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 51 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPSurvey2020A comparative study of autistic and non-autistic women's experience of motherhood.Molecular autismAutistic mothers reported higher rates of depression and isolation, and found communicating with professionals difficult. However, 86% still described motherhood as rewarding, and 96% prioritised their child's needs above their own.
• SLPOther2020Children with autism spectrum disorder produce more ambiguous and less socially meaningful facial expressions: an experimental study using random forest classifiers.Molecular autismChildren with autism produced facial expressions that judges rated as lower quality than those of typical children, especially for anger and sadness. A computer classifier also found their expressions harder to identify, confusing anger with joy more often than in typical children.
• SLPOther2020Recommendations for Measuring the Electrically Evoked Compound Action Potential in Children With Cochlear Nerve Deficiency.Ear and hearingIn 25 children with cochlear nerve deficiency, adjusted cochlear implant test settings recorded nerve responses at 86.97% of electrodes, versus 37.50% with default settings. This can guide testing, not set implant levels.
• SLPCohort2020Positive Aspects of Emotional Competence in Preventing Internalizing Symptoms in Children with and without Developmental Language Disorder: A Longitudinal Approach.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with and without language disorder showed fewer anxiety and somatic complaints when they understood emotions, focused less on bodily sensations, and communicated feelings well. These protective factors operated similarly in both groups, suggesting emotion-focused support benefits children with DLD as much as their peers.
• SLPOther2020Word Identification With Temporally Interleaved Competing Sounds by Younger and Older Adult Listeners.Ear and hearingOlder adults missed more target words when other words were inserted between them. Their trouble was linked to mental flexibility, not high-frequency hearing loss or unrelated sounds.
• SLPOther2020Acoustic Hearing Can Interfere With Single-Sided Deafness Cochlear-Implant Speech Perception.Ear and hearingWhen single-sided deafness listeners tried to understand speech through a cochlear implant, a competing talker in their better-hearing ear made it harder in the lab. When they listened through the better-hearing ear, the implant helped. The interference varied widely and was greater in older listeners.
• SLPCase Series2020Biophysical classification of a CACNA1D de novo mutation as a high-risk mutation for a severe neurodevelopmental disorder.Molecular autismA rare CACNA1D variant in twins with severe speech and language delay and autism made calcium channels more active in cells and more sensitive to isradipine. Another variant at the same position reduced channel activity.
• SLPOther2019Teaching Phonological Awareness to Children with Hearing Loss who Use Spoken Language: Six Big Ideas.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsNo new evidence is presented here. The article outlines six instructional principles for phonological awareness in children with hearing loss, drawn from prior studies. It serves as a guide for practice rather than a report of trial outcomes.
• PTOTSLPPilot2019Immediate effects of lumbar spine patterns after neuromuscular joint facilitation on balance in stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceA single session of lumbar spine joint facilitation improved functional reach and reduced body sway in 14 stroke patients compared with rest. The effect lasted only immediately after treatment, and the small sample means these results are preliminary.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Six-month reviews for stroke survivors: a study of the modified Greater Manchester Stroke Assessment Tool with care home residents.Clinical rehabilitationSix-month stroke reviews using the modified GM-SAT in care homes took an average of 51 minutes, were viewed as acceptable, and found many unmet needs. Action plans often did not make clear who would follow them up.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Estimated prevalence of disability and developmental delay among preschool children in rural Malawi: Findings from "Tikule Limodzi," a cross-sectional survey.Child: care, health and development10.7% of preschool children in rural Malawi had disability, and 3.5% had severe disability. 11.7% had language or social delay. Older children were seven times more likely to have disability.
• SLPCohort2020Detection and Attention for Auditory, Visual, and Audiovisual Speech in Children with Hearing Loss.Ear and hearingChildren with hearing loss detected audiovisual speech faster and with fewer attentional lapses than auditory speech alone. This benefit was larger than in normal-hearing peers. Visual cues help these children process speech more efficiently, particularly when auditory input is degraded.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2020Effects of Transcutaneous Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Swallowing Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationTranscutaneous NMES combined with standard therapy improved swallowing in adults with brain injury, but showed no benefit for head and neck cancer or Parkinson disease. The overall evidence quality is low, so this should not replace standard care without further testing.
• SLPOther2020Minimal and Mild Hearing Loss in Children: Association with Auditory Perception, Cognition, and Communication Problems.Ear and hearingIn schoolchildren, hearing loss of 15 to 40 dB HL was linked to worse speech-in-noise and some cognitive scores. Caregiver-reported communication and listening did not differ. Group differences were small and overlapping.
• SLPOther2020Middle Ear Muscle Reflex and Word Recognition in "Normal-Hearing" Adults: Evidence for Cochlear Synaptopathy?Ear and hearingIn adults with normal audiograms, higher middle-ear reflex thresholds were related to poorer word recognition in noise and distorted speech. The reflex did not beat ear-canal electrical tests, and the links were too weak to diagnose inner-ear nerve loss.
• SLPCase-Control2020An investigation into maternal use of telegraphic input to children with Down syndrome.Journal of child languageMothers of children with Down syndrome used fewer words and more telegraphic speech than mothers of age-matched typically developing children. This observational study identifies input differences but does not prove which style helps or hinders language development.
• SLPOther2020Indigenous Australians with autism: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceResearch with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander autistic people is sparse, mostly carer and provider barriers. Low diagnosis rates likely reflect access gaps and distrust of labels, not lower need. Carers recommended involving community and using Aboriginal workers.
• SLPOther2020Quantifying Caregiver Change Across Early Autism Interventions Using the Measure of NDBI Strategy Implementation: Caregiver Change (MONSI-CC).Journal of autism and developmental disordersA new coding scheme reliably tracks how well caregivers use autism intervention strategies over time. It detected significant improvements in caregiver behavior after treatment, with these changes correlating with better child social engagement and reduced autism symptoms.
• SLPOther2020Rerouting Hearing Aid Systems for Overcoming Simulated Unilateral Hearing in Dynamic Listening Situations.Ear and hearingIn simulated unilateral hearing loss, neither hearing-aid routing system helped everywhere. The CROS helped comprehension and when speech came from the side with simulated hearing loss. The remote microphone helped only when speech came from the front and hurt when it did not.
• SLPRCT2019The Impact of Dose and Dose Frequency on Word Learning by Kindergarten Children With Developmental Language Disorder During Interactive Book Reading.Language, speech, and hearing services in schoolsHow you space 36 word exposures during book reading did not change learning, so pick the schedule that fits your caseload. However, children forgot most words within days of ending treatment. Monitor retention after discharge and plan for follow-up encounters to support memory.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2019Evidence for an Association Between Hearing Impairment and Disrupted Sleep: Scoping Review.American journal of audiologyHearing loss is frequently linked to poorer sleep in adults, but tinnitus is a major confound that many studies ignored. Clinicians should screen for sleep issues in patients with hearing loss while carefully distinguishing whether tinnitus is the primary driver.
• SLPOther2019Forum on Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Acute Care.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsThere is no finding to act on. This forum commentary introduces other hospital AAC papers but reports no methods or outcomes.
• SLPNarrative Review2019Examining the Validity of the World Health Organization's Long-Standing Hearing Impairment Grading System for Unaided Communication in Age-Related Hearing Loss.American journal of audiologyHigher WHO hearing grades meant worse self-reported handicap, word recognition, and speech-in-noise scores in older adults. The step between grades was often moderate to large. The proposed new grades reclassify many people and add a moderately severe category that did not clearly separate from severe.
• SLPPilot2020Assessing the Effect of Middle Ear Effusions on Wideband Acoustic Immittance Using Optical Coherence Tomography.Ear and hearingIn 22 ears from 16 children, thicker, stickier middle ear fluid and larger fluid amounts showed lower sound absorption over mid-to-high frequencies. Small, thin fluid often looked normal.
• SLPOther2020Western Aphasia Battery-Revised Profiles in Primary Progressive Aphasia and Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech.American journal of speech-language pathologyThe WAB-R separated PPAOS from most PPA groups, but 27 people with PPA scored normal. When the test indicated aphasia, anomic was the most common profile. Use a broader battery.
• SLPOther2020Recording Obligatory Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials in Infants: Quantitative Information on Feasibility and Parent Acceptability.Ear and hearingCortical auditory evoked potentials took 27 minutes and were successfully recorded in 95% of infants with normal hearing. Parents rated the test as highly acceptable. This confirms the procedure is feasible for clinical use, but data on infants with hearing loss are still needed.
• SLPOther2020Phonological memory problems are magnified in children from language minority homes when predicting reading disability.Journal of child languageLow phonological memory scores were more likely to point to reading disability in children from language minority homes. In children without reading disability, language minority status did not predict lower phonological memory or awareness scores.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Brief Report: Assessment Experiences of Children with Neurogenetic Syndromes: Caregivers' Perceptions and Suggestions for Improvement.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of children with neurogenetic syndromes reported mixed assessment experiences. They valued understanding scores but disliked generic feedback and inappropriate testing materials. Dissatisfaction increased with child age. Examiners should individualize testing, ask about interests first, and provide actionable, strengths-based recommendations.
• SLPQualitative2020Women's perspective on life after total laryngectomy: a qualitative study.International journal of language & communication disordersEight women described how total laryngectomy disrupted their roles as caregivers and partners, leading to persistent vulnerability. They disliked their new voices and faced stigma. Preoperative peer support was vital, but often painted an overly optimistic picture of daily life.
• SLPCohort2020Maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk for autism spectrum disorder in the MARBLES high-risk study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMothers of children with autism reported lower total omega-3 intake in the second half of pregnancy than mothers of typically developing children. However, plasma omega-3 levels showed no difference for autism risk, and supplement use was not associated with outcomes.
• OTSLPRCT2020Behavioral effects of multiple-dose oxytocin treatment in autism: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial with long-term follow-up.Molecular autismFour weeks of daily intranasal oxytocin did not improve social symptoms compared to placebo. However, it significantly reduced repetitive behaviors and feelings of attachment avoidance. These benefits lasted up to one year. This was a small pilot in adult men, so results are preliminary.
• SLPSystematic Review2020Beyond intervention into daily life: A systematic review of generalisation following social communication interventions for young children with autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchGains in social communication often moved beyond therapy partners or settings in autism trials, but generalisation was inconsistent and structured researcher tasks may not capture daily life.
• SLPOther2020Family Environment in Children With Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants: Associations With Spoken Language, Psychosocial Functioning, and Cognitive Development.Ear and hearingFamily environments were mostly similar across normal-hearing, hearing-aid and cochlear-implant groups. In children with hearing loss, enriched safe homes, low conflict, supportive interaction and shared recreation went with better language, behaviour and self-control.
• SLPOther2020Therapist-Guided Telerehabilitation for Adult Cochlear Implant Users: Developmental and Feasibility Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAdult cochlear implant users and therapists rated a new web-based auditory training platform as highly usable and enjoyable. Older users found it slightly harder to use and needed more support. This study tested feasibility, not whether the training improves hearing.
• SLPCohort2020Dysphagia in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.DysphagiaIn PSP, swallowing problems are mostly oral: tongue control and bolus transport are impaired, and pharyngeal swallow starts late. Airway protection and pharyngeal clearance were often spared, and few reported changing food textures. Higher PSP severity tracked worse oral and pharyngeal scores.
• SLPOther2020Effect of Stimulation Rate on Speech Understanding in Older Cochlear-Implant Users.Ear and hearingGroup-level rate changes made little difference to average speech understanding, and age did not predict benefit. Eleven of 40 ears showed a 10 or more percentage point difference between rates, with lower rates favored in eight of 10 non-default optimal cases.
• SLPOther2020Superior Canal Dehiscence Similarly Affects Cochlear Pressures in Temporal Bones and Audiograms in Patients.Ear and hearingSuperior canal dehiscence lowers air-conduction hearing mainly at low frequencies. Six temporal bones and 53 patient audiograms showed the same pattern. Testing below 250 Hz may catch cases missed by routine audiograms.
• OTSLPCohort2020Autism Heterogeneity in a Densely Sampled U.S. Population: Results From the First 1,000 Participants in the RI-CART Study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism presentations in this population were highly heterogeneous. Many participants had co-occurring medical, psychiatric, or neurological conditions, and girls were diagnosed later than boys, with verbal status linked to earlier diagnosis in boys.
• SLPOther2020Wideband Acoustic Immittance in Cochlear Implant Recipients: Reflectance and Stapedial Reflexes.Ear and hearingBroadband reflex thresholds were not clearly lower than higher-frequency probe thresholds in ears with cochlear implants. Reflectance varied widely, though average low-frequency reflectance was higher than in controls and a standard middle-ear test helped explain that difference.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Factors associated with employment and work perception in combat-exposed veterans.Rehabilitation psychologyDepression and pain symptoms predicted unemployment, but objective cognitive test scores did not. History of mild TBI predicted the belief that work ability had declined, not actual unemployment. Clinicians should target negative self-perceptions rather than assuming cognitive deficits are the primary barrier to work.
• SLPPilot2020Physiological arousal and observed behaviour in parent-child interactions involving young children with Down syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRWearable sensors showed that fathers' physiological arousal tracked closely with their children's during play, but mothers' did not. Children's arousal levels were linked to how often mothers asked for behavioural compliance or made comments.
• SLPOther2020Noise exposures of sugar cane mill workers in Guatemala.International journal of audiologyMost sugar cane mill workers in Guatemala were exposed to noise levels well above safety limits. Evaporator cleaners faced extreme exposure, while computer and heavy equipment operators stayed within safe ranges. These findings highlight the urgent need for hearing conservation programs and noise controls.
• SLPCohort2020Measuring Recovery in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Tinnitus Patients in a Mental Health Care Setting: Validation of the I.ROC.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationThe I.ROC recovery questionnaire worked well for tinnitus and late-onset hearing loss patients in mental health care. It did not prove accessible for early-onset deaf patients, many of whom dropped out because they found the other long test too difficult to finish.
• SLPOther2020The Swallowing Characteristics of Thickeners, Jellies and Yoghurt Observed Using an In Vitro Model.DysphagiaIn a mechanical throat model, starch thickener pastes moved slowly, xanthan gum made shorter boluses at nectar-like, and jellies or yoghurt moved like honey-like or spoon-thick fluids. These lab results may help choose textures, but do not prove patient swallowing safety.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Role of data measurement characteristics in the accurate detection of Parkinson's disease symptoms using wearable sensors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable sensors can detect Parkinson's tremor and slowness using simpler data. A 30 Hz sampling rate and basic features captured symptoms as well as high-resolution settings, allowing devices to run longer without losing accuracy.
• OTSLPCohort2020Psychosocial and functional outcomes in young adults with childhood-onset epilepsy: a 10-year follow-up.Developmental medicine and child neurologyYoung adults with epilepsy had similar education, living, work, income, marriage, and quality of life outcomes to controls. They reported more cognitive and overall functional disability. The differences were linked to ADHD and school problems present at diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Persistence and predictors of self-injurious behaviour in autism: a ten-year prospective cohort study.Molecular autismSelf-injury persisted in 44% of autistic individuals over 10 years. Impulsivity and overactivity measured in childhood predicted both persistent self-injury and self-restraint a decade later, identifying high-risk patients for early intervention.
• SLPOther2020Effects of Cognitive Load on Pure-Tone Audiometry Thresholds in Younger and Older Adults.Ear and hearingCognitive load raised pure-tone hearing thresholds in the lab, more in older adults (2.5 dB) than younger adults (1.0 dB). But the threshold change under load did not predict speech-in-noise scores.
• OTSLPOther2020Establishing the Factor Structure of a Health-Related Quality of Life Measurement System for Caregivers of Persons Living With Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA new six-part framework for measuring caregiver quality of life after brain injury separates social participation from isolation and negative affect from physical health. This allows therapists to target specific caregiver burdens rather than assuming a single global decline.
• SLPOther2020Symbolic Understanding and Word-Picture-Referent Mapping from iPads in Autism Spectrum Condition: The Roles of Iconicity and Engagement.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism mapped new words from iPad pictures just as well as vocabulary-matched peers. Adding 3D rotation or interactivity did not improve word learning. Interactive screens increased looking time but reduced speech and eye contact with the adult.