SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

Research for speech-language pathology

Papers a speech-language pathologist can act on — aphasia, dysphagia, developmental language, fluency, voice and augmentative communication — read in full and summarised plainly.

10,216 PAPERS · PAGE 175 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2026Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptom Profiles in Fragile X Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Neurofibromatosis Type 1.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with rare genetic syndromes do not share one autism symptom profile. Clinical observation and parent reports often disagreed, with some children showing high repetitive behaviors but normal social interaction, or vice versa. This mismatch means assessment tools must be interpreted together rather than separately.
• SLPCohort2026A Longitudinal Study of Head Circumference Trajectories in Autism and Autistic Traits.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism had larger head circumference than controls, but the difference disappeared when height was considered. Children with elevated autistic traits showed no initial difference and only a small lower head circumference after accounting for sex.
• SLPOther2026Prediction by Young Autistic Children from Visual and Spoken Input.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn a lab task with changing rules, autistic toddlers matched on cognition adjusted to new linguistic cues faster than neurotypical peers. This suggests a preference for recent experience over prior learning, though it is unclear if this helps or hinders real-world language acquisition.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Factors Related to Depression Symptoms in Chronic Poststroke Aphasia.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn chronic left-hemisphere stroke survivors, depression symptoms tracked with self-reported communication and cognitive disability, low social participation, and poor perceived recovery. Physical impairment and clinician-scored language severity were unrelated. Screen for mood when patients report daily life struggles.
• SLPRCT2026Cultural Adaptation of RUBI Intervention with Korean Families (K-RUBI): A Mixed Method Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersKorean mothers reported greater confidence and knowledge after eight weeks of telehealth parent training, but the study did not prove the program reduced their children's challenging behaviors compared with a waitlist group.
• OTSLPQualitative2026"He Just Wants Someone to Hear Him and Listen to Him": Barriers and Facilitators to Autistic Youth with Anxiety Receiving Quality Mental Healthcare.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth and caregivers described how therapy fails when it ignores sensory needs, rigid schedules, and lack of rapport. They valued providers who use visual aids, incorporate special interests, and allow time for trust. Telehealth helped some avoid office meltdowns but hindered connection for others.
• SLPCohort2026A Longitudinal Study of Aggression in People with Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAggression in autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities peaked at age 9, with 68.8% showing some aggression, then fell to 41.8% by age 18. School-age aggression, not toddler aggression, was linked to aggression at 18.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Gesture Imitation Performance and Visual Exploration in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn young children with autism, gesture imitation scores did not differ from typically developing peers, but imitation quality was linked to age and developmental skills. Looking at the demonstrator's face did not predict imitation accuracy. Meaningful gestures were harder for children with more severe autism symptoms.
• SLPCohort2026Exploring Metalinguistic Awareness in School-Aged Autistic Children: Insights from Grammatical Judgment.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children did not differ from neurotypical children on a short, picture-based sentence judgment task. Age and non-verbal reasoning were linked to scores, not autism status.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Sociodemographic and Clinical Profile of 915 Autistic Preschoolers Engaged in Intensive Early Intervention in Australia.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren entering intensive early intervention showed severe delays in adaptive and cognitive skills, with communication and expressive language being the weakest areas. Despite these high support needs, parental stress levels were similar to general autism samples rather than elevated.
• SLPOther2026Movement Coordination's Link with Common Ground During Dyadic Peer Discourse in Typically Developing and Autistic Speakers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children and adolescents could build shared understanding with peers, but they used more words and took longer than typically developing peers. Better motor skills and coordination with a partner linked to shorter, faster conversations, especially under age 10.
• SLPSurvey2026Context-Specific Resilience Through a Cultural Lens: Social-Ecological Factors Among Chinese Families of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities reported more stress and less emotional flexibility, coping, self-kindness, family support and social support. Emotional flexibility and family support were linked to lower stress and fewer child difficulties.
• OTSLPOther2026Determinants of Positive Evolution of Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during the COVID-19 Lockdown in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (DRC).Journal of autism and developmental disordersDuring lockdown, 42.6% of parents reported positive changes in their child's autism symptoms. Parents spending more than 8 hours daily with the child and improvements in language or autonomy were associated with positive evolution. Conversely, parental depression and child comorbidities were linked to no change or deterioration.
• OTSLPOther2026The Mediating Role of Social Interactions and Early Psychopathological Symptoms in the Relationship Between Empathy and Prosociality in Young Children with ASD and Neurotypical Peers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAnxious children with autism showed more prosocial behaviour than less anxious peers, while anxiety did not predict prosociality in neurotypical children. Parents reported lower empathy and social interaction in children with autism, but similar levels of anxiety between groups.
• SLPSystematic Review2026Gender Diversity, Gender Dysphoria/Incongruence, and the Intersection with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Updated Scoping Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutism diagnoses appear in 0.61% of all participants across 99 studies, while gender diversity appears in 0.14%. Research remains heavily focused on adults and lacks data on those with intellectual disability. Current assessment methods often fail to capture non-binary identities or accommodate varied communication needs.
• SLPOther2026A Multi-Method Approach for the Identification of Social Functioning Profiles in Autistic Adolescents and Young Adults Without Intellectual Disability.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents without intellectual disability split into two social profiles: one more withdrawn, the one less engaged in interactions. Both had similar motivation. Parents rated the less engaged group as having worse social skills and more mental health difficulties.
• OTSLPOther2026Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Psy-Flex Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Chinese Psy-Flex reliably measures psychological flexibility in parents of children with autism. It takes about 5 minutes to complete and accurately distinguishes parents with high stress from those without, offering a brief tool for tracking mental health in this group.
• SLPQualitative2026"It's Really Complicated": Engaging Key Stakeholders to Inform a Novel Parent-led Sexual Health Education Program for Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults and parents want sexual health education to happen at home, tailored to the child's needs and identity. They highlighted gaps in school programs, risks from online content, and the need to teach self-advocacy and safety skills explicitly.
• OTSLPCohort2026Associations of Autistic Traits and Autism with Incontinence and Constipation in a UK Birth Cohort.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with high autistic traits, especially social-communication and language coherence difficulties, had higher odds of daytime wetting and soiling at age 9. At age 14, autistic traits were also linked to constipation. Screen for continence issues in autistic children.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Impact of single-event multilevel surgery on gait efficiency in children with cerebral palsy: a retrospective study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with cerebral palsy who had single-event multilevel surgery improved their walking efficiency and overall gait quality. They walked with better knee extension and stronger ankle push-off, though their speed did not increase. These changes were seen in a retrospective study without a true control group.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Beyond the joystick: deep learning games for hand movement recovery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA camera-based game system recognized hand gestures with 85% to 95% accuracy in 15 healthy adults. Users rated its usability as good, suggesting it is technically feasible for home rehabilitation. It has not yet been tested for clinical effectiveness in patients.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Neuromodulation effects of low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound in human, a systematic review focusing on motor and sensory functions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationLow-intensity focused ultrasound changed brain excitability in a dose-dependent way. Specific settings suppressed motor activity during stimulation, while others boosted it for 30 minutes after. The effects were on lab measures, not function. No clinical improvement was shown.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2025Noninvasive brain stimulation for upper limb motor activity in children and young adults with cerebral palsy and pediatric stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to therapy did not improve upper limb movement in children with cerebral palsy or stroke. The combined treatment showed no benefit over standard care alone, so clinicians should not expect these stimulation techniques to enhance motor recovery on their own.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Influence of age, cognitive function, attention, and mental state on the effectiveness of EEG-based brain-computer interface device use: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMotor imagery BCIs are sensitive to age and cognitive decline, while visual-based systems like P300 and SSVEP remain stable across groups. Fatigue and low attention significantly reduce control accuracy, requiring shorter sessions or adaptive feedback for effective rehabilitation.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Mild multiple sclerosis challenges shape work experiences, affect self-concept, and are often trivialized despite disclosure.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with mild multiple sclerosis who had disclosed their diagnosis still hid work struggles. They feared being seen as incompetent or lazy, not just disabled. This silence prevented managers from making adjustments. Clinicians should discuss specific task barriers, not just the diagnosis, to help patients keep their jobs.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Facing Change and Uncertainty: Lessons Learned from Autistic Children and their Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFamilies reported both worsening and improving outcomes during lockdown. Children with sensory or social needs often struggled with lost structure, but others saw reduced anxiety and better communication from increased one-to-one time at home. Support services and school continuity were critical gaps.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Employing a Phased, Interdisciplinary Approach Across Healthcare and School Settings: mHealth Adaptations for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder At-Risk of Experiencing Obesity.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor youth with autism, participants said an obesity-prevention chatbot app should offer simple choices, safety prompts, visuals, and rewards, while fitting family life. They valued apps for teletherapy and home programs, but worried about cost, time, and parent burden.
• SLPSurvey2026College Students Recognize Characteristics of Autism, but Struggle to Differentiate Between Characteristics of Autism and Other Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCollege students recognized autism traits as diagnostic more accurately than they rejected ADHD, anxiety and learning-disability traits. When they mislabeled those traits as autism, they were often more confident, not less.
• SLPCohort2026Mathematical Proficiency in Adolescents with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with ASD showed lower math scores overall than peers, but performance varied widely by individual. Some had age-appropriate skills, while others struggled specifically with procedures and algebra, suggesting the need for personalized educational assessments.
• OTSLPOther2026Exploring the Interpersonal Goals of Autistic and Neurotypical Adolescents Who Bully Others.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents who valued closeness and friendship were more likely to be identified as bullies, unlike neurotypical peers who bullied to gain status. This suggests some bullying in autism may stem from social misunderstanding rather than intent to harm.
• SLPQualitative2026Breastfeeding Journeys: Comparing Mothers' Experiences with Autistic and Neurotypical Infants.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers described distinct breastfeeding difficulties with infants later diagnosed with autism, including poor latch, lack of effort, and rigid positioning needs. These issues were absent in their neurotypical children. The study reports themes, not evidence that breastfeeding problems diagnose autism.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Healthcare Providers' Perspectives on Autistic Adolescents Transitioning to Independent Driving.Journal of autism and developmental disordersProviders rely on ad-hoc strategies like role-playing and referrals to guide autistic adolescents toward driving. They report lacking a gold standard resource or autism-specific driver education, leaving them to improvise assessments of readiness and safety in real time.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Parental Burnout in Israeli Parents of Children with ASD During Wartime: The Role of Child Behavior, Parental Emotion Regulation, Stress, and Social Support.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDuring war, parents of children with autism reported higher burnout and stress than parents of typically developing children. Unlike the other group, their burnout was not buffered by social support or emotion regulation. Instead, disruptions to their child's therapy and school routines were the strongest predictors of distress.
• SLPCohort2026The Narrative Coherence of Autistic Children's Accounts of an Experienced Event in Response to Different Interviewer Prompts: A Longitudinal Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children produced narratives as coherent as their peers after two months, but provided fewer chronological details when asked specific 'who/what/when' questions. They excelled at descriptive detail. Open-ended prompts elicited the most coherent accounts for both groups.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Changes in tibialis anterior muscle activity following tibial nerve block in adults with spastic equinovarus foot: an observational pilot study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn adults with spastic foot, a temporary nerve block improved passive ankle movement and reduced muscle tone. Unexpectedly, activity in the front shin muscle also decreased during walking. This likely reflects reduced struggle against stiffness, not weakness, but actual gait changes were not measured.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Effectiveness of myoelectric wearable orthoses for upper extremity functional recovery in spinal cord injury- a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 10 people with chronic cervical spinal cord injury, six weeks of training with a myoelectric arm orthosis improved hand range and grip on the trained arm. Between-group differences on the trained arm were not significant. The only significant group difference was for grip strength in the opposite, untrained hand.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Positive effects of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling on perception of effort, cerebral blood flow, and cognition in post-stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients reported significantly lower perceived effort during FES-assisted cycling compared to traditional cycling at the same workload. Cerebral blood flow increased similarly in both conditions, and cognitive benefits were inconsistent, with a potential advantage for FES on one attention task.
• SLPCohort2026Analysis of Disparities in Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Military Health System Pediatrics Population.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMilitary children diagnosed within military treatment facilities were diagnosed at younger ages than those diagnosed in the community, with no significant gender disparities. Non-White children were diagnosed at younger average ages than White children, contrary to typical disparities.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Prioritizing quality of geriatric rehabilitation from the older adults' perspective: A nominal group technique study.Clinical rehabilitationOlder adults prioritized clear expectations, well-organized care, personal relationships with staff, respectful communication, and autonomy in decision-making. Basic needs like hygiene and nutrition were discussed but ranked lower. These priorities reflect what matters most to patients, not proven interventions.
• OTSLPQualitative2026A "Round, Bruising Sort of Pain": Autistic Girls' Social Camouflaging in Inclusive High School Settings.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls in inclusive schools reported camouflaging all day, finding it exhausting. They valued time alone and adult autism awareness most, while rating social skills classes as least helpful. Neurodivergent friends were described as essential for navigating school.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Parents' Early Concerns about Their Child with Autism: Relation to Age of Diagnosis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSpecific early signs like not responding to name or losing skills predicted earlier autism diagnosis. General language delays or repetitive behaviors did not. A higher number of concerns was associated with later diagnosis in the final model, suggesting specificity matters more than volume.
• SLPRCT2026AutInsight: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a Consumer-Informed Parent Support Program for Parents of Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents in AutInsight reported feeling more in tune with their autistic child and said the child engaged more with them. Observed parent-child interaction did not improve. This was a small pilot.
• OTSLPOther2026Hair Cortisol in Young Children with Autism and Their Parents: Associations with Child Mental Health, Eating Behavior and Weight Status.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism had higher hair cortisol than peers, but their own stress levels did not link to their eating, weight, or behavior. Parent-reported stress, however, correlated with child problem behavior and emotional eating, suggesting parental well-being is a stronger marker than the child's biology.
• OTSLPOther2026Child and Family Characteristics Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Biobank Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPoor sleep was the only factor linked to all four types of anxiety in autistic children. Those with the worst sleep habits had up to 9.23 times higher odds of separation anxiety compared to those with the best sleep.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026The Knowledge and Preferences of Parents/Carers of Autistic Children and Young People about Technology Devices.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of autistic children overwhelmingly prefer tablets for support programmes, citing ease of use and familiarity. They reject virtual reality and robots due to sensory overload, cost, and unfamiliarity. These preferences reflect current household technology access rather than proven clinical effectiveness.
• SLPCohort2026Co-occurring Psychopathology in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Differences by Sex in the ECHO Cohorts.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls and women showed more anxiety and depression than autistic boys, especially in adolescence. Autistic boys showed more ADHD symptoms. Parents reported fewer emotional issues in autistic children with mild symptoms, possibly because those signs were missed or masked.
• OTSLPOther2026"Do My Friends Only Like the School Me or the True Me?": School Belonging, Camouflaging, and Anxiety in Autistic Students.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic students who feel they do not belong at school are more likely to hide their autistic traits. This camouflaging is linked to higher anxiety. Creating environments where students feel accepted and safe may reduce the need to mask and lower anxiety levels.
• SLPQualitative2026"I wanna just not go, because maybe I'm sad" - views on depression from the perspective of people with aphasia, their care partners, and speech-language pathologists.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with aphasia rarely discussed depression, though care partners believed they were open about it. Participants described depression as fluctuating and embodied, with hopelessness and anger being key signs. Speech-language pathologists felt untrained to screen for or refer these mental health concerns.
• OTSLPQualitative2026"Just Listen to Me. Help Me Explore it." An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Experiences of Gender Dysphoria, Identity And Resilience in Autistic Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adolescents assigned female at birth described gender distress as both physical and social. They found social transition helpful for social distress but not body mismatch. Clinicians should listen for repeated words as signs of distress, as patients often struggle to articulate it.
• SLPOther2026The Aberrant Behavior Checklist in a Clinical Sample of Autistic Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems: Psychometric Properties, Factor Structure, and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Aberrant Behavior Checklist reliably measures irritability, social withdrawal, stereotypic behaviour, and inappropriate speech in autistic adults with intellectual disabilities. Do not track changes in hyperactivity or noncompliance over time, as these scores are not comparable across visits.