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 66 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCase Report2021Physical therapist-led swimming lessons for children with cerebral palsy: a report of 2 cases.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwo children with cerebral palsy improved swimming speed and distance after six monthly PT-led lessons. Gross motor function and daily living scores barely changed. Muscle tone increased slightly. The intervention was safe and well-liked, but too small to prove it works.
• SLPOther2020Automated Phenotyping Tool for Identifying Developmental Language Disorder Cases in Health Systems Data (APT-DLD): A New Research Algorithm for Deployment in Large-Scale Electronic Health Record Systems.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRAn automated algorithm accurately identifies Developmental Language Disorder cases in electronic health records by filtering for specific diagnosis codes. It achieved 95% positive predictive value in a discovery sample and 90% in a larger replication sample, allowing researchers to find large patient cohorts without manual chart review.
• SLPOther2020Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity Between Semantic and Phonological Regions of Interest May Inform Language Targets in Aphasia.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRResting brain connectivity patterns predict language severity in aphasia. Weaker right-hemisphere frontotemporal links associated with better naming, while stronger left angular gyrus connections predicted better comprehension. These networks may help identify targets for therapy.
• SLPOther2020Person Ability Scores as an Alternative to Norm-Referenced Scores as Outcome Measures in Studies of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesIn small samples, scores that track a child's own ability showed change more clearly than scores comparing them to same-age peers. Peer-comparison scores often hit a low limit and can make stable or improving ability look unchanged or worse.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Implementation and Evaluation of the Virtual Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) for Individuals With Stroke During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.Physical therapyNine stroke survivors completed a virtual upper-limb exercise program. Self-reported hand function improved significantly, with six of nine reaching a clinically important change. Staff found the format workable, though webcam angles and audio interference posed technical challenges.
• SLPOther2021Increased Recruitment of Domain-General Neural Networks in Language Processing Following Intensive Language-Action Therapy: fMRI Evidence From People With Chronic Aphasia.American journal of speech-language pathologySixteen people with chronic aphasia improved on language tests after intensive therapy. Brain scans showed this improvement correlated with increased activity in domain-general networks, not just language areas. No control group was used, so the therapy's specific effect on these brain changes is uncertain.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021mHealth Intervention Applications for Adults Living With the Effects of Stroke: A Scoping Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost stroke phone or tablet apps for adults are early-stage tools for hand, speech, exercise, and risk-factor management. They show feasibility or user interest, not proven effectiveness. Many studies had small samples and pilot designs.
• SLPOther2021Comparison of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Brazilian Children with Prenatal Exposure to Zika Virus, With and Without Microcephaly.DysphagiaClinical swallowing assessment found oropharyngeal dysphagia in 79.3% of children with Zika-related microcephaly and 8.6% of Zika-exposed children without microcephaly. Caregiver reports matched the assessment closely.
• SLPOther2021Autism spectrum disorder screening in preschools.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceA 13-item classroom checklist, rated by preschool teachers or briefly trained observers, flagged children who were later more likely to meet ASD criteria. It is a screening aid, not a diagnosis.
• OTSLPCohort2021Oral health and oral health behaviour of adolescents with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities compared with a national representative sample of 17-year-olds in the Netherlands.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAdolescents with mild or borderline intellectual disabilities had more tooth decay and plaque than their peers, despite reporting similar brushing habits. They visited dentists less often and snacked more at night. Dental anxiety was higher, and those living in institutions had worse outcomes than those at home.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Diagnostic approach to paediatric movement disorders: a clinical practice guide.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThis guide outlines a step-by-step clinical algorithm for diagnosing paediatric movement disorders. It prioritizes distinguishing normal developmental patterns from pathology, classifying the specific movement phenotype, and ruling out functional disorders before initiating genetic or metabolic testing.
• SLPCohort2021New Metrics Needed in the Evaluation of Hearing Hazard Associated With Industrial Noise Exposure.Ear and hearingThe ISO 1999 model significantly underestimates noise-induced hearing loss in industrial workers exposed to complex, impulsive noise. Hearing loss increased as noise kurtosis rose, even at the same energy level. Current guidelines that rely only on average energy fail to protect workers in these environments.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Describing the Delivery of Evidence-Based Physical Therapy Intervention to Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationTherapists delivered evidence-based interventions in 48% of treatment selections for children with cerebral palsy, but usage dropped for those with the most severe motor impairment. This suggests outpatient therapy may not be reaching the children who need it most, or that effective options for severe cases remain limited.
• SLPOther2020COVID-19 and ENT SLT services, workforce and research in the UK: A discussion paper.International journal of language & communication disordersThis is an expert discussion paper on UK ENT speech and language therapy services during COVID-19. It describes service changes and research priorities. It reports no original patient outcomes, so there is no finding to act on.
• SLPNarrative Review2020How We Fail Children With Developmental Language Disorder.Language, speech, and hearing services in schoolsMost children with developmental language disorder are not identified, and service receipt varies by language, race, behavior, and location. Research attention to DLD remained low compared with other conditions.
• SLPOther2021Influence of Acid Swallows on the Dynamics of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter.DysphagiaSwallowing very acidic water (pH 1.8) prolonged the time for the upper esophageal sphincter to return to rest, averaging 12.67 seconds, versus 8.69 seconds for neutral water. pH 3 and pH 5 did not show this change in healthy volunteers.
• SLPOther2021Development of a measure of function word use in narrative discourse: core lexicon analysis in aphasia.International journal of language & communication disordersA new checklist of 25 common function words showed that people with aphasia used fewer of them than healthy adults. The measure also separated fluent from non-fluent aphasia, but the study was exploratory with a very small aphasia group.
• SLPOther2021Subjective criteria underlying noise-tolerance in the presence of speech.International journal of audiologyNormal-hearing adults did not all use the same rule when background noise became unacceptable. Most relied on distraction or annoyance, not speech interference, and loudness never dominated. Hearing aid users were not tested.
• SLPCase-Control2021Functional hearing quality in prelingually deaf school-age children and adolescents with cochlear implants.International journal of audiologyParents reported that children with cochlear implants use significantly more listening effort and hear worse in noise than normal-hearing peers. This parent-reported functional hearing quality correlated strongly with the child's speech, language, and executive functioning, independent of standard audiogram results.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Appraising the Validity of Tools to Measure Multijoint Leg Power: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationNo existing tool reliably measures maximum multijoint leg power for older adults. Three devices were reviewed, but all had validation flaws. Correlation does not prove accuracy. Without a valid measure, therapists cannot accurately prescribe or track leg power rehabilitation.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Using the Modified Balke Protocol in Fully Ambulatory People With Multiple Sclerosis.Cardiopulmonary physical therapy journalA treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test was safe and feasible for people with multiple sclerosis who could walk without aids. Seventeen of twenty tests provided usable data. The results correlated with walking distance, cognitive speed, and disability levels, supporting its use for assessment.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children with cerebral palsy: high prevalence rates in a population-based study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn a population of children with cerebral palsy, 30% had autism and 30% had ADHD, rates higher than previously reported. Intellectual disability, not motor severity, was the strongest predictor. Screening for these conditions is warranted regardless of physical function.
• SLPOther2021A Preliminary Investigation of Whether HRCA Signals Can Differentiate Between Swallows from Healthy People and Swallows from People with Neurodegenerative Diseases.DysphagiaHRCA neck sensors, statistical methods, and machine learning correctly sorted 99% of thin liquid swallows from people with neurodegenerative diseases and healthy adults. This preliminary work did not explain which swallowing problem caused the difference.
• SLPCase Series2021Heterogeneous Presentations of Pharyngoesophageal Diverticula Occurring after Cervical Spine Surgery.DysphagiaIn 13 patients with swallowing difficulty after cervical spine surgery, diverticula often hid exposed hardware or perforation. A staged approach removing hardware and repairing the defect, followed by endoscopic cutting of the pouch wall, resolved dysphagia in all cases.
• PTSLPOther2021Concurrent validity of the Warner Initial Developmental Evaluation of Adaptive and Functional Skills and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn high-risk infants, WIDEA-FS mobility and communication scores tracked Bayley-III motor and language scores. Low scores can help decide who needs full Bayley testing, but some scores max out too early to tell children apart.
• SLPOther2020Contextual influences on sentence repetition as a tool for the identification of language impairment in Grade 3 Sepedi-English bilinguals: A case against bilingual norms.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSentence repetition scores varied widely by school language policy, not just by impairment. Bilingual norms are unworkable; clinicians must compare children to peers in their specific educational context and assess both languages to avoid misidentifying those still acquiring English.
• SLPOther2020Factor analysis of signs of childhood apraxia of speech.Journal of communication disordersSpeech signs in 57 children with childhood apraxia clustered into three distinct groups: prosody, coarticulation, and inconsistency. This supports using these three areas as core diagnostic criteria. Syllable segmentation was the strongest prosody sign, suggesting it may help identify apraxia even in minimally verbal children.
• SLPSurvey2020Nurses' knowledge of stroke-related oropharyngeal dysphagia in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsNurses in South Africa showed moderate knowledge of stroke-related swallowing issues but held dangerous misconceptions. Most believed patients always cough when aspirating, missing silent aspiration risks. They also poorly identified complications like pneumonia and appropriate management strategies, highlighting a critical need for targeted training.
• SLPCohort2020Slowed Compensation Responses to Altered Auditory Feedback in Post-Stroke Aphasia: Implications for Speech Sensorimotor Integration.Journal of communication disordersPeople with aphasia took longer to adjust their pitch when their auditory feedback was altered, but corrected to the same extent as healthy speakers once time was accounted for. This suggests the mechanism for speech error correction remains intact, though it operates more slowly.
• SLPCase-Control2020No preference for direct versus averted gaze in autistic adults: a reinforced preferential looking paradigm.Molecular autismAutistic adults showed no preference for looking at mouths over eyes. They also did not distinguish between direct and averted gaze, unlike neurotypical adults who preferred direct gaze. Reduced attention to the eye region was linked to higher alexithymia scores, not autism diagnosis alone.
• SLPOther2020High-throughput screening identifies histone deacetylase inhibitors that modulate GTF2I expression in 7q11.23 microduplication autism spectrum disorder patient-derived cortical neurons.Molecular autismA screen did not find compounds that raised target gene expression in Williams syndrome neurons. In neurons from people with 7q11.23 duplication, three histone deacetylase inhibitors lowered GTF2I levels. Vorinostat was most consistent. Not tested in patients.
• SLPOther2021Development and validation of a digits-in-noise hearing test in Persian.International journal of audiologyA Persian hearing screening test using numbers spoken in noise was developed, but it gave poorer scores for young Persian adults with normal hearing than the English version. It was not yet validated in people with hearing loss.
• PTOTSLPOther2021The relationship between changes in deoxy Hb and body composition before and after cycling exercise during unilateral lower extremity occlusion.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn nine healthy young men, higher body water and muscle mass correlated with better blood flow recovery after leg occlusion. This suggests hydration and muscle status may influence circulation, but it is a small pilot with no patients or clinical outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Factors facilitating or hindering meaningful staff-client interactions in people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour: A systematic mixed studies review using thematic synthesis.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMeaningful staff-client interactions depend on balancing autonomy with clear boundaries, responding to subtle communication cues, and supporting staff’s emotional regulation. Large services and high staff turnover hinder these relationships, while small, stable teams with shared visions facilitate them.
• OTSLPOther2021How Well Does the Brief Interview for Mental Status Identify Risk for Cognition Mediated Functional Impairment in a Community Sample?Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationThe Brief Interview for Mental Status missed 95% of community adults with functional cognition impairment. It flagged only 4% of the sample, while the Mini-Cog, Menu Task, and MoCA identified far more. Do not rely on it to screen for daily living problems.
• SLPOther2021Comparisons of the Sensitivity and Reliability of Multiple Measures of Listening Effort.Ear and hearingPupil dilation tracked listening effort best, reacting to both noise levels and sentence difficulty. Self-ratings were sensitive but inflated when tasks were complex. Skin conductance failed to measure effort, though it spiked when participants anticipated poor performance. Dual-task reaction times were unreliable due to practice effects.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Caregiver-Reported Pain Management Practices for Individuals With Cerebral Palsy.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationCaregivers of children and adults with severe cerebral palsy most often treated musculoskeletal pain by changing positions. Massage and stretching were also common. Medication was used frequently but rated no more helpful than these physical approaches.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Factors influencing the participation of children with disabilities in the community.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor children with disabilities, needing medical care at home limits the variety of community activities they can join, while poor motor function limits how often they go. Tube feeding and respiratory care specifically blocked trips, events, and playing with other children.
• SLPOther2021Combining current focusing and steering in a cochlear implant processing strategy.International journal of audiologyCochlear implant users heard sentences in noise better when the processor combined electrical current focusing with steering. Focusing alone did not help. The benefit was larger for users who struggled with the standard monopolar strategy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Weight outcomes in children with developmental disabilities from a multidisciplinary clinic.Research in developmental disabilitiesChildren under 12 with developmental disabilities had better weight outcomes in a multidisciplinary clinic than typically developing peers, with 54% achieving significant improvement at 12 months. Adolescents with disabilities did not show this benefit. Family-led structure appears key for younger children.
• SLPOther2021Optimising word learning in post-secondary students with Developmental Language Disorder: The roles of retrieval difficulty and retrieval success during training.International journal of speech-language pathologyFree recall practice with feedback produced more accurate word forms after 24 hours than cued recall. More successful retrievals during training, especially without phonological cues, were linked to better later word production in students with and without DLD.
• SLPCohort2021Camouflaging in Autism: Examining Sex-Based and Compensatory Models in Social Cognition and Communication.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdolescent girls with autism showed fewer repetitive behaviors and more varied vocal tone during social tasks than boys. However, boys and girls had similar social affect scores. Clinicians should not assume girls are less impaired based on standard diagnostic observations alone.
• SLPOther2021How Closely do Machine Ratings of Duration of UES Opening During Videofluoroscopy Approximate Clinician Ratings Using Temporal Kinematic Analyses and the MBSImP?DysphagiaHigh-resolution cervical auscultation signals processed by machine learning detected the timing of upper esophageal sphincter opening within a 3-frame human error tolerance for 82.6% of patient swallows. The system also classified sphincter opening as normal or impaired with 85.7% accuracy compared to clinical ratings.
• SLPCohort2020Language Development From Early Childhood to Adolescence in Youths With Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHRFor adolescents with Fragile X Syndrome, maternal commenting is linked to growth in vocabulary but not sentence length. While vocabulary continues to expand, syntax remains flat. Therapists should support responsive interaction for vocabulary gains but use direct instruction to target complex grammar.
• OTSLPCohort2020Development of Neural Response to Novel Sounds in Fragile X Syndrome: Potential Biomarkers.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesBrain responses to novel sounds differed between individuals with Fragile X Syndrome and controls, with higher gamma power in the FXS group. Gamma power correlated with sensory avoidance and sensitivity in males, suggesting it is a reliable marker for clinical trials.
• SLPNarrative Review2020Psychophysiological and Eye-Tracking Markers of Speech and Language Processing in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: New Options for Difficult-to-Test Populations.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesPassive brain activity recordings and eye-tracking allow clinicians to assess language comprehension in minimally verbal patients without requiring them to speak, point, or stay awake. These methods reveal emerging understanding that traditional tests miss, though they currently need specialized equipment and trained staff.
• SLPCohort2021Different Ways of Making a Point: A Study of Gestural Communication in Typical and Atypical Early Development.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism produced fewer pointing gestures than typical peers, specifically using fewer index-finger points and fewer points without touching the object. These morphological differences suggest a delay in reaching the more sophisticated stage of gestural communication.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Efficient and rapid assessment of multiple aspects of frailty using the Kyoto Frailty Scale, developed from the Edmonton Frail Scale.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe Kyoto Frailty Scale, a 9-question self-report derived from the Edmonton Frail Scale, accurately identifies frailty in elderly patients. It requires only 2-3 minutes, offers high sensitivity for screening, and covers physical, cognitive, and social domains without needing clinical tests like the TUG.
• SLPOther2021Utility of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Brief Observation of Social and Communication Change for Measuring Outcomes for a Parent-Mediated Early Autism Intervention.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn Module 1 children, the ADOS-BOSCC showed no clear difference between parent-mediated therapy and usual care. The ADOS did not outperform it. The measure was reliable, but it did not reveal a larger treatment effect.
• SLPCohort2021Qualification for upper secondary education in individuals with autism without intellectual disability: Total population study, Stockholm, Sweden.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceStudents with autism without intellectual disability were significantly less likely to qualify for upper secondary education than their peers. Comorbid ADHD, female sex, and lower family income further reduced the likelihood of meeting graduation criteria.