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 71 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2021Perceptions of people with aphasia about supporting reading with text-to-speech technology: A convergent mixed methods study.Journal of communication disordersMost people with aphasia were interested in text-to-speech reading support after trying it, but few used it daily. They valued choosing the voice and speed. The biggest worry was struggling to operate the device independently, not the cost.
• SLPSystematic Review2021Alternative and Augmentative Communication Technologies for Supporting Adults With Mild Intellectual Disabilities During Clinical Consultations: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesCommunication aids like patient passports and easy-read cards help adults with mild intellectual disabilities share health information. Evidence on whether they actually improve clinical outcomes is weak and mixed, with some tools showing no benefit over standard care.
• SLPRCT2021Detection, Speech Recognition, Loudness, and Preference Outcomes With a Direct Drive Hearing Aid: Effects of Bandwidth.Trends in hearingFull-bandwidth direct drive hearing aids improved high-frequency consonant recognition and sentence-in-noise scores compared to narrow bandwidth. Loudness increased slightly but remained within clinical norms. Eight of fifteen participants preferred the full bandwidth setting.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Development of an ICF Core Set for adults with cerebral palsy: capturing their perspective on functioning.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdults with cerebral palsy identified pain, fatigue, and mood issues as primary body problems. They highlighted weak collaboration between disciplines and poor transition to adult services as major barriers. Those with intellectual disability reported distinct challenges in language and self-care.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Identifying hearing impairment and the associated impact on the quality of life among the elderly residing in retirement homes in Pretoria, South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsMost elderly residents in South African retirement homes failed hearing screens, with 77% referred for further evaluation. Self-reported hearing difficulties were significantly associated with reduced quality of life. Many participants had never heard of an audiologist, and hearing aid users reported challenges with device maintenance.
• SLPCohort2021Increased aperiodic gamma power in young boys with Fragile X Syndrome is associated with better language ability.Molecular autismIn young boys with Fragile X Syndrome, higher aperiodic gamma brain activity was unexpectedly linked to better language scores. This contradicts adult data where similar patterns correlate with worse outcomes. The link did not hold for parent-reported functional communication.
• SLPOther2021Attention Bias and Prodromal Anxiety Symptoms in Toddlers With Fragile X Syndrome and Down Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesGaze avoidance to a new person did not differ among toddlers with fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and typical development, and it did not track anxiety. Avoidance to a scary spider was higher in both syndromes, but also unrelated to anxiety.
• SLPCohort2021The School Career of Children With Hearing Loss in Different Primary Educational Settings-A Large Longitudinal Nationwide Study.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationMost children with hearing loss in mainstream schools perform average or above average in language and math. However, those remaining in special primary education attend lower levels of secondary education. Placement in special settings, rather than hearing technology type, predicts lower educational attainment.
• SLPOther2021Individual Hearing Aid Benefit in Real Life Evaluated Using Ecological Momentary Assessment.Trends in hearingIn most adults who continued with hearing aid fitting after trying them for the first time, real-life speech understanding improved and listening effort and perceived disability decreased. Pre-fitting momentary reports did not predict who would continue with hearing aids.
• SLPQualitative2021'We are in this together' voices of speech-language pathologists working in South African healthcare contexts during level 4 and level 5 lockdown of COVID-19.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsMost South African speech-language pathologists reported disrupted services, with outpatient therapy often stopping or moving to telehealth that many patients could not access. Staff felt vulnerable due to PPE shortages and poor communication, though improved teamwork and time for administrative tasks were noted positives.
• SLPCohort2021Functional Polymorphism of MMP9 and BDNF as Potential Biomarker of Auditory Neuroplasticity in Prelingual Deafness Treatment With Cochlear Implantation-A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.Trends in hearingIn deaf children implanted after age one, those with a specific MMP9 gene variant (C/C) showed better auditory development scores than those with the C/T variant. This genetic difference was not seen in children implanted before age one, and no significant effect was found for the BDNF variant.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Gluteal Muscle Activation During Common Yoga Poses.International journal of sports physical therapyHalf Moon and Warrior Three poses produce high muscle activation in the glutes, making them suitable for strengthening exercises. Other poses like Tree and Warrior Two generate lower activation, fitting better for endurance work. No significant sex differences were found in gluteus maximus activity.
• SLPCohort2021COVID-19 impact on psychological outcomes of parents, siblings and children with intellectual disability: longitudinal before and during lockdown design.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRDuring the UK lockdown, parents of children with intellectual disability reported no significant change in their own distress, life satisfaction, or caregiving impact compared to pre-lockdown. Children's and siblings' behaviour problems also showed no group-level difference.
• SLPNarrative Review2021Dysphagia Phenotypes in Spinal Muscular Atrophy: The Past, Present, and Promise for the Future.American journal of speech-language pathologyUntreated SMA Type I causes rapid swallowing failure, with all infants needing feeding support by 12 months. In milder SMA, chewing and choking with solids track current mobility. Disease-modifying therapy swallowing evidence remains limited and mixed.
• SLPOther2021Weakened Cochlear Nonlinearity During Human Aging and Perceptual Correlates.Ear and hearingAging weakens cochlear compression even when hearing thresholds remain normal. Older adults require louder sounds to trigger compression, resulting in steeper loudness growth and sounds being rated as loud at lower sensation levels. This suggests hidden cochlear changes drive loudness perception issues in aging.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Concentric and Eccentric Force Changes with Elastic Band and Isotonic Heavy Resistance Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of sports physical therapyUntrained women gained similar strength after four weeks of heavy lifting with dumbbells or elastic bands. Both methods improved concentric and eccentric force, so choose based on patient preference and portability rather than expecting one to outperform the other.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Homes of Stroke Survivors Are a Challenging Environment for Rehabilitation Technologies.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke survivors' homes are often emotionally charged and socially complex, making technology placement difficult. Partners may enforce exercise schedules that conflict with the survivor's desire for leisure, causing distress. Successful deployment requires negotiating space and usage with the whole household, not just the patient.
• SLPOther2021High Ripple-Density Resolution for Discriminating Between Rippled and Nonrippled Signals: Effect of Temporal Processing or Combination Products?Trends in hearingListeners distinguished rippled from nonrippled sounds at much higher ripple densities than two rippled sounds. Masking low frequencies did not close this gap. The advantage likely comes from how the ear processes timing, not from distortion products.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Feeding and eating problems in children and adolescents with autism: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFeeding problems, especially food selectivity driven by sensory issues, are pervasive in autistic youth. True eating disorders involving weight or shape concerns are rarely studied, yet evidence suggests higher risk. Clinicians must distinguish between sensory-based refusal and body-image pathology to avoid misdiagnosis and select appropriate treatment.
• SLPOther2021Speech Intelligibility and Spatial Release From Masking Improvements Using Spatial Noise Reduction Algorithms in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users.Trends in hearingBimodal cochlear implant users needed less noise to understand speech in lab tests when beamforming algorithms were active. The binaural MVDR gave larger improvements than the monaural ADM, especially in babble. No benefit occurred when speech and noise came from the same place.
• OTSLPSurvey2021The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism: a survey study across three countries.Molecular autismAdults with autism reported significantly greater increases in depression and anxiety during the pandemic than those without. They faced specific stressors like disrupted routines, grocery shopping, and loss of support, while some found relief from social and sensory overload.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Surviving and Thriving: Early Intervention for Neonatal Survivors With Developmental Disability in Uganda.Infants and young childrenA peer-led early intervention for infants with disability in Uganda improved family quality of life and caregiver confidence. Neurological scores rose slightly, but developmental quotients did not change. Nutritional status worsened, with more children underweight and stunted after the program.
• SLPCase-Control2021Identifying developmental stuttering and associated comorbidities in electronic health records and creating a phenome risk classifier.Journal of fluency disordersStuttering cases were hard to find in hospital records, but notes plus review confirmed them and found more frequent diagnosis groups for speech, developmental, sleep, hearing, allergy, infection and neurological conditions.
• PTSLPOther2021Electronic Health Records As a Platform for Audiological Research: Data Validity, Patient Characteristics, and Hearing-Aid Use Persistence Among 731,213 U.S. Veterans.Ear and hearingHearing aid use persisted in 63.3% of veterans at 24 months. Persistence was lower in new users, older adults, and those with Parkinson's, diabetes, arthritis, vision impairment, or high disease burden. These associations are descriptive, not causal.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Evaluating the latent structure of the non-social domain of autism in autistic adults.Molecular autismIn 833 autistic adults, non-social traits split into four distinct but related dimensions: repetitive motor movements, insistence on sameness, restricted interests, and sensory sensitivity. These four areas should be assessed separately rather than as a single score or broad pair, as they vary independently across individuals.
• SLPOther2021Effect of Speech-to-Noise Ratio and Luminance on a Range of Current and Potential Pupil Response Measures to Assess Listening Effort.Trends in hearingPupil size changes track listening effort, but light levels interfere with most measures. Peak and mean dilation responded to noise difficulty, yet brightness still affected them. A newer frequency-based index failed to track difficulty and was also disrupted by light, so it cannot currently separate effort from lighting.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Kinesiology Tape: A Descriptive Survey of Healthcare Professionals in the United States.International journal of sports physical therapyMost clinicians learn kinesiology taping from continuing education and peers, not research. Half use 50% tension for three days. Many skip skin prep or removal instructions. The paper reports what practitioners do, not whether the tape works.
• SLPOther2021Evidence-based use of scalable biomarkers to increase diagnostic efficiency and decrease the lifetime costs of autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchModeling suggests adding saliva or eye-tracking tests after screening could identify autism earlier. This approach might save over $37 billion annually by reducing wait times and starting interventions sooner, but the study is a simulation, not a clinical trial.
• SLPCohort2021Uptake of Hearing Aids and Hearing Assistive Technology in a Working Population: Longitudinal Analyses of The Netherlands Longitudinal Study on Hearing.Ear and hearingMost eligible employees did not get hearing aids. Those who did were married or reported worse hearing. Men with high job demands were also more likely to adopt them. Self-reported disability predicted uptake better than measured hearing loss.
• SLPCase-Control2021Children with autism spectrum disorder show altered functional connectivity and abnormal maturation trajectories in response to inverted faces.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBasic brain responses to inverted faces were similar in children with autism and typically developing children. Children with autism showed lower local and long-range brain connectivity when viewing inverted faces, and lower frontal connectivity was linked to greater autism severity.
• SLPOther2021Improved Sensitivity of Digits-in-Noise Test to High-Frequency Hearing Loss.Ear and hearingA Digits-in-Noise test using a 4 kHz low-pass noise filter detected high-frequency hearing loss with 92% sensitivity. This filter outperformed standard broadband noise, offering a more accurate screening tool for identifying subtle high-frequency deficits that standard tests might miss.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Youth Baseball Caregiver Understanding of Safe Pitching Guidelines and Player Injury.International journal of sports physical therapyMost caregivers of youth pitchers did not know safe pitching guidelines existed. Caregivers who knew the rules monitored pitch counts better. Pitchers throwing breaking balls or pitching for more than six months a year were more likely to report arm pain.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Psychological eHealth interventions for people with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMost studies used wearable sensors to prompt adaptive behaviour in people with severe disabilities. Only two trials tested remote video coaching for parents. No study delivered therapy directly to adults via video. Evidence is mostly single-case, so effectiveness remains unproven.
• SLPOther2021Quality of Life-CI: Development of an Early Childhood Parent-Proxy and Adolescent Version.Ear and hearingNew questionnaires capture quality of life for children with cochlear implants from birth to age 22. They cover issues like device management, social functioning, and noisy environments that standard hearing tests miss. These tools are not yet validated for clinical use.
• SLPOther2021Errors on a Speech-in-Babble Sentence Recognition Test Reveal Individual Differences in Acoustic Phonetic Perception and Babble Misallocations.Ear and hearingAnalyzing errors in a standard speech-in-noise test reveals how well listeners perceive phonemes and exclude background noise. These error patterns predict word recognition accuracy better than vocabulary scores alone, offering a way to assess individual listening difficulties using existing clinical data.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Shoulder Isokinetic Strength Balance Ratio in Overhead Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of sports physical therapyShoulder strength balance ratios differ by sport and sex, so grouping all overhead athletes together is inaccurate. Female softball players had higher conventional ratios, while judo, handball, and tennis players had lower functional ratios than controls.
• SLPOther2021Sexual Dimorphism in the Functional Development of the Cochlear Amplifier in Humans.Ear and hearingOtoacoustic emissions in boys drop significantly between ages 4 and 12, while girls' emissions remain stable. This suggests the cochlear amplifier matures differently in males during childhood, potentially driven by hormonal changes rather than middle ear structure.
• SLPOther2021Synchronized Automatic Gain Control in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Recipients Yields Significant Benefit in Static and Dynamic Listening Conditions.Trends in hearingSynchronizing the automatic gain control in bilateral cochlear implants significantly improved the ability to locate stationary and moving sounds. Participants found the tasks less difficult. This technique preserves level differences between ears, which are normally distorted by independent processing.
• SLPCohort2021Detailed Vision Screening Results from a Cohort of Individuals with Aphasia.AphasiologyMost patients with aphasia in this cohort had visual deficits, but few were stroke-related. Many failed distance vision screenings despite having had recent eye exams. Clinicians should screen vision before assuming assessment failures are purely language-based, as uncorrected poor sight can mimic aphasia severity.
• SLPCohort2021Cochlear Implantation in Infants: Evidence of Safety.Trends in hearingCochlear implantation in infants under 1 year is safe when performed by experienced surgeons and pediatric anesthesiologists. Major complications occurred in 2.9% of ears, mostly infections manageable with treatment. No meningitis or device failures were seen. Anesthesia risks were minimal.
• SLPOther2021Systematic Comparison of Trial Exclusion Criteria for Pupillometry Data Analysis in Individuals With Single-Sided Deafness and Normal Hearing.Trends in hearingChanging how many blinks trigger trial exclusion did not alter speech intelligibility or pupil dilation results. However, single-sided deafness listeners blinked significantly more in noise than in quiet, suggesting strict exclusion criteria might disproportionately remove difficult trials.
• SLPOther2021Interleaved Acoustic Environments: Impact of an Auditory Scene Classification Procedure on Speech Perception in Cochlear Implant Users.Trends in hearingAutomated scene classification improved speech perception in quiet and steady noise, but offered little or no benefit in reverberant rooms or when multiple speakers were talking. It can also misclassify complex scenes, so it is not a reliable solution for every noisy environment.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Desktop lighting for comfortable use of a computer screen.Work (Reading, Mass.)In a dark room, warm light at 1500 lux made computer use more comfortable than total darkness. It reduced eye strain and cognitive load during easy reading tasks. These findings apply to evening leisure use, not work performance or bright daytime settings.
• SLPPilot2020Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Print Knowledge in Preschool Children with Hearing Loss.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsPreschoolers with hearing loss scored lower than peers on print knowledge items containing spatial or quantity words. A pilot intervention teaching these concept words to four children showed immediate gains, suggesting vocabulary gaps may hide behind print assessment scores.
• OTSLPSurvey2021It took a pandemic: Perspectives on impact, stress, and telehealth from caregivers of people with autism.Research in developmental disabilitiesCaregivers of children with autism reported that loss of daily structure and difficulty with emotion regulation were the biggest stressors during pandemic shutdowns. While many families found telehealth helpful for continuing care, it was often less effective for children with significant communication challenges.
• SLPOther2021Measuring the Influence of Noise Reduction on Listening Effort in Hearing-Impaired Listeners Using Response Times to an Arithmetic Task in Noise.Trends in hearingNoise reduction algorithms did not significantly speed up response times for hearing-impaired listeners in this small study. While a theoretical 'ideal' algorithm helped in very noisy conditions, realistic algorithms showed no benefit over unprocessed sound. The task remains a research tool, not a clinical test.
• SLPOther2021Characterizing therapist delivery of evidence-based intervention strategies in publicly funded mental health services for children with autism spectrum disorder: Differentiating practice patterns in usual care and AIM HI delivery.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn usual care, therapists used evidence-based strategies diffusely, which correlated with worsening behavior. In trained therapists, specific active teaching of skills correlated with improvement, while general engagement strategies alone did not predict better outcomes over time.
• SLPOther2021Effect of Chronological Age on Pulse Rate Discrimination in Adult Cochlear-Implant Users.Trends in hearingOlder cochlear implant users struggled more than younger ones to tell pulse rates apart, but only at high rates like 500 pps. At lower rates, age made no difference. Steeper nerve response slopes did not predict better discrimination.
• SLPRCT2021A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial of the I-PLAN Intervention to Promote Hearing Aid Use Among First-Time Adult Hearing Aid Users.Trends in hearingA bundle of three fitting materials delivered by audiologists did not increase hearing aid use or benefit in first-time adult users. At 6 weeks, reported use was 81.0% with the bundle and 79.6% with standard fitting; data-logged use was similar.
• SLPNarrative Review2021A profile and review of findings from the Early Markers for Autism study: unique contributions from a population-based case-control study in California.Molecular autismChildren later diagnosed with autism had different immune markers before birth and at newborn testing, especially when intellectual disability was also present. Vitamin D and air pollution had little overall association, and combined chemical exposures showed no clear link.