soft, high-pitched phonation (D-SHP); discomfort; and fatigue—on an ambulatory voice monitor at the beginning, 5-hr intervals, and the end of each day (7 total days). Two subsets of the patient group answered the questions during a 2nd week after voice therapy (29 patients) or laryngeal surgery (16 patients).

Results

High reliability resulted for patients (Cronbach's α = .88) and controls (α = .95). Patients reported higher D-SHP, discomfort, and fatigue (Cohen's d = 1.62–1.92) compared with controls. Patients posttherapy and postsurgery reported significantly improved self-ratings of vocal status relative to their pretreatment ratings (d = 0.70–1.13). Within-subject changes in self-ratings greater than 20 points were considered clinically meaningful.

Conclusions

Ratings of D-SHP, discomfort, and fatigue have adequate reliability and validity for tracking vocal status throughout daily life in patients with VH and vocally healthy individuals. These questions could help investigate the relationship between vocal symptom variability and putative contributing factors (e.g., voice use/rest, emotions).

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1167/2661521/SelfRatings-of-Vocal-Status-in-Daily-Life
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Intrajudge and Interjudge Reliability of the Stuttering Severity Instrument–Fourth Edition

Purpose

The Stuttering Severity Instrument (SSI) is a tool used to measure the severity of stuttering. Previous versions of the instrument have known limitations (e.g., Lewis, 1995). The present study examined the intra- and interjudge reliability of the newest version, the Stuttering Severity Instrument–Fourth Edition (SSI-4) (Riley, 2009).

Method

Twelve judges who were trained on the SSI-4 protocol participated. Judges collected SSI-4 data while viewing 4 videos of adults who stutter at Time 1 and 4 weeks later at Time 2. Data were analyzed for intra- and interjudge reliability of the SSI-4 subscores (for Frequency, Duration, and Physical Concomitants), total score, and final severity rating.

Results

Intra- and interjudge reliability across the subscores and total score concurred with the manual's reported reliability when reliability was calculated using the methods described in the manual. New calculations of judge agreement produced different values from those in the manual—for the 3 subscores, total score, and final severity rating—and provided data absent from the manual.

Conclusions

Clinicians and researchers who use the SSI-4 should carefully consider the limitations of the instrument. Investigation into the multitasking demands of the instrument may provide information on whether separating the collection of data for specific variables will improve intra- and interjudge reliability of those variables.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1105/2652715/Intrajudge-and-Interjudge-Reliability-of-the
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The Frequency and Nature of Communication Between School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists and Caregivers of Children With Language Impairment

Purpose

The present study investigates the extent to which school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) communicate with the caregivers of children with language impairment and the factors that are significantly associated with frequent communication. In addition, this study investigates the extent to which frequent SLP–caregiver communication is associated with change in language and literacy abilities of children.

Method

To address the study aims, weekly communication logs from 73 SLPs, serving 3–5 children with language impairment in grades K-2, were collected for a complete academic year. Logs detailed the frequency and nature of SLP–caregiver communication. Information regarding children's age, language ability, and socioeconomic status were gathered at study onset; additionally, SLPs completed a questionnaire about their work experience and current work conditions (e.g., caseload size and job satisfaction). Finally, children were administered grammar, vocabulary, and early literacy assessments at the beginning and end of the academic year.

Results

Descriptive results indicate that (a) the most common type of communication was via homework, (b) children's socioeconomic status was related to communication frequency, and (c) increased SLP–caregiver communication related to increased grammar gains over the academic year.

Conclusion

These results suggest that SLP–caregiver communication may be important for children's language outcomes; further studies exploring ways to support these communicative efforts are warranted.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1193/2661618/The-Frequency-and-Nature-of-Communication-Between
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Dysphagia and Speech-Language Pathology Involvement Following Chemical Ingestion Injury: A Review of 44 Cases Admitted to a Quaternary Australian Hospital (2008–2012)

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of an adult chemical ingestion population and examine the course of return to oral intake post injury and speech-language pathologist (SLP) involvement during the initial acute-care admission.

Method

A retrospective chart review of adults admitted to a quaternary hospital for the treatment of an acute chemical ingestion injury between 2008 and 2012 was conducted.

Results

Forty-four adults (23 men, 21 women) were identified as receiving treatment for ingestion injury, of whom 18 (40.91%) required altered oral intake. Of those requiring altered oral intake, 50% were referred to SLPs. Individuals requiring altered oral intake were significantly (p < .05) older, more likely to be men, and present with more severe injuries requiring longer ICU and hospital admissions following intentional chemical ingestions than those who were able to commence a normal oral diet without any alteration or nonoral supplementation. By discharge, 15.91% (n = 7) of the total cohort had not resumed normal oral intake.

Conclusions

Return to oral intake post chemical ingestion injury can be protracted and complex. Referrals to SLPs were limited. These data may aid prognostic insight as well as provide (a) collateral information to assist discharge planning and follow-up and (b) background for evaluating the potential for SLP involvement.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1120/2648978/Dysphagia-and-SpeechLanguage-Pathology-Involvement
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Effects of Tongue Strength Training on Mealtime Function in Long-Term Care

Purpose

The primary aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8-week tongue-strengthening intervention protocol for seniors with mild to moderately severe cognitive impairment in the long-term care setting. Outcome measures of interest included tongue strength, mealtime duration, and food intake.

Method

In this pre–post group study of treatment outcomes, data were collected from 7 adults (aged 84–99 years). Participants were observed across a series of mealtimes to determine mealtime duration and intake before and after 16 treatment sessions. During therapy, participants performed isometric strength exercises and tongue pressure accuracy tasks using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (model number 2.1, IOPI Medical). Differences in tongue strength as a function of treatment were explored between the first 3 and final 3 sessions using univariate repeated-measures analysis of variance. Single-subject methods were used to explore baseline and posttreatment data for measures of mealtime function.

Results

Anterior and posterior tongue strength increased significantly with therapy. There were no changes in mealtime function.

Conclusions

This study shows proof of concept that some older adults with cognitive impairment are able to participate in a tongue-strengthening intervention and achieve improvements in tongue strength. Failure to find evidence of associated changes of mealtime function suggests that mealtime measures may not be directly sensitive to changes in tongue strength.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1213/2661486/Effects-of-Tongue-Strength-Training-on-Mealtime
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Speech Situation Checklist–Revised: Investigation With Adults Who Do Not Stutter and Treatment-Seeking Adults Who Stutter

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Speech Situation Checklist for adults who stutter (SSC) in differentiating people who stutter (PWS) from speakers with no stutter based on self-reports of anxiety and speech disruption in communicative settings. The SSC's psychometric properties were examined, norms were established, and suggestions for treatment were formulated.

Method

The SSC was administered to 88 PWS seeking treatment and 209 speakers with no stutter between the ages of 18 and 62. The SSC consists of 2 sections investigating negative emotional reaction and speech disruption in 38 speech situations that are identical in both sections.

Results

The SSC–Emotional Reaction and SSC–Speech Disruption data show that these self-report tests differentiate PWS from speakers with no stutter to a statistically significant extent and have great discriminative value. The tests have good internal reliability, content, and construct validity. Age and gender do not affect the scores of the PWS.

Conclusions

The SSC–Emotional Reaction and SSC–Speech Disruption seem to be powerful measures to investigate negative emotion and speech breakdown in an array of speech situations. The item scores give direction to treatment by suggesting speech situations that need a clinician's attention in terms of generalization and carry-over of within-clinic therapeutic gains into in vivo settings.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1129/2653950/Speech-Situation-ChecklistRevised-Investigation
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The Effect of Hand Gesture Cues Within the Treatment of /r/ for a College-Aged Adult With Persisting Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Purpose

Despite the widespread use of hand movements as visual and kinesthetic cues to facilitate accurate speech produced by individuals with speech sound disorders (SSDs), no experimental investigation of gestural cues that mimic that spatiotemporal parameters of speech sounds (e.g., holding fingers and thumb together and "popping" them to cue /p/) currently exists. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of manual mimicry cues within a multisensory intervention of persisting childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

Method

A single-subject ABAB withdrawal design was implemented to assess the accuracy of vowel + /r/ combinations produced by a 21-year-old woman with persisting CAS. The effect of manual mimicry gestures paired with multisensory therapy consisting of verbal instructions and visual modeling was assessed via clinician and naïve listener ratings of target sound accuracy.

Results

According to the perceptual ratings of the treating clinician and 28 naïve listeners, the participant demonstrated improved speech sound accuracy as a function of the manual mimicry/multisensory therapy.

Conclusions

These data offer preliminary support for the incorporation of gestural cues in therapy for CAS and other SSDs. The need for continued research on the interaction of speech and manual movements for individuals with SSDs is discussed.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1236/2662760/The-Effect-of-Hand-Gesture-Cues-Within-the
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Efficacy of Electropalatography for Treating Misarticulation of /r/

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to document the efficacy of electropalatography (EPG) for the treatment of rhotic errors in school-age children. Despite a growing body of literature using EPG for the treatment of speech sound errors, there is little systematic evidence about the relative efficacy of EPG for rhotic errors.

Method

Participants were 5 English-speaking children aged 6;10 to 9;10, who produced /r/ at the word level with < 30% accuracy but otherwise showed typical speech, language, and hearing abilities. Therapy was delivered in twice-weekly 30-min sessions for 8 weeks.

Results

Four out of 5 participants were successful in achieving perceptually and acoustically accurate /r/ productions during within-treatment trials. Two participants demonstrated generalization of /r/ productions to nontreated targets, per blinded listener ratings.

Conclusions

The present findings support the hypothesis that EPG can improve production accuracy in some children with rhotic errors. However, the utility of EPG is likely to remain variable across individuals. For rhotics, EPG training emphasizes one possible tongue configuration consistent with accurate rhotic production (lateral tongue contact). Although some speakers respond well to this cue, the narrow focus may limit lingual exploration of other acceptable tongue shapes known to facilitate rhotic productions.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1141/2652561/Efficacy-of-Electropalatography-for-Treating
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South Asian Adults' Performance on Executive Function Tests

Purpose

This study compared the performance of South Asian and White adults on the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS; Wilson, Alderman, Burgess, Emslie, & Evans, 1996) and the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES; MacDonald, 2005), tests that can be used by speech-language pathologists to assess executive function (EF).

Method

Twenty South Asian and 20 White participants were administered the BADS and FAVRES. Raw scores were converted to profile scores on the BADS and to standard scores on the FAVRES. Analysis of covariance statistics were calculated to compare EF test performance.

Results

South Asian and White participants did not demonstrate significant performance differences on the BADS. On the FAVRES, Whites had significantly higher accuracy scores on 2 of the 4 subtests and significantly higher rationale scores on 3 subtests. South Asian adults who completed all of their formal education in India had lower accuracy and rationale scores on 2 of the 4 subtests versus South Asian adults who completed at least some of their formal education in North America. No significant differences occurred on the Time scores for any subtest or on the overall Reasoning score.

Conclusions

Performance differences on EF tests may exist between South Asian and White adults. Further research is necessary to determine the impact of cultural and linguistic differences on EF test performance in South Asian adults.

from ! ORL Sfakianakis via paythelady.61 on Inoreader http://article/26/4/1254/2662762/South-Asian-Adults-Performance-on-Executive
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