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 96 OF 205 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPOther2022Elevated symptoms of executive dysfunction predict lower adaptive functioning in 3-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchToddlers with autism had higher parent-rated executive function difficulties than siblings, children with other delays, and typically developing peers. These difficulties were linked to poorer communication, socialization, and daily living skills, even after accounting for development and autism severity.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2022Reducing the gap between science and clinic: lessons from academia and professional practice - part B: traditional vocal therapy techniques and modern electrostimulation and photobiomodulation techniques applied to vocal rehabilitation.CoDASTraditional voice therapies like LSVT and Vocal Function Exercises have strong evidence for improving function. Electrostimulation and photobiomodulation are promising adjuncts but lack sufficient proof to stand alone. Clinicians should prioritize traditional methods and use modern technologies cautiously as add-ons.
• SLPCohort2022Temporal auditory processing in people exposed to musical instrument practice.CoDASYoung musicians scored higher on behavioral tests of temporal auditory processing than non-musicians, but showed no difference on the P300 brainwave test. The benefit was not linked to how long or often they practiced.
• SLPOther2022The Practice and Application of AR Games to Assist Children's English Pronunciation Teaching.Occupational therapy internationalStudents' pronunciation scores improved over five weeks of AR game use. Voice volume, used as a proxy for anxiety, also increased. Most students rated the software as easy to use, with no significant gender differences in attitudes.
• OTSLPCohort2022Attention/Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescent and Young Adult Males With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities42% of adolescent and young adult males with Fragile X Syndrome met DSM-5 criteria for ADHD, mostly the inattentive type. The CBCL rating scale missed nearly 20% of these cases, so relying on it alone can lead to under-diagnosis in this group.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Challenges to infection control in early communication intervention: A scoping review.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsFace masks and strict hygiene rules block the visual and physical closeness that early speech therapy needs. Practitioners struggled to connect with infants and disinfect toys. The paper offers no proven solutions, only a call for guidelines that fit low-resource settings.
• SLPOther2022Language-Independent Hearing Screening - Increasing the Feasibility of a Hearing Screening Self-Test at School-Entry.Trends in hearingA tablet self-test for school-entry children using everyday sounds detected hearing loss, but one in six could not finish reliably. In a follow-up, the adjusted procedures had about 5% unreliable results.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2022What is intended by the term "participation" and what does it mean to people living with dementia? A conceptual overview and directions for future research.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThere is no agreed definition of "participation" for people with dementia, and current tests measure daily tasks or memory, not social involvement. Clinicians should not assume standard assessments capture a patient's desire to stay connected or their lived experience of social life.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Autistic women's views and experiences of infant feeding: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic mothers described maternity services as inaccessible due to unasked touches, vague questions, and sensory overload. Support groups felt impossible to navigate. One-to-one help and written materials worked. Clinicians must ask about sensory needs and avoid assuming standard breastfeeding advice applies.
• SLPOther2022A Phenomenological Model Reproducing Temporal Response Characteristics of an Electrically Stimulated Auditory Nerve Fiber.Trends in hearingA computer model of the auditory nerve now simulates how real nerve fibers react to rapid pulse trains from cochlear implants, matching data on refractoriness and facilitation. This helps engineers design better sound-coding strategies, but it does not change how you assess or treat patients.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Simulations as a mode of clinical training in healthcare professions: A scoping review to guide planning in speech-language pathology and audiology during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSimulation training builds confidence and clinical skills for healthcare students, but it is not a substitute for real patient contact. Speech-language pathology evidence is almost non-existent, so use simulation only to supplement, not replace, traditional clinical placements.
• SLPOther2022When uncertainty becomes the norm: The Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital's Speech Therapy and Audiology Department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsA hospital speech therapy department stopped outpatient services and restricted inpatient care during the pandemic. They maintained contact with patients by shifting to telehealth, creating home care packages, and developing strict prioritization guidelines for swallowing and hearing assessments.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Hope for "Continued Vitality": Qualitative Study of Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury and Low Mood on Their Rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdults with concussion and low mood described feeling invalidated when providers doubted their invisible symptoms, worsening their distress. They wanted providers to believe them, set realistic recovery expectations, and coordinate care so they did not have to self-advocate.
• SLPQualitative2022'All of a sudden, you know, you can't go to these services, because of the risk of infection': Audiological service considerations at residential care homes for older persons during COVID-19.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsManagers reported that mask-wearing made speech unintelligible for residents with hearing loss. To cope, staff spoke louder, risking privacy, or removed masks, breaching infection control. Audiological services were deprioritised due to cost and fear of hospital infection, leaving residents isolated.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Transportation Patterns of Adults With Travel-Limiting Disabilities in Rural and Urban America.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRural adults with travel-limiting disabilities who cannot drive take significantly fewer trips than their urban counterparts, especially for social and work activities. Drivers in both settings report similar travel frequencies. This suggests rural non-drivers face distinct barriers to community participation that urban residents do not.
• OTSLPCohort2022Associations among co-occurring medical conditions and cognition, language, and behavior in Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesChildren with Down syndrome and gastrointestinal issues showed more social difficulties, maladaptive behaviors, and executive function challenges than those without. No such differences were found for hearing loss, vision problems, or heart defects. Screen for GI issues when behavior or social skills are a concern.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022A qualitative examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with autism and their parents.Research in developmental disabilitiesMost parents reported their children lost previously mastered skills, but others noted gains in daily living and reduced stress. Families need flexible service delivery and caregiver training to navigate disruptions.
• SLPOther2022Combining voice and language features improves automated autism detection.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCombining automated voice and language features from recorded conversations classified children already diagnosed with autism more accurately than either set alone. The study was not intended for diagnosis or screening.
• SLPSystematic Review2022A proposed artificial intelligence-based real-time speech-to-text to sign language translator for South African official languages for the COVID-19 era and beyond: In pursuit of solutions for the hearing impaired.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsA scoping review found almost no evidence for real-time AI speech-to-sign-language tools in African languages. Existing tools are mostly conceptual or English-only. Clinicians cannot rely on current technology to bridge communication gaps for non-English speaking deaf or hard-of-hearing patients.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Cochleovestibular findings linked to COVID-19: A scoping review for clinical care planning in South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsEvidence linking COVID-19 to permanent hearing or balance damage is weak and inconsistent. Most reported symptoms like sudden hearing loss or tinnitus were temporary and resolved with steroids. Clinicians should screen for these issues but cannot assume a causal link.
• SLPPilot2022Is a hybrid of online and face-to-face services feasible for audiological rehabilitation post COVID-19? Findings from three public health patients.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsThree hearing-aid users completed most online auditory training sessions, had 3 hours and 25 minutes of clinician contact, reported more self-perceived hearing aid benefit, and said weekly reminders helped them keep up. This small feasibility study does not show the programme works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Participation of children with and without disabilities in home, school, and community in Hong Kong: A 2-year longitudinal study.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTOver two years, children with and without disabilities in Hong Kong played fewer indoor games and used more technology at home. School event attendance rose, but community physical activity showed a non-significant decline. How involved children felt in these activities stayed largely unchanged.
• SLPQualitative2022The perspectives of speech-language pathologists: Providing teletherapy to patients with speech, language and swallowing difficulties during a COVID-19 context.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSLPs found teletherapy feasible for speech and language therapy, citing reduced travel and better family involvement. However, dysphagia treatment was largely abandoned due to inability to assess swallowing safely. Public sector therapists faced severe barriers from poor data access and reliance on phone-only sessions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Efficacy of supervised vestibular rehabilitation on functional mobility in patients with chronic vestibular hypofunction.Journal of physical therapy scienceWeekly supervised vestibular rehab improved walking speed and balance over 4 weeks. A single initial session plus home exercises did not produce significant changes in these measures. The weekly group showed faster Timed Up and Go times, while the single-session group did not.
• SLPQualitative2022Students' experiences of using a writing-intense programme to facilitate critical thinking skills on an online clinical training platform: A pilot study.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSecond-year speech pathology students reported that written assignments, peer feedback and educator discussion improved clinical knowledge and confidence. They also said poor connectivity and uneven participation negatively affected the programme.
• SLPOther2022Increased context adjustment is associated with auditory sensitivities but not with autistic traits.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic and non-autistic adults did not differ in how their brains adjusted to unexpected sounds in different sound contexts. Across participants, greater auditory sensitivity was linked to larger adjustment, not autistic traits.
• SLPCase-Control2022A constellation of eye-tracking measures reveals social attention differences in ASD and the broad autism phenotype.Molecular autismDuring a picture story task, parents of people with autism who showed broad autism traits looked less at people and more at background as time went on. Average looking time did not show this difference.
• SLPQualitative2022The experiences of speech-language therapists providing telerehabilitation services to children with autism spectrum disorder.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSouth African speech-language therapists described telerehabilitation for children with autism as workable when parents were trained, routines were kept, and distractions were reduced. They valued home observation and access, but warned against overprompting.
• SLPQualitative2022Involving adolescents with intellectual disability in the adaptation of self-reported subjective well-being measures: participatory research and methodological considerations.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdolescents with intellectual disability did not understand two standard self-report well-being questionnaires as written. Co-designed versions used shorter present-tense questions, pictures and yes/no or yes/no/sometimes answers.
• SLPOther2022Interpretation and Use of Standardized Language Assessments for Diverse School-Age Individuals.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsThis paper proposes a theoretical framework for interpreting language assessments in diverse school-age individuals. It reviews test manuals to highlight gaps in norming data but reports no clinical outcomes or evidence that the proposed approach changes diagnostic accuracy or patient results.
• SLPCohort2022The Behavioral Phenotype of 7q11.23 Duplication Syndrome Includes Risk for Oppositional Behavior and Aggression.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren with 7q11.23 duplication show high rates of oppositional behavior and aggression, particularly argumentative or non-compliant acts. Hyperactivity and social anxiety symptoms strongly predict this behavior, while lower nonverbal cognitive ability is linked to observed aggression.
• SLPOther2022Application of machine learning approaches to analyse student success for contact learning and emergency remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 era in speech-language pathology and audiology.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsStudent records in speech-language pathology and audiology included funding background, age and course marks as patterns around performance. The models sorted risk groups, but no patient-care effect was tested.
• OTSLPCohort2022Early predictors of language skills at 3 years of age vary based on diagnostic outcome: A baby siblings research consortium study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchFor infants later diagnosed with autism, higher gesture scores at 12 months predicted lower language skills at 3 years, unlike in typically developing infants. Maternal education strongly predicted language outcomes in the autism group, with those whose mothers had less than a college degree showing the lowest scores.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Autistic adults have poorer quality healthcare and worse health based on self-report data.Molecular autismAutistic adults report significantly poorer healthcare experiences than non-autistic peers across communication, sensory environment, and access. They are far less likely to feel understood or able to describe symptoms, and much more likely to experience anxiety or shutdowns during medical visits.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Developmental profiles of children at risk for autism spectrum disorder at school entry.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren referred for autism assessment but not diagnosed showed functional profiles at school entry nearly identical to those who were diagnosed. Both groups scored significantly lower than typically developing peers across social, emotional, and communication domains, suggesting comparable support needs despite differing funding eligibility.
• SLPOther2022Assessing and Modeling Spatial Release From Listening Effort in Listeners With Normal Hearing: Reference Ranges and Effects of Noise Direction and Age.Trends in hearingNormal-hearing listeners reported less listening effort when noise came from the side (135°) than from the front, with the benefit larger in difficult listening conditions. Age did not significantly change these effort ratings, though older listeners showed steeper effort increases in very difficult conditions.
• SLPCohort2022Analysis of a Cochlear Implant Database: Changes in Tinnitus Prevalence and Distress After Cochlear Implantation.Trends in hearingTinnitus prevalence dropped from 55.8% to 44.3% after cochlear implantation. Distress scores improved significantly, with most patients reporting only slight or no handicap. However, 18.4% of patients without prior tinnitus developed it, and no patient characteristics predicted these outcomes.
• SLPOther2022Robust and Efficient Online Auditory Psychophysics.Trends in hearingAuditory tests requiring high precision can be run reliably online. Participants can calibrate their own equipment, and a brief 20-trial test estimates hearing thresholds accurately. This allows researchers to study hearing and attention without expensive lab equipment.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Remote and Hybrid Schooling During COVID-19: Associations with Child Behavior and Sleep.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPParents reported that elementary children in remote schooling had more hyperactivity, peer problems, and total behavior difficulties than those in-person. Remote learners also showed later sleep midpoints and higher odds of co-sleeping. Hybrid learners had fewer issues than remote, but some social deficits remained.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022White matter microstructural and morphometric alterations in autism: implications for intellectual capabilities.Molecular autismWhite matter differences in autism were driven almost entirely by participants with intellectual impairment or minimal verbal ability. In intellectually able autistic adults, brain structure looked similar to controls. This suggests previous studies excluding these groups missed the main biological signal.
• SLPOther2022Reaction Time Sensitivity to Spectrotemporal Modulations of Sound.Trends in hearingReaction times reliably track how well people hear changing sounds. Simulated hearing aids slowed responses more than cochlear implants, especially for spectral details. Bimodal use combined the strengths of both devices rather than integrating them.
• SLPOther2022The Effect of Stimulation Position and Ear Canal Occlusion on Perception of Bone Conducted Sound.Trends in hearingPlacing bone conduction devices on the condyle improved speech clarity and sound quality compared to the mastoid or temple. In-ear occlusion further boosted low-frequency hearing and intelligibility. Air conduction remained the clearest option overall.
• SLPSystematic Review2022A systematic review of the use of telehealth to facilitate a diagnosis for children with developmental concerns.Research in developmental disabilitiesTelehealth diagnostic assessments for children with developmental concerns showed high accuracy, feasibility, and satisfaction in nine studies. Most evidence was fair quality, with few studies testing accuracy directly. Families and providers accepted the method, but more rigorous research is needed.
• SLPOther2022Speech Recognition and Listening Effort of Meaningful Sentences Using Synthetic Speech.Trends in hearingModern synthetic speech sounded less natural than a human voice, yet normal-hearing listeners understood it better and needed no extra effort to respond. The small gain in understanding sits within the range seen between different human speakers.
• SLPOther2022Comparing Clinically Applicable Behavioral and Electrophysiological Measures of Speech Detection, Discrimination, and Comprehension.Trends in hearingIn 30 normal-hearing adults, standard hearing tests did not match brain responses to simple sounds, but reaction times to digit sequences did match brain activity. Visual cues sped up reaction times, but the brain's comprehension signals looked the same with or without them.
• SLPNarrative Review2022Barriers to Equity in Pediatric Hearing Health Care: A Review of the Evidence.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsChildren from lower-income families, rural areas, and non-English speaking homes face significant delays in hearing diagnosis and treatment. Medicaid patients wait 13 months for diagnostic testing compared to 7 months for private insurance. Clinicians must actively use interpreters and culturally responsive practices to bridge these gaps.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Body Mass Index and Exercise Effort Influences Changes in Motor Symptoms After High-Cadence Dynamic Cycling in Parkinson's Disease.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHigh-cadence cycling improved Parkinson's motor symptoms in this pooled analysis, but baseline severity predicted the outcome. Effort alone did not explain the variance; instead, higher BMI weakened the link between effort and symptom improvement.
• SLPOther2022Development and Validation of a Mandarin Chinese Adaptation of AzBio Sentence Test (CMnBio).Trends in hearingThis new Mandarin sentence test is harder than existing ones, so high-performing cochlear implant users no longer score perfectly. This allows clinicians to detect real changes in speech understanding over time or after treatment, rather than seeing everyone hit the maximum score.
• SLPCohort2022Predicting 9-Year Language Ability from Preschool Speech Recognition in Noise in Children Using Cochlear Implants.Trends in hearingSpeech perception in noise at 5 years predicted better language at 9 years in 56 children with cochlear implants. Vocabulary at 5 years did not independently predict later speech perception in noise.
• SLPNarrative Review2022Treatment of Pediatric Patients With High-Flow Nasal Cannula and Considerations for Oral Feeding: A Review of the Literature.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsWithholding oral feeding solely because an infant is on high-flow nasal cannula is not supported by current literature. Speech-language pathologists should assess individual readiness cues and respiratory stability rather than delaying feeds based on the device alone.