bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measuring Preschool Attainment of Print-Concept Knowledge: A Study of Typical and At-Risk 3- to 5-Year-Old Children Using Item Response Theory
Authors: Justice Laura M. , Bowles Ryan P. , Skibbe Lori E. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
This research determined the psychometric quality of a criterion-referenced measure that was thought to measure preschoolers' print-concept knowledge (PCK).

Method
This measure, titled the Preschool Word and Print Awareness (PWPA), was examined using the partial credit model (PCM) to determine its suitability for use by clinicians, educators, and researchers. The extent to which the PWPA differentiated estimates of PCK for at-risk populations on the basis of socioeconomic status (SES) and language ability was also studied. The sample population was one-hundred twenty-eight 3- to 5-year-old children who varied in SES (middle, low) and language ability (typical language, language impairment) as derived from several previous or ongoing studies of emergent literacy intervention.

Results
The PCM fit analyses showed good fit between the overall data and the PCM, indicating that the PWPA provided a valid estimate of the latent PCK trait. SES and language ability were significant predictors of PWPA scores when age was used as a covariate. These results showed the PWPA to be suitable for measuring preschoolers' PCK and to be sensitive to differences among children as a function of risk status.

Clinical Implications
The results show the PWPA to be an appropriate instrument for clinical and educational use with preschool children.
Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders: Progress not Perfection
Authors: Kent Ray D. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
This commentary is written in response to a companion paper by Nan Bernstein Ratner (Evidence-Based Practice: An Examination of its Ramifications for the Practice of Speech-Language Pathology).

Method
The comments reflect my experience as Vice President for Research and Technology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). One of the responsibilities of the Vice President is to monitor the work of the Advisory Committee on Evidence-Based Practice.

Conclusion
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a challenging but attainable goal for audiology and speech-language pathology. Our professions have made rapid progress in developing the foundations for EBP. To be sure, a great deal of work remains to be done, but we have learned from the experiences of other professions and have built our own systems to support EBP.
Commentary on “Treatment Decisions for Children With Speech–Sound Disorders”: Revisiting the Past in EBP
Authors: Tyler Ann A. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
This commentary, written in response to Alan Kamhi’s paper, “Treatment Decisions for Children with Speech–Sound Disorders,” further considers the “what” or goal selection process of decision making with the aim of efficiency—getting the most change in the shortest time.

Method
My comments reflect a focus on the client values piece of the evidence-based practice (EBP) triad through validating treatment decisions for individual clients using generalization data. Such data are ideal for demonstrating change according to specific benchmarks and suggesting that treatment was responsible for this change. Consideration is also given to deficit profiles and their implications for long-term outcomes when validating the effects of treatment.

Conclusion
Although the abundance of evidence suggests that a variety of treatment approaches are effective for children with speech–sound disorders, less is known about which are most efficient as compared to one another or for which specific children. Practitioners, however, are embracing EBP when they select a treatment by matching the research evidence with a client’s profile, collect systematic data, and use those data to demonstrate that change is attributable to treatment.
Commentary on “Making Evidence-Based Decisions About Child Language Intervention in Schools” by Gillam and Gillam
Authors: Fey Marc E. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
This paper is a personal reaction to Gillam and Gillam’s treatise on evidence-based decision making in schools. This evaluation focuses principally on the costs and benefits of clinicians' search for external evidence, potential problems associated with efforts to grade that evidence, and the integration of this evidence with “internal” evidence related to specific children and their families, clinician preferences and experience, and the school setting.

Method
Descriptive methods (that are not evidence-based) are used to evaluate critically Gillam and Gillam’s proposals on the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in schools.

Conclusion
Early efforts to implement the plan for EBP illustrated by Gillam and Gillam are likely to be difficult, forcing clinicians to be flexible and patient. Nevertheless, if the plan is followed, it will result ultimately in improved speech-language pathology services in the schools and improved clinical research to support those services.
The Prevalence of Stuttering, Voice, and Speech-Sound Disorders in Primary School Students in Australia
Authors: McKinnon David H. , McLeod Sharynne , Reilly Sheena 
Published: May 2007

PurposeThe aims of this study were threefold: to report teachers' estimates of the prevalence of speech disorders (specifically, stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders); to consider correspondence between the prevalence of speech disorders and gender, grade level, and socioeconomic status; and to describe the level of support provided to schoolchildren with speech disorders.MethodStudents with speech disorders were identified from 10,425 students in Australia using a 4-stage process: training in the data collection process, teacher identification, confirmation by a speech-language pathologist, and consultation with district special needs advisors.ResultsThe prevalence of students with speech disorders was estimated; specifically, 0.33% of students were identified as stuttering, 0.12% as having a voice disorder, and 1.06% as having a speech-sound disorder. There was a higher prevalence of speech disorders in males than in females. As grade level increased, the prevalence of speech disorders decreased. There was no significant difference in the pattern of prevalence across the three speech disorders and four socioeconomic groups; however, students who were identified with a speech disorder were more likely to be in the higher socioeconomic groups. Finally, there was a difference between the perceived and actual level of support that was provided to these students.ConclusionThese prevalence figures are lower than those using initial identification by speech-language pathologists and similar to those using parent report.
The Critical Shortage of Speech-Language Pathologists in the Public School Setting: Features of the Work Environment That Affect Recruitment and Retention
Authors: Edgar Debra L. , Rosa-Lugo Linda I. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
The primary focus of this study was to elicit the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding features of the work environment that contribute to and/or hinder recruitment and retention in the public school setting.

Method
A questionnaire was distributed to SLPs employed in 10 school districts in Central Florida representing small, medium, and large school districts. The primary goal of the questionnaire was to elicit the perspectives of school-based SLPs regarding (a) factors in the work environment that contribute to retention, (b) factors in the work environment that hinder retention, and (c) issues that may contribute to the recruitment and retention of SLPs in the school setting. A total of 382 questionnaires was obtained, yielding a 64.5% response rate.

Results
The participants ranked working with children, school schedule, and educational setting as primary reasons for their satisfaction with working in the public school setting. The participants ranked workload, role ambiguity, salary, and caseload as primary reasons for their dissatisfaction with working in the public school setting.

Conclusion
Themes emerged from the data that provide insight into several factors that serve as powerful influences in understanding issues of recruitment and retention of SLPs in the public school setting.
Neurobiology and Neurodevelopmental Impact of Childhood Traumatic Stress and Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Henry Jim , Sloane Mark , Black-Pond Connie 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
Research reveals that prenatal alcohol exposure and child trauma (i.e., abuse, neglect, sexual abuse) can have deleterious effects on child development across multiple domains. This study analyzed the impact on childhood neurodevelopment of prenatal alcohol exposure and postnatal traumatic experience compared to postnatal traumatic experience alone. Although the harmful effects of both have been well documented individually, there is no research documenting the concurrent effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and postnatal trauma on a child’s developmental process.

Method
Transdisciplinary assessment of the children included the core disciplines of medicine, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, social work, and psychology. Medical examination, standardized developmental and intelligence testing, projective tools, parent questionnaires, and psychosocial interviews provided information in the primary developmental areas.

Results
Findings indicated that children who had been exposed prenatally to alcohol along with postnatal traumatic experience had lower intelligence scores and more severe neurodevelopmental deficits in language, memory, visual processing, motor skills, and attention than did traumatized children without prenatal alcohol exposure, as well as greater oppositional/defiant behavior, inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and social problems.

Clinical Implications
Successful teacher and speech-language pathologist interventions with traumatized children with prenatal alcohol exposure demand a paradigm shift that requires the development of new perspectives and ongoing training.
A State of Double Jeopardy: Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Adverse Environments on the Social Communicative Abilities of School-Age Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Coggins Truman E. , Timler Geralyn R. , Olswang Lesley B. 
Published: May 2007

PurposeThis article is a retrospective examination of environmental risk, language performance, and narrative discourse data from a clinical database of school-age children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).MethodA case-defined diagnostic approach for measuring and reporting the full spectrum of disabilities in children with prenatal alcohol exposure is presented. Demographic, environmental, language, and social communication (as reflected by narrative discourse) data are reported for a large cohort of children with FASD between the ages of 6;0 (years;months) and 12;0.ResultsChildren with FASD are a heterogeneous group with varying levels of compromise. The data demonstrate a substantial comorbidity between the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and adverse caregiving environments. The data further reveal that school-age children with FASD often exhibit clinically meaningful deficits in language and social communication.Clinical ImplicationChildren with FASD may be particularly vulnerable to language and social communication deficits as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure and atypical or adverse social interactive experiences. Comprehensive assessment is recommended. Dynamic and functional assessment paradigms may document the language and social communicative deficits in children with FASD and other clinical populations with complex neurodevelopmental profiles.
Collaborative Services: Children Experiencing Neglect and the Side Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Rogers-Adkinson Diana L. , Stuart Shannon K. 
Published: May 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide critical knowledge regarding children who are served by the child welfare system and how these children’s specialized needs affect speech-language services. Specifically, the structure of social services system models is presented, with an emphasis on the cultural and systemic interactions between service providers and families. In addition, the role of special education for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and prenatal drug or alcohol exposure is presented, with an emphasis on social service and special education legal issues.MethodThis article provides a critical analysis of the research literature to date regarding effective tools for providing collaborative intervention to children who are experiencing fetal alcohol syndrome disorder or abuse and/or neglect.Clinical ImplicationsThis article provides suggestions about the collaborative roles that speech-language pathologists should integrate into treatment milieu when delivering therapy to children with histories of abuse, neglect, and prenatal drug or alcohol exposure.
The Effect of Aided Language Modeling on Symbol Comprehension and Production in 2 Preschoolers With Autism
Authors: Drager Kathryn D. R. , Postal Valerie J. , Carrolus Leanne , Castellano Megan , Gagliano Christine , Glynn Jennifer 
Published: May 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an instructional procedure called
aided language modeling
(ALM) on symbol comprehension and expression in 2 preschool children with autism who used few words functionally. ALM consists of engaging the child in interactive play activities and providing models of use of augmentative and alternative communication symbols during play.

Method
A multiple-baseline design across sets of symbol vocabulary was used with 2 children who had autism. Four vocabulary items were taught in each of 3 legs of the design, for each child.

Results
Both participants demonstrated increased symbol comprehension and elicited symbol production. In addition, both participants demonstrated that symbol comprehension and symbol production could be maintained. For both children, performance on symbol production lagged behind rate of responses on symbol comprehension.

Conclusions
The current research presents preliminary evidence that a modeling intervention may be effective in increasing symbol comprehension and production, and may be an appropriate intervention strategy for some preschoolers with autism. Future research should continue to investigate this strategy and its effects on functional communication.
Accuracy of Repetition of Digitized and Synthesized Speech for Young Children in Background Noise
Authors: Drager Kathryn D. R. , Clark-Serpentine Elizabeth A. , Johnson Kate E. , Roeser Jennifer L. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
The present study investigated the intelligibility of digitized and synthesized speech output in background noise for children 3–5 years old. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there was a difference in the intelligibility (ability to repeat) of 3 types of speech output (digitized, DECTalk synthesized, and MacinTalk synthesized) in single words and sentences, presented within and out of context.

Method
The dependent variable was speech intelligibility (number of individual words repeated correctly). The study used a mixed-model design. Ninety typically developing children (3–5 years old) were assigned to each of 3 speech type conditions. Participants were asked to repeat 20 words and 10 short sentences. Half of the stimuli were preceded by contextual information (topic cue), and half were presented without any context.

Results
Young children have difficulty accurately repeating some digitized and synthesized messages in background noise. Overall, the older children (4- and 5-year-olds) performed better than the 3-year-old children. Increasing information through context or longer messages (i.e., sentences) did facilitate intelligibility overall, although there was a statistically significant Message Length × Context × Speech Type interaction.

Conclusions
For 3–5-year-olds, the intelligibility of single words is very low (55%–77%). The intelligibility of sentences is higher, but the sole use of sentences for communication is problematic. Contextual information facilitates intelligibility and is a promising approach for ensuring effective communication. Future research is needed to improve the intelligibility of speech output at the single word level in order to maximize the benefits of speech output.
Reduced Speaking Rate as an Early Predictor of Reading Disability
Authors: Smith Allan B. , Roberts Jenny , Lambrecht Smith Susan , Locke John L. , Bennett Jane 
Published: May 2007

PurposeThis study evaluated whether developmental reading disability could be predicted in children at the age of 30 months, according to 3 measures of speech production: speaking rate, articulation rate, and the proportion of speaking time allocated to pausing.MethodSpeech samples of 18 children at high risk and 10 children at low risk for reading disability were recorded at 30 months of age. High risk was determined by history of reading disability in at least 1 of the child’s parents. In grade school, a reading evaluation identified 9 children within the high-risk group as having reading disability and 9 children as not having reading disability. The 10 children at low risk for reading disability tested negative for reading disability.ResultsChildren with reading disability showed a significantly slower speaking rate than children at high risk without reading disability. Children with reading disability allocated significantly more time to pausing, as compared with the other groups. Articulation rate did not differ significantly across groups.ConclusionsSpeaking rate and the proportion of pausing time to speaking time may provide an early indication of reading outcome in children at high risk for reading disability.
Complexity in Language Learning and Treatment
Authors: Thompson Cynthia K. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose

To introduce a Clinical Forum focused on the Complexity Account of Treatment Efficacy (C. K. Thompson, L. P. Shapiro, S. Kiran, & J. Sobecks, 2003), a counterintuitive but effective approach for treating language disorders. This approach espouses training
complex
structures to promote generalized improvement of simpler, linguistically related structures. Three articles are included, addressing complexity in treatment of phonology, lexical-semantics, and syntax.

Method
Complexity hierarchies based on models of normal language representation and processing are discussed in each language domain. In addition, each article presents single-subject controlled experimental studies examining the complexity effect. By counterbalancing treatment of complex and simple structures across participants, acquisition and generalization patterns are examined as they emerge.

Results
In all language domains, cascading generalization occurs from more to less complex structures; however, the opposite pattern is rarely seen. The results are robust, with replication within and across participants.

Conclusions
The construct of complexity appears to be a general principle that is relevant to treating a range of language disorders in both children and adults. While challenging the long-standing clinical notion that treatment should begin with simple structures, mounting evidence points toward the facilitative effects of using more complex structures as a starting point for treatment.
Phonological Complexity and Language Learnability
Authors: Gierut Judith A. 
Published: May 2007

PurposeTo extend formal models of language learnability to applications in clinical treatment of children with functional phonological delays.MethodThe focus of the narrative review is on phonological complexity. This follows from learnability theory, whereby complexity in the linguistic input to children has been shown to trigger language learning. Drawing from the literature, phonological complexity is defined from epistemic, ontological, and functional perspectives, with specific emphasis on the application of language universals in the selection of target sounds for treatment.ResultsThe cascading effects of phonological complexity on children’s generalization learning are illustrated, and frequently asked questions about complexity in treatment are addressed.ConclusionThe role of complexity in cognitive development is introduced to demonstrate the apparent robustness of effects.
Effects of Verbal Cue on Bolus Flow During Swallowing
Authors: Daniels Stephanie K. , Schroeder Mae Fern , DeGeorge Pamela C. , Corey David M. , Rosenbek John C. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
To examine the effects of verbal cuing to initiate swallowing on bolus flow measures in healthy adults.

Method
Videofluoroscopic examinations were completed in 12 healthy older adults (median age = 69 years) as they swallowed 5 ml of self-administered liquid barium in 2 conditions: verbally cued and noncued swallows. In the cued condition, participants held the liquid in their mouths until instructed to swallow. In the noncued condition, participants swallowed in their usual manner.

Results
Verbal cue affected bolus position at onset of timing measures, thereby influencing duration. The bolus was positioned more posterior in the oral cavity at onset of oral transit for cued as compared with noncued swallows. The leading edge of the bolus at onset of the pharyngeal swallow was more superior in the pharynx for cued as compared with noncued swallows. Durations of the cued swallows were significantly shorter than for noncued swallows for all timing measures. Bolus direction scores were not significantly different between conditions.

Conclusions
Findings suggest that swallowing is altered by the use of verbal cues to initiate swallowing in healthy adults. Determining whether shorter durations with implementation of verbal cues are evident in individuals with dysphagia and whether effects are beneficial or deleterious requires continued research.
Tongue Measures in Individuals With Normal and Impaired Swallowing
Authors: Stierwalt Julie A. G. , Youmans Scott R. 
Published: May 2007

Purpose
This investigation sought to add to the extant literature on measures of normal tongue function, to provide information on measures of tongue function in a group of individuals with oral phase dysphagia, and to provide a comparison of these 2 groups matched for age and gender.

Method

The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was utilized to measure tongue function (strength and endurance) in a group of individuals with normal (
N
= 200) and impaired (
N
= 50) swallowing. The peak measure of 3 encouraged trials was recorded as participants’ strength, and 50% of their peak was sustained as long as possible for endurance.

Results
Results for the control group supported previous investigations wherein greater tongue strength was found in males than in females and in the youngest versus oldest groups. The experimental group demonstrated a similar trend in strength for gender. When matched for age and gender, the experimental group demonstrated significantly lower strength. Significant differences were not revealed on measures of tongue endurance.

Conclusions
We were able to extend the normative database on tongue function and document reduced tongue strength in a group of individuals with dysphagia. The findings provide evidence that in this group, tongue weakness coincided with signs of dysphagia, adding justification for tongue-strengthening protocols.