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 202 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2026Frailty Progression Moderates the Association Between Sensory and Cognitive Trajectories Over 6 Years: Evidence From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.Ear and hearingWorsening hearing over 6 years tracked with faster memory decline, and worsening vision with faster executive function decline. Frailty progression was independently linked to both and made the vision-executive function association stronger.
• SLPOther2026Aphasia severity mediates the relationship between attention and sentence comprehension.AphasiologyAttention does not directly drive sentence comprehension in aphasia. In 58 stroke survivors, the link between attention and sentence processing ran through overall aphasia severity. More severe aphasia meant worse ability to shift attention and more difficulty resisting distraction.
• SLPNarrative Review2026Enhancing the assessment of deglutition function in preterm infants with mechano-acoustic analysis and machine learning: a narrative review.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsRecording and analyzing swallowing sounds and vibrations in preterm infants is based on 12 small studies with no data on how well it detects swallowing problems and no normal reference values. It is not yet a validated clinical tool.
• SLPOther2026Effects of language sampling context on complex syntax production of deaf and hard of hearing children.Clinical linguistics & phoneticsContext changes what you see in a language sample. DHH children produced more conjunction clauses in conversation, more complement clauses in narrative, and more precursors and simple infinitives in play. A low score in one context may reflect the task, not the child.
• SLPCase Report2026Linguistic-cognitive intervention in a case of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.CoDASNaming scores stayed stable over 12 months of weekly speech therapy in a 58-year-old woman with early-onset Alzheimer's, while her overall cognitive score fell from 53 to 30. She reported feeling less afraid to speak. One person, not a pattern.
• SLPQualitative2026Voices from the classroom: Teachers' perspectives on collaboration with speech-language therapists in learners with special educational needs schools.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsTeachers in South African special-needs schools valued SLT support for communication and classroom guidance but reported SLTs were often stretched thin by extra duties and too few in number. They wanted clearer role training and more SLT time in classrooms.
• SLPCohort2026A transdiagnostic AI-based measure of interpersonal coordination in autism and other conditions.Molecular autismAutistic adolescents coordinated their facial expressions and head movements with a conversation partner significantly less than neurotypical peers, and also less than peers with other psychiatric conditions. The pattern held in both video and in-person conversations.
• SLPSurvey2026Exploring the professional quality of life of South African audiologists.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSouth African audiologists reported moderate compassion satisfaction and moderate compassion fatigue, with burnout and secondary traumatic stress on the lower end. Older, more experienced audiologists had higher satisfaction scores. Resilience and coping tracked with better well-being.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Improving Health Care Services for Autistic Young Adults: Development and Use of a Self-Reported Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment.International journal of language & communication disordersAutistic young adults ranked understanding their own health conditions and feeling safe as most important for independence. Communication challenges and reliance on caregivers were their biggest barriers. Digital reminders were central to daily functioning.
• SLPOther2026Newborn and infant hearing screening outcomes at a tertiary paediatric hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsMean age at hearing-loss diagnosis was 15.6 months, well past the 3-month international benchmark. 45.2% were referred on first screening, but 40% of those who had diagnostic testing were found to have normal hearing.
• SLPSurvey2026Status and gaps in newborn hearing screening in South Africa: A cross-sectoral review.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsNewborn hearing screening in South Africa is concentrated in Gauteng and the Western Cape, which hold 56% of all reported services. Rural provinces have little or no access. The two most common barriers across every sector are that parents do not know screening exists and that families do not return for follow-up.
• SLPQualitative2026South African undergraduate students' perceptions of clinical supervision in speech-language therapy.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsStudents valued specific, actionable feedback and a supportive, approachable supervisor during clinical placements. Inconsistent supervision, heavy workloads and missing assessment tools left them feeling unprepared and anxious.
• SLPCohort2026Childhood Speech Impairment and Dementia Risks Among U.S. Older Adults.International journal of language & communication disordersOlder adults who reported speech problems in childhood had a 1.63 times higher risk of dementia from 2000 to 2020, even after adjusting for midlife health and economic factors. Lower wealth and more cardiometabolic and depressive symptoms partly explained the link.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Cognitive Impairments and Health System Outcomes in Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Comparison of Patients With Stroke and Those With Type II Diabetes Mellitus.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationIn inpatient rehab, whether a patient had stroke or diabetes did not predict their functional outcomes or readmission. What did predict them was how well they could function when they arrived and how many medical problems they carried.
• SLPCohort2026Sleep quality and risk of oropharyngeal dysphagia in older people in intensive care units.CoDASNo significant link was found between poor sleep and dysphagia risk in older ICU patients. Poor sleep was, however, associated with greater daytime sleepiness. Choking was the most common swallowing complaint reported.
• SLPCohort2026Hearing aid fitting: analysis of the impact on the auditory system during the first year of use in moderate and severe hearing loss.CoDASHearing aids improved speech-in-quiet scores and reduced self-reported social and emotional restriction over 12 months, but the P300 brain response showed no measurable change. The electrophysiological test did not detect the changes the behavioral tests did.
• SLPOther2026Swallowing After Open Partial Horizontal Laryngectomy Type IIa: A Quantitative Videofluoroscopic Analysis Using the Analysis of Swallowing, Physiology, Events, Kinematics, and Timing.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRAfter OPHLIIa surgery, 100 patients showed markedly reduced hyoid movement, poor pharyngeal constriction, and increased residue compared to healthy adults. Aspiration, when it occurred, was silent. Compensatory mechanisms like prolonged laryngeal closure were present but did not eliminate the risk.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Interprofessional training for undergraduate rehabilitation therapy students at the University of the Witwatersrand enhancing cancer rehabilitation in South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyFinal-year PT, OT and SLP students at one South African university reported high self-rated interprofessional competence after a single cancer case session. The two lowest items were avoiding jargon and giving feedback to peers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Developmental Profile and Variability in Preschool-Age Children With Down Syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIn preschool children with Down syndrome, social-emotional and gross motor skills score higher than cognitive, language, and fine motor skills. Language and social-emotional skills also show the widest individual variation.
• SLPSystematic Review2026How Do Speech-Language Pathology Social Communication Interventions Incorporate the Strengths and Perspectives of Autistic Children and Their Families: A Scoping Review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutism was described through deficits in 22 of 26 SLP social communication studies. No study included a child's own view on goals or outcomes. Parent input was common but limited to picking from pre-set options.
• SLPSurvey2026Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Swallowing and Dysphagia: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among the Community Dwelling Adults of South India.International journal of language & communication disordersCommunity adults in Mangalore, India knew the basics of swallowing but could not name the professionals who treat it, missed key warning signs, and would give water to someone choking rather than perform first aid.
• SLPQualitative2026'We Needed a Hell of a Lot More Support, the Emotional Side of It, the Physical Side of It. Every Side of It, We Just Didn't get It.' A Qualitative Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of Healthcare Services Following Discharge for People With a Total Laryngectomy and Their Families.International journal of language & communication disordersPeople with a laryngectomy and their spouses describe feeling unprepared and unsupported after discharge. Community staff lack laryngectomy knowledge, the system feels disjointed, and spouses take on the care burden. Participants wanted more support at home, including speech therapy.
• SLPCohort2026Spectral, cepstral, and short-term acoustic measures in women with and without laryngeal and vocal alterations.CoDASWomen with laryngeal lesions had significantly higher jitter, shimmer, and spectral tilt, and lower HNR, GNE, and HF noise than women without lesions. Several differences were large enough to matter clinically. Connected speech added information beyond the sustained vowel for some measures.
• SLPQualitative2026Parental Perspectives and Experiences of Working With Speech and Language Therapists to Support Home Practice for Their Child With a Speech Sound Disorder: A Qualitative Study.International journal of language & communication disordersParents of young children with speech sound disorder said the SLT's connection with their child was the biggest factor in whether they did home practice. Active involvement in sessions and clear instructions made them feel capable. Long gaps between appointments were the main barrier.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Functional outcomes of children after SARS-CoV-2 infection: An EHR-based cohort study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with clinician-confirmed long COVID after SARS-CoV-2 infection were more likely to show school decline, need new school support, and develop new behavioral or mental health symptoms than children without long COVID. Referral to psychological services did not differ between the two groups.
• SLPPilot2026Assessing pragmatic abilities of small children with and without ASD diagnosis.CoDASChildren with confirmed ASD scored higher (more impaired) than children whose ASD suspicion was ruled out, across all four pragmatic domains measured. The pilot involved 22 toddlers aged 18 to 36 months.
• SLPCohort2026Exploration of the associations between dysphagia, liquid intake restrictions, and comorbidities in acute stroke: a retrospective chart review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesLiquid intake restrictions in acute stroke tracked with aspiration pneumonia and UTI, but the authors attribute this to acutely ill patients receiving restrictions, not to the restrictions causing infection. The association is not evidence that thickened liquids or NPO status increases infection risk.
• SLPPilot2026A Quasi-Experimental Study of an Online Communication Partner Training Program for Orthoptic Students.International journal of language & communication disordersOrthoptic students' knowledge and confidence in communicating with people who have had a brain injury improved after a 2-hour online training program. Qualified orthoptists showed no clear change. No control group was used, so the gains cannot be attributed to the program alone.
• SLPOther2026Validation and standardization of the Scale of Self-Perception of Central Auditory Processing Skills (EAPAC) - expanded.CoDASThe EAPAC-Expanded questionnaire did not validate as a screening tool for central auditory processing disorder in Brazilian adults. Its sensitivity and specificity fell below recommended thresholds. It did capture the self-reported hearing difficulties these adults experience in daily life.
• SLPCohort2026Habitual lip and tongue posture in infants with Trisomy 21: characterization and associated factors.CoDASMost of 61 infants with Trisomy 21 spent the majority of their time with parted or open lips and their tongue in a low position. Breastfeeding was linked to better tongue posture and higher birth weight to better lip posture, but each association was small.
• SLPOther2026How Speaker Configuration of Recorded Media Affects Subjective Ratings for Listeners With and Without Hearing Loss.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRSurround sound did not outperform stereo or TV speakers for older listeners with hearing loss. In several conditions it was rated worst for speech understanding. Raising dialogue above background sound helped more than any speaker change, with the largest gain for hearing loss.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Applications of ICF-Based Assessments and Interventions in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review.NeuroRehabilitationICF-based stroke assessments cover 84.8% of UK guideline topics, but interventions cover only 45.5%. Both skew toward body function and activity. Participation and environmental factors are barely addressed in either.
• SLPRCT2026Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and manual laryngeal therapy on muscle tension dysphonia: randomized clinical trial.CoDASCombining TENS with laryngeal manual therapy was the only approach that reduced vocal tension in women with muscle tension dysphonia. LMT alone improved overall voice quality; TENS alone did not. All three groups reported less vocal fatigue and musculoskeletal pain.
• SLPOther2026A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRMore time in noisy social settings was linked to lower loneliness and depression in young normal-hearing adults, but only for those with average or better speech-in-noise ability. For those with poorer ability, the link was weaker or reversed.
• SLPSystematic Review2026The Topography of Disfluency in Spoken Language: A Scoping Review.Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica : official organ of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP)Across 69 studies, the same disfluency terms (repetition, prolongation, block, filler) carry 368 different definitions. The same label in two papers may mean different things, so check each paper's definition before comparing its results to your own assessment.
• SLPPilot2026Direction of Cepstral Peak Prominence Change Moderates Divergent Kinematic Responses to Voice Stimulability Testing.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationStimulability testing did not produce uniform changes in vocal fold movement across 27 women with voice lesions. The direction of an acoustic measure (CPP) split the group into two subgroups showing opposite kinematic shifts. Patients reach the same perceptual improvement through different physiological routes.
• SLPNarrative Review2025Asynchronous Telehealth for Dysphagia Management: Evidence, Possibilities, and Practical Examples.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsAsynchronous telehealth for dysphagia is a viable addition to in-person care. The strongest evidence cited is one study of 19 children with cerebral palsy showing substantial to excellent agreement between remote and in-person swallowing assessment. It cannot replace hands-on examination.
• SLPOther2026Advantages of Fluctuating Noise for Measuring Speech Intelligibility in Listeners With Hearing Loss.Trends in hearingA speech test using fluctuating noise from the sides reveals hearing difficulties in mild hearing loss that the standard front-facing stationary-noise test misses. Even with amplification, a performance gap versus normal hearing persists, meaning some listeners need more than just gain.
• SLPOther2026Probing the Underlying Mechanisms of Spectro-Temporal Modulation Discrimination.Trends in hearingListeners with normal hearing preferentially tracked upward-moving spectro-temporal patterns rather than monitoring both directions equally. Sensitivity dropped only when a downward-moving surround was added. The task was very demanding, requiring 15–26 dB signal-to-noise ratios for modest performance.
• SLPOther2026Objective Comparison of Auditory Profiles Using Manifold Learning and Intrinsic Measures.Trends in hearingAmong eight hearing-loss classification systems tested on the same 1,127-patient dataset, the Bisgaard audiogram profiles separated patients most cleanly and the audiometric phenotype least; adding speech-in-noise and loudness measures did not beat simple audiogram-based groupings.
• SLPCohort2026Evidence for a Transient State of Auditory Hypersensitivity During Initial Onset of Tinnitus: IDAEP Changes Between Acute and Chronic Tinnitus.Trends in hearingThe brain amplified sound more strongly in the first weeks of tinnitus than six months later, suggesting a temporary increase in auditory sensitivity that fades as tinnitus becomes chronic. The effect was small, found in 13 people, and absent at the patient's own tinnitus frequency.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026A scoping review of outcome and outcome measure sets for adults with spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury patients share 54% of their rehabilitation outcome priorities, yet only 3% of the recommended measures are used across all three conditions. Clinicians treating all three groups are measuring the same things with different tools.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Understanding health services and puberty for autistic adolescents and those with disability: A scoping review to inform occupational therapy practice.Australian occupational therapy journal18.9% of OTs working with pubertal-aged children address menstruation. Across 17 studies, the most consistently advocated support is anticipatory education before menarche, delivered in a person- and family-centred way.
• SLPSystematic Review2026A Systematic Review on Patient and Public Involvement in Research on Childhood Communication Difficulties.International journal of language & communication disordersMost childhood communication research asks parents for a one-off opinion rather than involving children or sharing decisions. Of 21 studies, 14 stopped at consultation and only 8 included children at all.
• SLPCohort2026Noise Management Preferences During Long-Term Hearing Aid Usage and Their Relation to Audiologic Factors.Trends in hearingHearing aid users mostly chose a modest noise-management level and 27.3% couldn't hear a difference between settings. The strongest setting gave more speech-in-noise benefit than the one they picked, and no hearing measure predicted who preferred what.
• SLPOther2026The role of social anxiety and attentional focus in a virtual reality environment on articulatory control in adults who stutter.Journal of fluency disordersIn adults who stutter, higher self-reported anxiety and greater skin conductance during a socially stressful speaking task predicted more variable lip movements, but where attention was directed did not. In fluent speakers, none of these factors predicted variability.
• SLPOther2026Disentangling Bilingualism and Developmental Language Disorder in the Acquisition of Spanish Verbal Agreement Morphology.Journal of child languageTypical children produced more correct verb endings than children with DLD, in both bilingual and monolingual groups. But the errors they made looked the same across all four groups, so the type of error won't help you tell DLD from typical bilingual development.
• SLPOther2026An Early Lexical Screening Tool for British English: Psychometric Properties and Clinical Utility.International journal of language & communication disordersMost children with language difficulties were caught, but some children without difficulties were also flagged. The tool gives SLTs sex-specific cut-off scores for direct vocabulary screening of 19–36-month-old British English toddlers.
• SLPQualitative2026'What Do You Mean by That? What Should I Do? What Should We Practice at Home?' Parental Perspectives on Multilingual Communication and Collaboration in Speech and Language Therapy.International journal of language & communication disordersMultilingual parents in Dutch speech therapy feel they have less to say than the therapist, often accept oversimplified explanations of their child's condition, and some mistake therapy for Dutch lessons. They also report feeling empowered and grateful for the service.
• PTSLPCohort2026Use of mindfulness in the treatment of tinnitus: consensus based on the opinion of Brazilian experts.CoDASTen Brazilian tinnitus specialists agreed that mindfulness is a useful addition to tinnitus care but should not be the only treatment. They recommend one 30-minute session weekly with daily home practice, alongside counseling or other therapies.