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Background Aims Methods & Procedures Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this study adds to the existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? The provision of speech intervention in children requires personalized, child‐tailored approaches. Different speech‐intervention approaches exist to eliminate cleft‐related speech errors in children with a cleft palate. However, it is unclear what approach works best for the subtypes of cleft‐related speech errors.To describe a protocol for a systematic review that provides speech–language pathologists with the current literature concerning more individualized speech intervention in children with a cleft palate.A systematic literature review was performed following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. Two speech–language pathologists with clinical and scientific experience in cleft speech searched different electronic databases for relevant studies. No limit regarding publication date was set. Specific eligibility criteria were defined and used to include or exclude the studies. All included studies were evaluated with a risk‐of‐bias assessment tool and levels of evidence. Relevant data were extracted from the studies (study design, study population characteristics, intervention characteristics and outcome characteristics) and a narrative synthesis was performed.The findings of this systematic review will significantly contribute to the evidence on personalized speech intervention in children with a cleft palate. The study will inform speech–language pathologists on the possibilities to tailor treatment plans more to the specific subtype of cleft‐related speech errors. The planned systematic review also makes recommendations for further cleft speech intervention research. At present, there is growing evidence for different speech therapy approaches in children with a cleft palate. Despite the recognized need for personalized, child‐tailored therapy, there is no consensus on the best speech therapy approach per different subtype of compensatory cleft speech characteristic. This paper provides a protocol for a systematic literature review of this topic. Specifically, it searches the literature for the use of personalized speech therapy approaches in children with different subtypes of compensatory cleft speech characteristics. The systematic literature review provides speech–language pathologists with the current literature concerning personalized, performance‐specific speech intervention in children with a cleft palate. Besides, the results will support therapy decision‐making in children with a cleft palate in different speech‐related clinical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? Children and adolescents with language problems have poorer mental health compared with their non‐language impaired peers. Less is known about mental health in adults with a history of language problems. This paper presents a systematic review and meta‐analysis that addresses this gap in the literature. Specifically, it summarises the results from studies examining anxiety and depression in adults (aged 18 years and over) who were identified with language impairments or problems earlier in development.Five electronic databases (PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, EMBASE and PubMed) were searched for studies comparing anxiety and/or depression in a sample of adults with and without a history of language problems. Nine studies were found that met the inclusion criteria. From each, an odds ratio (OR) was computed measuring the relationship between childhood language problems and anxiety or depression in adulthood. The OR was computed so values > 1 which indicated anxiety/depression were associated with a history of language problems. ORs were averaged using multilevel random effects meta‐analysis.Averaging the study's findings across both anxiety and depression outcomes, we found that a history of childhood language problems was associated with poorer mental health in adulthood (OR = 1.79, p = 0.004). The association for anxiety was also significant (OR = 1.80, p = 0.012) and close to statistical significance for depression (OR = 1.60, p = 0.054).This review reveals that adults with a history of language problems are more likely to experience poorer mental health outcomes compared with controls. These findings demonstrate childhood language problems affect not only communication but also mental health and well‐being in the long term. Prior research examining mental health in children and adolescents with language problems reveals a twofold increased risk of internalising problems, including anxiety and depression. However, little is known about mental health outcomes in adults with a history of language problems. The main finding was that childhood language problems are associated with increased risk of anxiety and depression in adulthood. First, the study demonstrates childhood language problems increase the risk of poor mental health in adulthood. Second, in adult mental health settings there is a need to screen for language problems and, where applicable, adjust interventions to accommodate communicative needs for patients/clients. Solving these issues requires integration and recognition of the importance of speech–language therapy in the adult mental health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Main Contribution Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? There are many children with neurodisability who are unable to rely on speech to communicate and so use a range of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods and strategies to get their message across. Current instruments designed to measure the outcomes of speech and language therapy interventions lack specific attention to communication outcomes that are valued by non‐verbal children with neurodisability, their families and support networks. This qualitative meta‐synthesis was conducted to identify valued communication outcomes to inform the next stage of developing a novel outcome measure.To systematically identify and synthesise the qualitative evidence about which communication outcomes non‐verbal children with neurodisability, their family members, healthcare professionals and educators think are important to achieve, specifically which communication outcomes are most valued by: (1) non‐verbal children with neurodisability; (2) parents or other family members of non‐verbal children with neurodisability; and (3) professionals who work with non‐verbal children with neurodisability.A systematic search of bibliographic databases and the grey literature was undertaken to identify qualitative studies that included evidence of views expressed by children, family members, healthcare professionals and educators on outcomes in relation to the communication of non‐verbal children with neurodisability. All papers meeting the inclusion criteria were quality appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative checklist, although none were excluded on this basis. The data synthesis involved organising coded data into descriptive themes which were then synthesised into analytical themes.We found 47 papers containing qualitative data meeting the inclusion criteria from research situated in 14 countries. The views of 35 children, 183 parents, six other family members, 42 healthcare professionals and 18 educators are represented in the review. The included studies contained very few data reported by children themselves; most data were provided by adults, especially parents. Three main analytical themes were identified: Experiences of communication and expectations; adapting to and acceptance of AAC; and becoming an autonomous communicator.This meta‐synthesis brings together the limited qualitative research findings about what parents, professionals and children consider are important communication outcomes for non‐verbal children with neurodisability. The synthesis identifies key gaps in our knowledge about the perspectives of children and their siblings. This synthesis will inform primary research to understand valued communication outcomes in this group, and ultimately the development of a patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM) that can be used to demonstrate the effect of interventions, at both clinical and service levels. Studies of children with cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder indicate that at least 25% of children with these conditions are non‐verbal. Studies on the health outcomes of children with neurodisability have identified that communication is rated as important by parents and health professionals. There is an evidence gap about which communication outcomes are important to non‐verbal children, their families and the people who work with them. This is the first synthesis of data that relates to communication outcomes for non‐verbal children with neurodisability. This qualitative meta‐synthesis identifies from previous research studies the communication outcomes valued by children who are non‐verbal, their parents or other family members, and the professionals who work with them. The findings will be used to shape further primary research and the development of a novel patient‐reported communication outcome measure for non‐verbal children with neurodisability. It is anticipated that this will be used by clinicians to measure the effect of their interventions. Clinicians should reflect on parents’ experiences of communication with their child before discussing potential outcomes with them. Gaining insight into the lived experience of communication for non‐verbal children and their families will help healthcare professionals to understand which goals are important to them and why. Few studies have specifically asked which communication outcomes are important for non‐verbal children with neurodisability. Further exploration is needed to determine which communication outcomes non‐verbal children and their families would like to see included in outcome measures used by clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Collaborative approaches in speech‐language pathology (SLP) aim to integrate the experience of clients and people important to them by including these stakeholders actively in decision making. This inclusion can lead to more effective, engaging, and safer SLP practice. A variety of collaborative approaches have evolved in response to sociocultural contexts, and as a result, there are many different approaches currently in use such as co‐design, co‐production, and co‐creation. However, despite widening acceptance and utilisation of collaborative approaches, the use and evidence for these in SLP literature have not been considered collectively. The current study aims to explore how collaborative approaches, used to develop products or services in SLP, are reported in literature.Using narrative review methodology, a systematic search of three databases and hand searching were conducted to explore how collaborative approaches, used to develop products or services, are reported in SLP. Search terms reflected the breadth of collaborative approaches and the diverse nature of SLP across clinical practice. Following screening of initial data, 59 articles were identified for data extraction and narrative synthesis. An internationally recognised reporting checklist for stakeholder involvement called the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public, Version 2 (GRIPP2), informed the reviewing process in addition to qualitative description.Collaborative approaches across SLP practice were found to be diverse as were the terminology and tools used for collaboration. Two‐thirds of the studies were published after 2020. The timing and involvement of stakeholders in collaborative approaches varied greatly; however, most stakeholder involvement was found in the conducting of research activities, compared to other areas such as planning, analysis, and reporting. The GRIPP2 review indicated strengths and opportunities in reporting of stakeholder involvement. When stakeholder involvement was rigorously reported it could include reflection on how stakeholders contributed within their communication abilities and how this contribution benefited the study.Collaborative approaches reported in SLP focused on valuing and respecting people with living experience of communication and swallowing difficulties. This narrative review contributes to the resources available to support decision‐making and working together with stakeholders, encouraging SLPs to reflect, consider the context and respond. Future research could continue to strengthen consistency in terminology for collaborative approaches, use frameworks to plan and report stakeholder involvement and carefully consider involvement across the research continuum. There is an expectation that health services include stakeholders in development and evaluation of services. Collaborative approaches in speech‐language pathology (SLP) aim to integrate the lived experience of people with communication and swallowing difficulties and those important to them. These approaches, including but not limited to, co‐design, co‐production and participatory action research, have shared philosophies of being community‐driven, strengths based and inclusive (Loeffler & Bovaird, 2021). This study contributes information about current SLP practice when collaborative approaches have been employed to develop a product or service. The study maps diverse collaborative approaches and their frequency in the literature, as well as the various stakeholders involved, using the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public, Version 2 (GRIPP2) checklists to guide the review of reporting stakeholder involvement. This synthesis of literature supports researchers and clinicians in making intentional decisions in implementation and reporting of collaborative approaches. This decision‐making can strengthen the implementation of collaborative approaches, which has implications for person‐centred care in SLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Main contribution Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Phonetic transcription is a core skill of speech and language therapists/pathologists (SLT/Ps) for clinical assessment of speech sounds and/or errors, and linguists for investigation of phonetic phenomena in various languages; hence, it is included in the curriculum of the corresponding degree programme. Many experts and course instructors have discussed their opinions on different aspects of phonetic transcription teaching and/or reported their own training programmes. However, no review has systematically summarized the types of expert recommendations and training methodology reported in the literature. Such information is important for mapping the knowledge gaps, refining current teaching and planning further research.To systematically summarize (1) the materials and procedures for delivering and evaluating phonetic transcription training programmes, and (2) the opinions from experts in phonetic transcription teaching regarding but not limited to the content, rationale(s), format and structure, and timing of teaching phonetic transcription of typical speech and/or disordered speech reported in the literature.A scoping review was carried out by following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science were searched and citation searching of included papers was completed. The included papers were divided into training programme reports, of which data (e.g., type and number of speech stimuli used, type and number of learners, outcome measures) were charted, and expert opinion papers, analysed using content analysis.A total of 565 studies were retrieved. After excluding duplicates and irrelevant papers and merging two sources that reported the same training, a total of 23 sources on training programmes and six opinion papers were analysed. Most training were for English and for SLT/P students, with some for the linguistics students. There are variations in the training content (with phonetic transcription practice as the main procedure), delivery mode (some presented via websites or computer software), stimuli (audio recordings of typical adults and children with speech disorders were most used), feedback (mostly immediate feedback using answer keys) and outcome measures (mainly transcription accuracy of learners and user opinions). Content analysis of opinion papers determined five main categories: rationale for training; aspects of the delivery of training; transcription; problem areas noted; and strategies/resources.Implications and considerations for teaching are discussed, along with recommendations for research in the design of evidence‐based training. The findings can contribute to the development of general guidelines about phonetic transcription training in educational programmes and the establishment of pre‐registration competencies. Phonetic transcription is a core skill of SLT/Ps and linguists for clinical speech assessment and research, and it is an important component in the curriculum of the relevant degree programmes. Many experts and course instructors have discussed their opinions regarding phonetic transcription teaching and/or reported their own training programmes in various sources such as books and book chapters, research papers and conference proceedings. The paper reports a scoping review that systematically summarized the materials and procedures for delivering and evaluating phonetic transcription programmes and experts’ opinions and recommendations for phonetic transcription teaching, reported in the literature. The data from these two types of sources allowed an integrated discussion of the various aspects of phonetic transcription training, such as content, format and structure, materials and timing of teaching and the evaluation of training efficacy. The data synthesized and discussed provide a foundation for a review of current practice in phonetic transcription teaching in SLT education. The findings can contribute to the development of general guidelines about phonetic transcription training in educational programmes and the establishment of pre‐registration competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods and Procedure Outcomes and Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? Accurate nonword repetition (NWR) is contingent on many underlying skills, including encoding, memory and motor planning and programming. Though vowel errors are frequently associated with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), several recent studies have found that children with developmental language disorder (DLD) produce high rates of vowel errors in NWR tasks.This retrospective analysis explored whether the overall frequency and types of vowel errors produced in NWR distinguish children with DLD, children with CAS, children with speech sound disorder (SSD) and children with typical development (TD).We present data for 24 children (six per DLD, CAS, SSD and TD groups), ranging in age from 50–92 months. Children with DLD, CAS and SSD showed similar articulation scores and children with DLD and children with CAS showed similar expressive language scores. Total vowel errors, total monophthong errors, monophthong substitutions, diphthongization errors, total diphthong errors, diphthong substitutions and diphthong reduction errors were calculated by syllable length and group. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to examine group differences.Children with DLD and children with CAS produced a higher frequency of total vowel errors compared to children with TD. Children with DLD produced more total monophthong errors than children with TD. Children with DLD and children with CAS produced more total diphthong errors than children with TD. For children with DLD, these were characterised by diphthong substitutions. For children with CAS, these were characterised by diphthong substitutions and diphthong reduction errors. For all measures, error rates in children with SSD did not significantly differ from any of the other three groups.Preliminary evidence indicates that children with DLD and children with CAS both show high rates of vowel errors in NWR tasks and weaknesses in encoding and memory. For children with CAS, additional motor planning difficulties are associated with an increased likelihood to reduce diphthongs. Children with SSD show more mild processing difficulties than children with DLD and children with CAS, though they do not perform as well as TD peers. Future work should replicate and further specify the processing weaknesses that affect vowel accuracy in NWR tasks in a larger sample. Nonword repetition (NWR) tasks are often included in diagnostic batteries to identify children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Poor performance on these tasks have historically been attributed to phonological working memory deficits in children with DLD. However, repeating nonwords relies on a number of underlying processing skills and many of these skills are affected to varying degrees in children with speech and language disorders. An in‐depth analysis of vowel errors has the potential to reveal the shared as well as specific underlying processing weaknesses in children with DLD, children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and children with speech sound disorder (SSD). We found that children with DLD and children with CAS show low vowel competence compared to children with typical development. A nuanced examination of vowel error types further revealed that children with DLD and children with CAS show weaknesses in encoding and memory. Motor planning and programming weaknesses were unique to CAS. Children with SSD show more mild processing deficits and their performance did not significantly differ from any of the other three groups. Examining the types of vowel errors produced by children with DLD, children with CAS and children with SSD in NWR allows us to further specify the underlying processing weaknesses that differentiate these three groups. This research informs theoretical accounts of language processing in children with different types of speech and language disorders and has the potential to improve the diagnostic utility of NWR tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Although considerable research has been conducted on post‐COVID‐19 syndrome (PCS), cognitive symptoms, particularly those related to language, are still not well understood.To provide a detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of language performance in PCS patients using a comprehensive set of semantic and verbal production tasks.The study involved 195 PCS patients aged 26–64 years and 50 healthy controls aged 25–61 years. Participants were assessed using two semantic tasks, three naming tasks and four types of verbal fluency tasks, designed to evaluate different aspects of language processing.PCS patients demonstrated significantly poorer performance compared with controls across all verbal fluency tasks. This was evident in both the total number of words generated and their types, with patients tending to choose more easily accessible words. In naming tasks, the pattern of errors was similar in both groups, although patients showed a higher number of non‐responses and made more errors, reflecting difficulties in word retrieval. The analysis highlighted the impact of factors such as stimulus availability, educational level and cognitive reserve on performance. Notably, younger patients performed worse than older, a paradoxical trend also observed in previous research.These findings reveal significant word retrieval difficulties in PCS patients, suggesting that cognitive impairment related to language may be more pronounced than previously understood. The results underscore the need for a thorough evaluation of language functions in PCS patients and the development of more targeted and individualized language rehabilitation strategies to address these specific challenges. Studies on the cognitive characteristics of CPS have focused mainly on broad‐spectrum neuropsychological assessments covering all cognitive functions. However, there are very few studies analysing oral production with specific lexical and semantic system tasks. Furthermore, no work has specifically included tasks assessing semantic processing or conducted qualitative analyses of the psycholinguistic variables affecting performance. Such analyses could undoubtedly help clarify the nature of the language impairments in patients with PCS. This study explores in depth the evaluation and analysis of the oral production of patients with PCS using several lexical and semantic tasks. In addition, psycholinguistic variables are analysed that could undoubtedly help clarify the nature of the language impairments in patients with PCS. The study allows the identification of specific lexical–semantic deficits in the spoken language in patients with this PCS. A more detailed assessment of the oral language of these patients, keeping in mind the psycholinguistic variables that may affect the performance, will facilitate the design of more efficient and individualized rehabilitation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusion & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this study adds What are the clinical implications of this work? In the Spanish and Catalan context, there is currently a lack of standardized, linguistically adapted tools to assess people with communication disorders. This lack is especially evident when it comes to instruments designed to assess functional communication.The main objective of this study is to adapt the instrument entitled Communication Activities of Daily Living 3rd edition (CADL‐3) into European Spanish (CADL‐3VE) and Catalan (CADL‐3VC), thus providing a new tool to assess the functional communication of patients with aphasia in the Spanish and Catalan populations.A total of 152 people, all residents of Catalonia, took part in the study. The CADL‐3VE test was administered to 125 Spanish‐speaking participants, who were divided into two groups, one consisting of patients with aphasia and the other a control group. The CADL‐3VC test was administered to 27 Catalan‐speaking patients with aphasia. Other tests and assessment scales were used for the external validation of the test.Reliability scores were recorded for both new versions of the test. There was a very strong correlation between the CADL‐3VE test and external criteria. The scores for both of the new versions showed significant differences in terms of performance between the aphasia and control groups. Both versions displayed similarities with the original test with respect to most of the psychometric analyses carried out.The test makes it possible to assess everyday communicative functioning and participation in real‐world contexts. As such, it helps inform the creation of personalized, interdisciplinary treatment plans aimed at functional objectives that consider the patient's context. In order to effectively assess aphasia based on a bio‐psycho‐social perspective, it is necessary to examine functional communication. In other words, there is a need to explore the kinds of communication difficulties that people face in their everyday lives. Communication Activities of Daily Living (CADL‐3) is an English‐language test that was developed to assess functional communication by simulating certain everyday activities. This paper offers an analysis of the items, reliability and validity of the Spanish and Catalan versions of the CADL‐3 test. This new instrument has the potential to play an essential role in assessing the everyday functional communication of people with aphasia in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? Typically developing children assigned male at birth (AMAB) and children assigned female at birth (AFAB) produce the fricative /s/ differently: AFAB children produce /s/ with a higher spectral peak frequency. This study examined whether implicit knowledge of these differences affects speech‐language pathologists’/speech and language therapists’ (SLPs’/SLTs’) ratings of /s/ accuracy, by comparing ratings made in conditions where SLPs/SLTs were blind to children's sex assigned at birth (SAB) to conditions in which they were told this information.SLPs (n = 95) varying in clinical experience rated the accuracy of word‐initial /s/ productions (n = 87) of eight children with speech sound disorder in one of four conditions: one in which no information about the children was revealed, one in which children's SAB was revealed, one in which children's age was revealed, and one in which both were revealed.Despite there being no statistically significant differences between AFAB and AMAB children's /s/ production in researcher‐determined accuracy or in one acoustic characteristic, spectral centroid, SLPs in all four conditions judged the /s/ productions of AFAB children as more accurate than AMAB children. Listeners were significantly less likely to judge the productions of AMAB children to be inaccurate in the conditions in which age or age and SAB were revealed. These effects were consistent across SLPs with greatly varying levels of clinical experience.Knowing or imputing children's age and SAB can affect ratings of /s/ accuracy. Clinicians should be mindful of these potential effects. Future research should understand how expectations about sociolinguistic variation in speech affect appraisals of their speech and language. Adult men and women produce /s/ differently. A consensus is that these differences reflect sociolinguistic gender marking, rather than being the passive consequence of vocal‐tract differences. Recent studies have shown that children assigned female at birth (AFAB) and those assigned male at birth (AMAB) produce /s/ differently in ways that mirror the differences between adult men and women, and which presumably reflect gender marking. We asked whether US‐based speech‐language pathologists' (SLPs) ratings of the accuracy of /s/ differ depending on whether they are rating an AFAB or an AMAB child, and whether these differences are greater in conditions in which people are told the sex assigned at birth of the child being rated. We found that SLPs were more likely to judge AFAB children's /s/ productions to be more accurate than AMAB children's, even though the productions from the AMAB and AFAB children that were used as stimuli were matched for accuracy as determined by trained researchers. SLPs/speech‐language therapists should be sensitive to the influence of social variables when assessing /s/. SLPs/speech‐language therapists might rate children's productions differently depending on whether they believe they are rating an AFAB or an AMAB child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Main Contributions Conclusions & Implications: WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? There is increasing interest in the incorporation of animal‐assisted services (AAS) in therapy for adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. AAS have the potential to enhance speech and language therapy engagement and outcomes. However, a greater understanding of the nature and potential benefits of these interventions is needed.To describe the existing evidence for the incorporation of AAS in therapy with adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders and to identify areas for future research.A scoping review was conducted and reported in alignment with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses checklist extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA‐ScR). Seven databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science) and grey literature (Google) were searched. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts against eligibility criteria using Covidence software. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist guided extraction of intervention data.A total of 17 studies with adults with aphasia, apraxia of speech and cognitive–communication disorders were included. While terminology varied, most interventions met the definition of animal‐assisted therapy or animal‐assisted activity and used therapy dogs. Across studies, a range of outcomes were targeted, and positive benefits were reported for participant mood, emotions, motivation and satisfaction. There were mixed, but mostly positive, benefits on social behaviour, communication and participation.AAS has been incorporated in therapy for adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders, predominately with people with dementia. Across studies, communication impairments and AAS interventions were insufficiently or inconsistently described. Improved reporting would assist understanding of the potential benefits of AAS as an adjunct therapy. A quality appraisal of existing studies, and meta‐analysis of findings, is needed to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of AAS as a complementary therapy for people with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. There is increasing interest and research in AAS as an adjunct to traditional speech and language therapy. Several clinical populations have been shown to benefit from the incorporation of AAS as a complementary therapy approach, including adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. To date there has not been a comprehensive review of literature in the area. This review aimed to describe what is known about AAS as an adjunct intervention for adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. A total of 17 studies were identified, the majority conducted with people living with dementia. Overall, consistent positive benefits of AAS were reported on participant mood, positive emotions, motivation, and satisfaction. There were mixed, but mostly positive, benefits of AAS on social behaviour, including both verbal and non‐verbal communication outcomes, and participation. These results suggest a potential therapeutic benefit for the inclusion of AAS into traditional modalities used by speech–language therapists with people with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. However, clinicians should view these findings with caution. Studies were often insufficiently or inconsistently reported, and a quality appraisal and meta‐analysis of existing studies would be needed to draw clear conclusions on the effectiveness of AAS as a complementary approach for people with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The abbreviated version of the Token Test (aTT) is widely used to assess language comprehension deficits in stroke patients (SPs). However, aTT has not been validated for Latin American Spanish speakers, so clinicians tend to use cut‐off scores for aTT validated in developed countries.To provide normative data for the Spanish aTT (Sp‐aTT) in healthy Chilean Spanish‐speaking and SP, determining the influence of sociodemographic variables such as gender, age and education on Sp‐aTT performance.A total of 210 healthy volunteers (age range = 18–88 years) and 197 SPs (age range = 23–94 years), all native speakers of Chilean Spanish, were recruited. The association of age, gender and years of education on the Sp‐aTT performance was analysed. Specificity and sensibility analyses of the Sp‐aTT to diagnose language comprehension deficits were completed.Only age (p < 0.001) and years of education (p < 0.001) impacted the total score of Sp‐aTT. Gender did not show an association with Sp‐aTT performance (p = 0.181). For SPs, the Sp‐aTT score showed a significant positive correlation (rho = 0.4, p < 0.001) with the aphasia severity rating scale (ASRS) score. For Sp‐aTT, the area under the curve was 0.97, and the optimal cut‐off score for the Sp‐aTT was 30 (0.73 of sensitivity, 0.92 of specificity and a Youden index of 0.644).Age and years of education are two key factors to be controlled for when determining the optimal cut‐off points for the Sp‐aTT. Our results also highlight the need for language‐specific norms in stroke and aphasia research. The aTT has been validated and adapted in several countries. Its properties in screening and detecting comprehensive deficits in SPs highlight its potential as a screening tool in clinical practice. Moreover, considering that stroke is the third largest cause of death worldwide, research and clinical practice have focused on how to improve early detection of deficits in these people, especially those related to cognition, language and functionality in SPs. Therefore, counting with validated and adapted tools is essential for clinicians because it could contribute to accurate intervention and classification of language disorders. The main contribution of this study is to provide normative data for the aTT in Latin American Spanish speakers. No previous studies have focused on validating this test and analysing the influence of three critical variables (age, gender and years of education) on its performance in SPs from Latin America. In addition, we propose a classification of the severity of comprehension deficits in SPs. Finally, we found comprehension deficits in patients with right and left hemisphere stroke, which would imply that these deficits would not be exclusive to left hemisphere stroke. Contribute with validation of language comprehension tools, such as the aTT, could improve early diagnosis of patients with language disorders. This validation provides a test based on the sociodemographic characteristics of Latin American Speakers, which has yet to be established. Due to this, normative data considering the sociodemographic characteristics of the target population is crucial for accurately classifying comprehension deficits after brain damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Published best‐practice guidelines and standardized protocols for voice assessment recommend multidisciplinary evaluation utilizing a comprehensive range of clinical measures. Previous studies report variations in assessment practices when compared with these guidelines.To provide an up‐to‐date evaluation of current global multidisciplinary practice patterns and the opinions of otolaryngologist, ear, nose and throat (ENT) and speech–language pathology (SLP) clinicians on initial assessment and differential diagnosis of adults with voice disorders (VDs).ENTs and SLPs worldwide who had worked with VDs within the last 10 years completed an anonymous online survey. Themes explored demographic information about the clinical practice, information about diagnostic assessment pathways, clinical assessments routinely used for initial voice evaluation and clinician perceived value of clinical assessments important for diagnosis.Patterns in the clinical practice of 88 SLPs and 21 ENTs from 18 countries with 1 to more than 25 years’ experience were analysed. Clinicians provided services across a range of locations, and a range of assessment pathways was available for initial evaluation. Case history, laryngoscopy and auditory–perceptual measures were the most frequently selected assessments. Most clinicians favoured formal assessment measures for auditory–perceptual evaluation. Clinicians placed equal weighting on ENT and SLP assessment to aid diagnosis for muscle tension VDs and functional neurological voice disorders (FVDs).Practice patterns for initial diagnostic voice assessment are largely consistent with the currently published guidelines. Decisions for the selection of assessment tools vary according to VD classification, and assessment decisions appear to be guided by case history. Clinicians are not always following established protocols for obtaining reliable standardized measures. Further research is needed to understand the barriers to adhering to standardized protocols and to develop evidence for the use of case history in the process of VD diagnosis. Best‐practice guidelines recommend a multidisciplinary and multidimensional assessment of adults with vocal symptoms. Prior uni‐disciplinary survey studies have reported a divergence in clinical practice with the recommended guidelines. No previous studies have examined otolaryngologists and SLPs concurrently to investigate the multidisciplinary approach clinicians’ use in a diagnostic voice assessment. This study highlights new insights into multidisciplinary voice evaluation practice patterns with an emphasis on diagnostic assessment from a global perspective. The findings build on prior research exploring clinical assessment pathways, service utilization and clinicians’ preferences when selecting clinical tools to inform a differential diagnosis. This paper provides insights to inform future service and resource planning to ensure the delivery of evidenced‐based diagnostic assessment pathways. This study also makes recommendations for areas of future research to understand barriers to clinicians following recommended best‐practice guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? People with communication problems experience challenges in participation. Optimizing communicative participation for this population is an important outcome of speech and language therapy. Participation experiences are best assessed from the patient's perspective, using a patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM). The Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) has been developed to identify perceived problems in communicative participation. However, previous research has shown that the item bank does not cover all domains and concepts of communicative participation, contains general communication items, and is not suitable for all people with communication problems.To develop a comprehensive PROM aimed at measuring communicative participation for all adults with communication problems and test its content validity.An initial pool of 242 items was based on three sources: relevant content from an earlier literature review and concept elicitation study, and the translation of the items of the CPIB. This item pool was pilot‐tested for comprehensibility and comprehensiveness using cognitive debriefing interviews in adults with different communication problems (speech, language, voice, hearing and cognitive communication disorders). This resulted in a second version of the item bank. The content validity of this version was tested in a group of professionals. The last (third) version of 133 items was tested for content validity in a second, new group of adults with various communication problems.The initial pool of 242 items was developed and pilot‐tested in 27 adults with different communication problems. After modifications, 161 items remained, which were tested in a content validity study with 25 people with different communication problems and five professionals (in the field of speech and language therapy and speech and language research). The professionals considered 91.9% of the item bank relevant and comprehensible, and comprehensive by adding two items. The item bank was then considered relevant, comprehensible and comprehensive by the group of adults with communication problems. A total of 133 items remained in the item bank, related to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Activities and Participation domains ‘mobility’, ‘self‐care’, ‘domestic life’, ‘interpersonal interactions and relationships’, ‘major life areas’ and ‘community, social and civic life’.MyCommunication—Adults is an item bank for measuring communicative participation in adults with communication difficulties. The next step is to test the psychometric properties of the item bank, in order to establish a final item bank. The refined description of the construct of communicative participation can already be used for participation‐focused goal‐setting between individuals with communication problems and speech and language therapists. The CPIB was developed to measure communicative participation in community‐dwelling adults with communication problems. The item bank does not cover all domains and concepts of communicative participation, contains general communication items and not all questions seem to be relevant for specific target groups (e.g., hearing population). This study presents a refined description of the construct of communicative participation and the development of a new comprehensive PROM aimed at measuring this construct for all adults with communication difficulties. The development of the PROM is based on a previously conducted literature review and concept elicitation study. This study describes the development process of this new PROM, called MyCommunication‐Adults, and the assessment of its content validity. The refined description of the construct of communicative participation can be used for participation‐focused goal‐setting between individuals with communication problems and speech and language therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Expected results WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Although psychological factors have been implicated in patients with functional dysphonia (FD), conventional voice therapy (CVT) typically targets the aberrant voice symptoms exclusively. Yet, CVT is not always successful, and in view of the significant adverse quality of life impact combined with the financial burden on the healthcare system and society, research is needed to elucidate the underlying psychophysiology of FD and improve treatment outcomes.The first objective of this research project is to compare the occurrence and frequency of symptoms and/or disorders related to autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in patients with FD with gender‐ and age‐matched vocally healthy controls, using a case‐control study. The second objective is to compare the effects of a novel therapy for FD based on ANS regulation (i.e., ANS therapy: heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback) on both autonomic function and voice function versus CVT alone or in combination with ANS therapy (i.e., ANS therapy + CVT), using a randomized controlled trial (RCT).Case‐control study: Autonomic (dys)function of patients with FD will be compared with gender‐ and age‐matched vocally healthy controls, using both physiological measures (e.g., HRV, skin conductance level) and psychological patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs, e.g., Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale). RCT: The FD group will be randomly assigned to the innovative ANS therapy group, the CVT group or the ANS therapy + CVT group. All patients received 1 month of treatment with 20 min of daily practice. Both the autonomic assessment and the voice assessment will be performed pretherapy and immediately after therapy by assessors blinded to group allocation and study phase.Higher occurrences of symptoms and/or disorders related to autonomic dysfunction are expected in patients with FD compared with vocally healthy controls. Physiological outcomes: lower HRV, lower cardiac pre‐ejection period, higher respiration rate and higher skin conductance level are hypothesized in patients with FD compared with vocally healthy controls. Psychological PROMs: higher self‐report of feelings/symptoms related to autonomic dysfunction (e.g., perceived stress, anxiety) is expected in patients with FD compared with vocally healthy controls. The autonomic function is hypothesized to improve more after the ANS therapy and the ANS therapy + CVT compared with the CVT only. Voice function is expected to improve more after the ANS therapy + CVT compared with the ANS therapy and the CVT alone. Autonomic dysfunction is well recognized in the field of psychology but remains understudied in the area of voice. Given that the vagus nerve, innervating the larynx, also helps to regulate the ANS, and psychological symptoms commonly observed in patients with FD may reflect ANS dysregulation, research in this area is needed. There is some preliminary evidence that autonomic dysfunction might indeed be associated with FD. However, physiological ANS measures are needed, as well as validated psychological PROMs. The first objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence and frequency of symptoms and/or disorders related to autonomic dysfunction in patients with FD as compared with a gender‐ and age‐matched vocally healthy control group. Autonomic (dys)function will be determined by employing both physiological measures (e.g., HRV, skin conductance level) and psychological PROMs (e.g., Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale). The second objective is to compare the effects of a novel therapy for FD based on ANS regulation (HRV biofeedback) versus CVT alone or in combination with ANS therapy. Success rates of symptomatic CVT for FD are highly variable. This study is expected to lead to innovative results related to the pathogenesis and psychophysiology of FD, a prevalent voice disorder associated with a significant adverse quality of life impact and a substantial financial burden on the healthcare system and society. The results of this study will lead to crucial new insights into both the diagnosis and treatment of FD, contributing to evidence‐based practice in the field of voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Method Main Contribution Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Speech sound disorders (SSDs) in children are heterogeneous. Differentiating children with SSDs into distinct subtypes is important so that each child receives a treatment approach well suited to the particular difficulties they are experiencing.To study the distinct underlying processes that differentiate phonological processing, phonological planning or motor planning deficits.The literature on the nature of SSDs is reviewed to reveal diagnostic signs at the level of distal causes, proximal factors and surface characteristics.Subtypes of SSDs may be identified by linking the surface characteristics of the children's speech to underlying explanatory proximal factors. The proximal factors may be revealed by measures of speech perception skills, phonological memory and speech–motor control. The evidence suggests that consistent phonological disorder (CPD) can be identified by predictable patterns of speech error associated with speech perception errors. Inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD) is associated with a deficit in the selection and sequencing of phonemes, that is, revealed as within‐word inconsistency and poor phonological memory. The motor planning deficit that is specific to childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is revealed by transcoding errors on the syllable repetition task and an inability to produce [pətəkə] accurately and rapidly.Children with SSDs form a heterogeneous population. Surface characteristics overlap considerably among those with severe disorders, but certain signs are unique to particular subtypes. Careful attention to underlying causal factors will support the accurate diagnosis and selection of personalized treatment options. SSD in children are heterogenous, with numerous subtypes of primary SSD proposed. Diagnosing the specific subtype of SSD is important in order to assign the most efficacious treatment approach for each child. Identifying the distinct subtype for each child is difficult because the surface characteristics of certain subtypes overlap among categories (e.g., CPD or IPD; CAS).SSD in children are heterogenous, with numerous subtypes of primary SSD proposed. Diagnosing the specific subtype of SSD is important in order to assign the most efficacious treatment approach for each child. Identifying the distinct subtype for each child is difficult because the surface characteristics of certain subtypes overlap among categories (e.g., CPD or IPD; CAS). The diagnostic challenge might be eased by systematic attention to explanatory factors in relation to the surface characteristics, using specific tests for this purpose. Word identification tasks tap speech perception skills; repetition of short versus long strings of nonsense syllables permits observation of phonological memory and phonological planning skills; and standard maximum performance tests provide considerable information about speech motor control.The diagnostic challenge might be eased by systematic attention to explanatory factors in relation to the surface characteristics, using specific tests for this purpose. Word identification tasks tap speech perception skills; repetition of short versus long strings of nonsense syllables permits observation of phonological memory and phonological planning skills; and standard maximum performance tests provide considerable information about speech motor control. Children with SSDs should receive comprehensive assessments of their phonological processing, phonological planning and motor planning skills frequently, alongside examinations of their error patterns in connected speech. Such assessments will serve to identify the child's primary challenges currently and as they change over developmental time.Children with SSDs should receive comprehensive assessments of their phonological processing, phonological planning and motor planning skills frequently, alongside examinations of their error patterns in connected speech. Such assessments will serve to identify the child's primary challenges currently and as they change over developmental time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods Results Conclusions What this paper adds What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this study? Phonological difficulties are prevalent in children with speech and/or language disorders and may hamper their later language outcomes and academic achievements. These children often form a significant proportion of speech and language therapists’ caseloads. There is a shortage of information on evidence‐based interventions for improving phonological skills in children and adolescents with speech and language disorder.The aim of this systematic literature review and meta‐analysis was to systematically examine the effects of different intervention approaches on speech production accuracy and phonological representation skills in children with speech and language disorders.A preregistered systematic review (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews ID: CRD42017076075) adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines was completed. Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS and Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts) were searched for studies related to oral language interventions with children with developmental speech and/or language disorder (mean age ranging from 3–18 years) published between January 2006 and August 2022. The included articles reported intervention studies with a group design in which speech production accuracy was the outcome measure. Studies were appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and individual effect sizes were calculated using standardised means differences when enough data was available. A meta‐analysis was conducted obtaining the average standardised mean difference d. Heterogeneity, influence of possible moderator variables and publication bias were explored.The 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria presented low‐medium risk of bias. Nine effect sizes were obtained from seven of these studies that presented a pre‐post‐test with a control group design. Medium‐high average effect sizes were found in phonological accuracy. Heterogeneity was found between individual effect sizes. Significant moderator variables and publication bias were not detected.The results of this meta‐analysis indicate positive effects on speech production accuracy. Based on this review, further improvements in the quality of reporting for intervention research are required in developing the evidence base for practice. An increasing number of interventions is available for children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorders. Previous reviews suggest relatively low levels of evidence of interventions having phonology as an outcome measure. This review and meta‐analysis summarise the intervention evidence from a substantial body of group design studies, indicating positive results from a range of interventions with phonological outcomes. It highlights the need to systematically implement and replicate different intervention procedures to understand factors that will maximise positive outcomes and to grow the evidence base for best practice. Tentative evidence is emerging for the effectiveness of various approaches in enhancing speech production accuracy skills of children and adolescents with developmental speech and/or language disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Methods and Procedures Outcomes and Results Conclusions and Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? This longitudinal study investigated the language skills, phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception of Mandarin‐speaking late‐talkers (LTs) and those with typical language development (TLD) at 27 months, while also examining their connections with novel word‐referent mapping (W‐R mapping) through eye‐tracking at 33 months.Participants included 22 Mandarin‐speaking 27‐month‐old LTs and 22 toddlers with TLD. Data on expressive and receptive language abilities, as well as phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception, were collected when participants were 27 months old. An eye‐tracking paradigm was further employed during the word‐learning tasks, which included W‐R mapping and word‐identification test (W‐I test) phases at 33 months. Multilevel models were used to analyse participants’ gaze pattern trajectories.At 27 months, LT toddlers exhibited poorer language skills (receptive: p = 0.015, expressive: p < 0.001), lexical‐tone perception (p < 0.001) and phonological working memory (p < 0.001) compared to those with TLD, even after considering maternal educational level and participants’ fine motor ability. During the W‐I test phase, we observed that LT toddlers showed a slower increase in fixations on the novel target image while listening to the corresponding novel word over time, compared to TLD toddlers (linear: p = 0.011, quadratic: p = 0.007) after adding confounders. Further, expressive language ability at 27 months old was a predictor of their newly established W‐R mappings at 33 months old (p = 0.016). Additionally, the toddler's phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception were associated with their expressive language ability (p = 0.001 and < 0.001).These findings indicate that the novel W‐R mapping is not as robust in LTs as in TLDs, and the skills necessary for word learning share similarities with a wide range of expressive language abilities. Moreover, poor expressive language abilities were associated with deficits in lexical processing abilities; that is, phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception. These findings suggest the need for interventions aimed at improving LTs’ lexical processing abilities to strengthen their lagging word‐learning skills at toddlerhood. Late‐talkers (LTs) exhibit delays in expressive vocabulary development. Furthermore, they also perform poorly in word learning. The eye‐tracking paradigm was employed and found that novel word‐referent mapping (W‐R mapping) is not as robust in LTs as in those with typical language development. Toddlers’ early expressive language ability could predict their ability to establish novel W‐R mappings. Furthermore, the better the phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception of LTs are, the better their early expressive language ability is. Interventions might consider incorporating strategies to improve phonological working memory and lexical‐tone perception to help Mandarin‐speaking LTs enhance linguistic capacities and build robust novel W‐R mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Method Main Contribution Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? Accessibility of data visualization has been explored for users with visual disabilities but the needs of users with language disabilities have seldom been considered.This scoping review synthesised what is known about data visualization for adults with language disabilities, specifically the acquired language disability, aphasia and Developmental Language Disorder. It sought to extract key findings and identify what practices support effective visualization for decision making for people with language disabilities.Papers were included if they investigated visualization of data, and the consumers of the data visualization were people with aphasia or developmental language disability. Seven databases were searched: CINAHL, Academic Search, Medline, PsychINFO, Ovid, ACM Digital Library and IEEE Xplore. Included studies were charted to extract title, author(s), year, country, paper type, scientific field, participant number(s), participant group(s), main topic, subtopic, method, task description, task category, data visualization, summary, key findings relevant to the review question, and guidelines or recommendations. Narrative synthesis was used to describe how people with language disability have interacted with data visualization from a range of literature.Six studies (seven publications) were included in the review. One study came from the field of health, one from a disability rights collaboration and four studies from computer science. No studies satisfying the review criteria explored data visualization for Developmental Language Disorder; however, five studies explored participants with cognitive disabilities that included impairments of language, so these were included. A range of visualization designs were found. Studies predominantly explored understanding of visualization (4/6). One study explored how to express data visually, and one explored the use of the visualization that is, for an action, choice, or decision. Cognitively accessible data visualization practices were described in four papers and synthesized. Supportive practices reported were reducing the cognitive load associated with processing a visualization and increasing personal relevance of data visualization.Accessible data visualization for adults with aphasia and Developmental Language Disorder has only minimally been explored. Practices to specifically support users with language disability are not yet apparent. As data use in making everyday decisions is widespread, future research should explore how people with language disabilities make use of data visualization. Visual resources are used widely to support people with language disabilities in understanding of language. That is, icons, maps timelines and so forth, are used to support auditory processing. However, data visualization is used routinely by people without a language disability to support everyday decisions for example, visualization of live traffic data is used to provide users with the best route to their destination. It is unclear whether any work has explored data visualization for people with language disabilities.  This paper brings together research on the use of data visualization by adults with either Developmental Language Disorder or aphasia, collectively people with language disabilities. It highlights a gap in the design of inclusive data visualization for language disabilities and the minimal research exploring the use of data visualization for decision making in these populations. Access to data can be empowering. It has potential to enable agency in decisions and increase social participation. The existing gap in knowledge about how to design inclusive data visualization for people with language disabilities thus poses a risk of exclusion and threats to informed decision making. Highlighting the current field of literature may drive research and clinical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Method Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? This study was designed based on the need to verify the effectiveness of education in the vocology area concerning refining perceptual auditory skills. The purpose of the project described in this paper was to examine the effect of knowledge and skills training during a 2‐week voice disorders graduate course on auditory‐perceptual skills of pre‐professional speech‐language pathologists. The training effect was evaluated by comparing pre‐ and post‐course results of ratings of voice quality using auditory‐perceptual measures.A cohort of 24 graduate students in speech‐language pathology participated in this study. Each student rated a total of 24 voice samples of typical and disordered voice quality from a database using Consensus Auditory‐Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE‐V). The same voice samples were rated before and after the training, in randomised order. The speakers ranged in age from 35 to 80 years; 16 identified as females and 8 as males. A total of 16 samples were associated with various degrees of dysphonia of organic and functional aetiologies; the remaining 8 voice samples included in the study were classified as normal. The training involved different components including knowledge and auditory‐perceptual skills as part of a voice class offered as an intensive 2‐week course with daily blocks of 4 h sessions. Exploratory comparisons of results to objective outcomes were conducted through comparisons with computer‐generated indicators of the Cepstral Spectral Index of Dysphonia (CSID), a component of the Analysis of Dysphonia in Speech and Voice (ADSV) software from Pentax for capturing the CSID.There was a significant increase in ratings of roughness, breathiness, loudness, pitch and overall severity after the course. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the intra‐ and interrater reliability post training. Statistically significant positive indications were found in correlations between mean perceptual ratings and the acoustic measure of CSID. Reliability of data was measured by using Pearson's correlations. Intrarater reliability resulted in values of ≥0.90 in all parameters. Similar findings were demonstrated by intraclass coefficients used to estimate interrater consistency: all values were >0.90 but in the Loudness parameter [r (22) = 0.60].Effectiveness of the training in improving the auditory perceptual skills of students was based on the increased reliability of ratings. Indications of successful implementation and outcomes on auditory‐perpetual training procedures in classroom environments will support the development of effective educational methods, which will in turn lead to increased efficacy of service delivery in voice disorders. The effects of training on perceptual assessment performance have been indicated in the literature. Past evidence has demonstrated that various types of training produce a significant impact on auditory perceptual skills. Although dedicated research has been advancing over the past decade, further aspects of auditory‐perceptual reliable assessment include queries about specific training approaches, optimal duration, and interval time for recalibration. While past research suggests that increased exposure in identifying voice characteristics impacts assessment skills, there are limited published data on the relationship of knowledge and skill in association with teaching and learning environments, particularly at the pre‐professional stage. Practical data from actual classroom application constitute an ideal scenario for inspecting effectiveness of graduate training in voice disorders involving acquiring knowledge and applied skills, including auditory‐perceptual voice evaluation. This study is an attempt to expand on previous literature, particularly by examining effects of auditory‐perceptual skills training in graduate students following teaching and learning in a systematic 2‐week voice disorders course. Outcomes indicative of successful training procedures in a classroom environment will support the development of effective educational methods to increase efficacy of service delivery in voice disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods Main Contribution Conclusions WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? Communication impairments are a leading concern for parent caregivers of individuals with rare neurodevelopmental disorders (RNDDs). Clinical trials of disease modifying therapies require valid and responsive outcome measures that are relevant to individuals with RNDDs. Identifying and evaluating current psychometric properties for communication measures is a critical step towards the selection and use of appropriate instruments.This systematic review offers (1) a description of parent‐reported communication measures and (2) evidence for their psychometric properties, in RNDDs.The systematic review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42022334649). MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry were searched from inception to August 2023. Methodological assessment of quality was completed using the COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. Parent‐reported measures used in observational studies and clinical trials were identified. Data on utility, reliability and validity for RNDDs were extracted.Sixteen parent‐reported communication measures were used in RNDD research, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales being most commonly used. Validation data in RNDDs were identified for six of these measures. Limitations related to sample size or the scope of psychometric testing.Many communication measures have been used for RNDDs but there are few data validating their use. Valid and reliable methods of measuring communication in persons with RNDDs is a priority for future high‐quality clinical trials. Communication is a critical domain for families with a child with a rare neurodevelopmental disorder (RNDD). Validated outcome measures are essential for accurate evaluation and interpretation of responses to treatments in clinical trials. We identified 16 parent‐reported communication measures that have been used with RNDDs, but only six measures had validation data for at least one RNDD. High quality evidence is accumulating, with all validation studies in this review published between 2020 to 2023. Modifications of existing measures may be required to assess communication for RNDDs. This systematic review catalogues the available psychometric data for communication measures and indicates an ongoing need for new validation studies to ensure they are fit‐for‐purpose for upcoming clinical trials in RNDDs. This review will inform the selection of communication measures for clinical trials and research studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods and Procedures Outcomes and Results Conclusions and Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? For over 30 years, parental reports have been used to study the vocabulary of children under 4 years of age. Research exploring parental checklists as a measure of vocabulary in older children is very limited. Typically, authors of parental checklists report the reliability of the developed tools but do not explore validity in terms of the agreement between parental assessments and the children's actual word knowledge.We aimed to explore the reliability and validity of a parental checklist for assessing vocabulary in children aged between 3 and 6 years. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the agreement between indirect (parental checklist) and direct (picture naming and picture recognition tasks) assessments of children's vocabulary.A group of 94 typically developing monolingual Polish‐speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years were first directly tested onsite with picture naming and picture recognition tasks (Cross‐Linguistic Lexical Tasks). Subsequently, the participants’ parents completed an online checklist containing the same set of 128 items and marked all the words that they had ever heard in their child's spontaneous speech.The parental checklist demonstrated very high internal consistency. The scores of the parental checklist and vocabulary tasks were moderately correlated. We compared the total number of words marked by parents and the number of items correctly identified by children in the picture naming and picture recognition tasks. In picture naming, we found no difference between the children's scores and the number of words selected by parents. However, parents selected significantly fewer words than children correctly recognised in the picture recognition task. When data were analysed at the level of individual items (i.e., whether parents selected exactly the same items that children answered correctly), we found that the level of agreement was low. The level of agreement correlated negatively with the children's vocabulary; that is, the more words a child knew, the lower the agreement between the direct measure and the parental checklist.Parental checklists should be used with caution in children aged between 3 and 6 years, especially if the assessed children have a large vocabulary and if item analysis is planned. Such checklists may be of more use in younger children or in children with limited vocabulary. Parental checklists are commonly used to assess the vocabulary of children younger than 4 years of age. Previous research has indicated that parental checklists are reliable in terms of internal consistency and valid in terms of predictive and convergent validity. This study introduces a parental checklist designed for assessing the vocabulary of monolingual Polish‐speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years. Statistical analyses reveal that while the parental checklist exhibits high reliability, and the scores on the checklist correlate with direct measures of vocabulary, the agreement between parental reports and direct vocabulary measures (i.e., validity) is notably low, particularly when examining individual test items. These findings underscore the importance of exercising caution when using parental vocabulary checklists with children aged between 3 and 6 years. These checklists can serve as a replacement for direct vocabulary tests only when the general/overall score is needed. However, when specific words are the subject of interest, parental reports may not be a valid measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this study adds What are the clinical implications of this work? The conceptualisation of autism as a disorder where Theory of Mind (ToM) and pragmatics are fundamentally impaired has prompted a wealth of research on autistic deficits, most of which is characterised by two main assumptions: first, that autistic people would display said deficits, if present, with any conversation partner and in any situation; second, that neurotypical people do not present these deficits, regardless of the conversation partner. However, this is not necessarily reflected in autistic accounts of the way they experience social cognition and pragmatics.The present paper aims to investigate the autistic experience of communication with both autistic and neurotypical people, with a particular focus on their perception of the ability of autistic and neurotypical people to understand their communicative intentions.Participants, 23 adult Italian autistic people without intellectual disability or language disorders, were recruited online. Two virtual focus groups of 2 hours each were conducted, transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis with a descriptive phenomenological approach by two independent researchers.Six themes were developed from the analysis, the most relevant being Autistic–Autistic communication and Autistic ToM. The results, in line with the Double Empathy theory, suggest there seem to be important differences between neurotypical and autistic people's ToM. These appear to make it easier for autistic people to communicate with one another, as well as to create difficulties for neurotypical people to understand autistic people, not just the other way around.These results seem to confirm that challenges in cross‐neurotype communication are better interpreted as mutual miscomprehension and reciprocal differences in ToM rather than deficits on the autistic part. This calls for a reframing of ToM and/or the need for autistic ToM as a construct, of which neurotypical people seem to be lacking. Moreover, these insights should be taken into account for speech and language therapy and clinical practice in general, advocating for a neurodiversity‐informed view of co‐constructed communication as well as for a broader societal change in which therapists can play a crucial role, through participatory approaches or raising awareness in their daily practice. Autism is conceived as characterised by social cognition and communication difficulties, often linked to Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits. However, recent research suggested variations in ToM abilities within the autistic population and proposed alternative theories like the Double Empathy theory. Nevertheless, only a few studies examined how autistic individuals perceive communication across neurotypes. Autistic individuals seem to find it easier to communicate with other autistic people, and they identify specific characteristics of neurotypical communication that hinder successful communication. Moreover, neurotypical people are perceived as having difficulties in autistic ToM, which seems to emerge as a relevant and needed construct in light of the Double Empathy problem. These findings can inform speech and language therapy and clinical practice about the potential gains of raising awareness on the Double Empathy problem and the higher communication ease inside the autistic community, alongside individualised support. Participatory approaches and closer collaboration with the autistic community also seem to be crucial for therapists to help improve communication experiences for autistic individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods and Procedure Outcomes and Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the clinical implications of this work? Perceptual and speech production abilities of children with cochlear implants (CIs) are usually tested by word and sentence repetition or naming tests. However, these tests are quite far apart from daily life linguistic contexts.Here, we describe a way of investigating the link between language comprehension and anticipatory verbal behaviour promoting the use of more complex listening situations.The setup consists in watching the audio‐visual dialogue of two actors. Children's gaze switches from one speaker to the other serve as a proxy of their prediction abilities. Moreover, to better understand the basis and the impact of anticipatory behaviour, we also measured children's ability to understand the dialogue content, their speech perception and memory skills as well as their rhythmic skills, that also require temporal predictions. Importantly, we compared children with CI performances with those of an age‐matched group of children with normal hearing (NH).While children with CI revealed poorer speech perception and verbal working memory abilities than NH children, there was no difference in gaze anticipatory behaviour. Interestingly, in children with CI only, we found a significant correlation between dialogue comprehension, perceptual skills and gaze anticipatory behaviour.Our results extend to a dialogue context of previous findings showing an absence of predictive deficits in children with CI. The current design seems an interesting avenue to provide an accurate and objective estimate of anticipatory language behaviour in a more ecological linguistic context also with young children. Children with cochlear implants seem to have difficulties extracting structure from and learning sequential input patterns, possibly due to signal degradation and auditory deprivation in the first years of life. They also seem to have a reduced use of contextual information and slow language processing among children with hearing loss. Here we show that when adopting a rather complex linguistic context such as watching a dialogue of two individuals, children with cochlear implants are able to use the speech and language structure to anticipate gaze switches to the upcoming speaker. The present design seems an interesting avenue to provide an accurate and objective estimate of anticipatory behaviour in a more ecological and dynamic linguistic context. Importantly, this measure is implicit and it has been previously used with very young (normal‐hearing) children, showing that they spontaneously make anticipatory gaze switches by age two. Thus, this approach may be of interest to refine the speech comprehension assessment at a rather early age after cochlear implantation where explicit behavioural tests are not always reliable and sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Parental input plays a central role in typical language acquisition and development. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by social communicative and language difficulties, parental input presents an important avenue for investigation as a target for intervention. A rich body of literature has identified which aspects of grammatical complexity and lexical diversity are most associated with child language ability in both typical development and autism. Yet, the majority of these studies are conducted with English‐speaking children, thus potentially overlooking nuances in parental input derived from cross‐linguistic variation.To examine the differences in verbal parental input to Bulgarian‐ and English‐speaking children with ASD. To examine whether aspects of verbal parental input found to be concurrent predictors of English‐speaking children's expressive language ability are also predictors of the expressive language of Bulgarian‐speaking children with ASD.We compared parental input to Bulgarian‐speaking (N = 37; 2;7–9;10 years) and English‐speaking (N = 37; 1;8–4;9 years) children with ASD matched on expressive language. Parent–child interactions were collected during free play with developmentally appropriate toys. These interactions were transcribed, and key measures of parental input were extracted.English‐speaking parents produced more word tokens and word types than Bulgarian‐speaking parents. However, Bulgarian parents produced more verbs in relation to nouns and used more statements and exclamations but asked fewer questions than English‐speaking parents. In addition, child age and parents’ use of questions were significant concurrent predictors of child expressive vocabulary.This is one of the first studies to conduct a cross‐linguistic comparison of parental input in ASD. The differences found emphasize the need to further study parental input to Bulgarian children and adapt naturalistic parent‐mediated interventions to the local language and its specific characteristics. A rich body of literature has identified the specific aspects of grammatical complexity, lexical diversity, and question‐asking that are concurrently and longitudinally associated with the language ability of children with typical development and of children with ASD. Yet, the majority of these studies are conducted with English‐speaking children. The present study finds that there are specific differences in verbal parental input to Bulgarian‐ and English‐speaking children with autism in terms of lexical composition and question‐asking. Bulgarian parents used more verbs than nouns, and the opposite pattern was found for English‐speaking parents. In addition, Bulgarian parents asked fewer questions but used more statements and exclamations. Nevertheless, parental question use was significantly correlated with children's language ability across both groups, suggesting that question‐asking should be further examined as a potential target for parent‐mediated language interventions for Bulgarian children with autism. Most language and social communication interventions for autism are designed and piloted with English‐speaking children. These interventions are often simply translated and used in different countries, with different populations and in different contexts. However, considering that one of the defining characteristics of autism is language difficulty, more studies should examine (1) how these language difficulties manifest in languages other than English, and (2) what characterizes verbal parental input in these other contexts. Such research investigations should inform future language and social communication interventions. The present study emphasizes the cross‐linguistic differences between Bulgarian‐ and English‐speaking parents’ verbal input to their children with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Main Contribution Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Few formal instruments exist to assess the communicative competence of patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). This can limit interventions by health professionals.To map the categories and instruments for assessing the communicative competence of adult patients with minimal response in ICUs.A scoping review was carried out following the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol between February and March 2022 and using the MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Scielo, Business Source Complete (via EBSCOhost), Academic Search Complete (via EBSCOhost) and Web of Science databases, in Portuguese, English and Spanish.Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The different communication and pain assessment protocols covered awareness, cognition, sensory capacity, motor capacity, language, speech and literacy.The present review offers a starting point for the construction of a formal assessment instrument to enable clinicians to implement an augmentative or alternative communication system (AACS) for the voluntary, independent and active participation of patients. Patients in ICUs are subject to various forms of treatment and continuous and intensive monitoring, compromising their capacity to communicate and actively participate (e.g., sharing symptoms and making decisions). Although there is some awareness of their disadvantage in such a regard, few protocols of assessment of communicative competence have been adapted to patients with a minimum response. The present review highlights different protocols for the assessment of communication and pain. They include the following categories: awareness, sensory capacity, auditory and visual acuity, positioning and motor capacity, language, speech, and literacy. The review offers a starting point for the construction of a formal assessment instrument encompassing the aforementioned categories, along with duly validated guidelines for its application. Our formal assessment instrument takes into account the need to adapt to different patient profiles. It is hoped that it will provide speech therapists and other health professionals with the information required to implement an AACS in which patients participate actively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Main Contribution Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this study adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Based on stakeholder conversations, speech and language therapists have anecdotally observed cases of dysphagia with suspected laryngeal hypersensitivity. These presentations have been coined as ‘muscle tension dysphagia’ often with concurrent laryngeal sensitivity symptoms. However, the role of laryngeal hypersensitivity in dysphagia is not fully understood. Knowledge user engagement highlights a lack of clarity around diagnosis and investigative approaches, limited clinical guidance and inconsistent practice, which leads to inequity in service delivery and care.To identify and present the published literature regarding the definitions and clinical identification tools used during the management of laryngeal hypersensitivity related dysphagia.A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and EQUATOR PRISMA‐ScR guidance. Patient and stakeholder engagement was embedded at each review stage. The protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/CUXYN. A multidatabase search strategy identified literature published between 2012 and 2022. A narrative description was used to report the study findings.The search identified 2590 citations. The full paper screening was completed on 88 studies, with 17 studies included in data extraction. There was a wide range of terminology and assessment approaches which varied across different clinical settings. The most cited term was ‘muscle tension dysphagia’. The most common assessments tools were videofluoroscopy, fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and videostroboscopy, predominantly used in speech and language therapy and/or Ear, Nose and Throat settings. Gastroesophageal and respiratory investigations were less frequently cited.This review details the current evidence related to the terminology and assessment tools cited in laryngeal hypersensitivity related dysphagia to improve clinician knowledge and understanding. Patient and stakeholder involvement indicated that future research needs to: optimize consensus of terminology, and improve consistent identification methods, service provision and treatment approaches.This review highlights the lack of consistent terminology across the literature. A wide range of assessment tools report nonspecific positive clinical features and a lack of significant instrumental assessment findings. Patients and stakeholders identify the research priorities should improve clinician awareness, knowledge, guidance and evidence to support patient care. Swallowing difficulties can occur in adults for a number of different reasons, such as neurological, respiratory or physiological conditions. Swallowing difficulties with no evidence of biomechanical or structural impairment on instrumental assessment and of unknown cause (termed idiopathic functional dysphagia or medically unexplained dysphagia) is a poorly understood phenomenon. More recently, concurrent oropharyngeal dysphagia and laryngeal hypersensitivity and/or muscle tension have been posited as a potential underlying mechanism. This scoping review contributes to our expanding knowledge of the role of laryngeal hypersensitivity in dysphagia by providing an overview of the current evidence related to the terminology and assessment tools reported in the literature. Embedded patient and stakeholder involvement further deepens real‐world insights into the increased referrals for these individuals with increasing uncertainty in how to best assess, manage and support patients. Patients equally have reported that reduced professional awareness and inequalities in service delivery pathways result in poor patient experience and quality of life, and healthcare economic burden. This scoping review draws our attention to an area of practice which has received little attention in both clinical practice and academic research. First, the study raises awareness of this population and the impact for services, speech and language therapists and clinicians; and second, highlights evidence–practice gaps with seldom consistency in the use of terminology and assessment approaches. The study provides priority research themes to expand our knowledge and understanding, as guided by the literature and patient and stakeholder input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintenance of speech outcomes following speech‐language therapy (SLT) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is an unmet expectation of people with PD (PWPD) and poorly defined in SLT practice. PD Check‐In, a model for supported self‐managed maintenance of speech following Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) LOUD was investigated. Aims: To investigate the impact of the semi‐structured component of PD Check‐In on the adoption of self‐management concepts and behaviours and the identification of facilitators, barriers and strategies for speech maintenance by PWPD over 24 months post‐treatment. Methods and procedure: Following LSVT LOUD, 16 PWPD participated in individual PD Check‐In semi‐structured discussions with a SLT at 6 and 12 weeks, and 6, 12 and 24 months post treatment. A two‐stage qualitative content analysis was applied: directed content analysis using categories from the theoretical framework of PD Check‐In followed by inductive content analysis to identify subcategories. Outcomes and results: Statements from PWPD indicated adoption of seven concepts of self‐management across participants and across time. Six concepts from the theoretical framework of PD Check‐In (partnerships, self‐reflection, maintenance barriers and facilitators, revision of LSVT LOUD skill, goal setting and maintenance strategies), and one new category, participation, emerged from the analysis. Self‐reflection, maintenance facilitators and barriers and participation were most prevalent in discussions. PWPD identified facilitators, barriers and strategies for maintenance across time points. Conclusions and implications: Statements from PWPD indicated a positive impact of SLT‐supported self‐management of speech using self‐tailored strategies for sustainable maintenance according to their individual circumstances and needs. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: People with Parkinson's disease (PWPD) have expressed their need for speech‐language therapy (SLT) services that are accessible for the duration of the condition and responsive to their expectation of maintaining speech following treatment. Outcomes for maintenance of the treatment effect following Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) LOUD are variable. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study presents the outcomes of five PD Check‐In interventions delivered in semi‐structured discussions between PWPD and a SLT over 24 months following LSVT LOUD for the development of self‐management skills and behaviours. PWPD adopted self‐management positively using self‐tailored strategies for sustainable maintenance according to their individual circumstances and needs. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: PWPD responded positively to the individual development of self‐management skills and behaviours over time. Individuality and flexible responsivity are features of PD Check‐In which resonate with PWPD and speak to SLT supported self‐managed maintenance of speech as a long‐term model for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early language delay is exacerbated by social disadvantage. Factors such as parents' low levels of literacy, confidence and self‐perception can affect the capacity to act on advice received, critical to empowerment. Methods used to achieve successful health outcomes in socially disadvantaged clinical populations may need enhancing. Aims: To compare the impact of standard parent‐based intervention (PBI) to enhanced PBI for young children with speech, language and communication needs (SCLN) and their families living in more socially disadvantaged populations. Methods and Procedures: A multicentre clustered blind randomised controlled trial was used to compare the effect of parent‐based group interventions to improve early language development with children (mean age 27.5 months) from more socially disadvantaged populations with an expressive vocabulary of 40 or less single words. Intervention sessions were delivered by a speech and language therapist, over a 20‐week period. Participants received one of two interventions: (1) Standard Care – indirect group PBI – (PBI) (2) Enhanced Care: indirect group enhanced PBI – (EPBI). Both standardised and non‐standardised measures were used as outcomes. Parent engagement in the intervention was captured through analysis of attendance and the Parent Activation Measure – Speech & Language Therapy (PAM‐SLT) (Insignia Health, 2014). The PAM measures a person's knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their own health and well‐being (NHS England, 2018). In this study, activation referred to parents' knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their child's language development. Outcomes and Results: One hundred fifty‐five participants were randomised at baseline. Children in both groups made significant improvements in the outcome on MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Development Inventories Sentence Length, from pre‐intervention to post‐intervention and 6 months post‐intervention (p < 0.05). Changes in vocabulary and expressive language skills were more equivocal, showing wide variation in confidence intervals for both groups. Where parents attended at least one intervention session almost all effect sizes were in favour of the EPBI intervention. Parents' activation levels significantly increased for both groups (EPBI p < 0.001, PBI p = 0.003), with a moderate effect size in favour of EPBI (Hedges' G 0.37, confidence interval –0.02 to 0.76), although wide variation was found. Conclusions and Implications: This trial provides some evidence of facilitating the language development of children with SLCN from more socially disadvantaged areas through supporting caregivers. However, we found variation in outcomes; some children made excellent progress, whilst others did not. Further exploration of parent engagement and its relationship to child language outcomes will be valuable to understanding more about mechanisms of change in interventions that involve parents. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have a knock‐on effect on emotional well‐being, school readiness, literacy and school attainment, putting children at increased risk of long‐term consequences such as poor literacy, mental health problems and unemployment. In disadvantaged areas, the prevalence of language difficulties is higher than elsewhere. Factors such as parents' low levels of literacy, confidence and self‐perception can affect the capacity to act on advice received, critical to empowerment. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Children with SLCN from more socially disadvantaged areas can make improvements in their language development through parent intervention, although wide individual variation was found. There was some evidence that children achieve better outcomes with EPBI, which employed an interagency collaborative approach. Parent's engagement (activation levels) increased significantly over time with intervention, with the increase twice as big for EPBI. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: This trial provides some evidence that it is possible to facilitate the language development of children from more socially disadvantaged areas through supporting their caregivers. Further research would be useful to determine whether increases in parent engagement are related to adherence to intervention and change in child outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sociometric studies and adult reports have established that children with Language Disorder (LD) are at risk of peer relationship difficulties. However, we have limited knowledge of how children with LD understand friendship, whom they deem as a good or bad friend, and what role their friendship concepts play in their relationships with peers. This exploratory study aimed to conduct a qualitative investigation into the friendship concepts that children with LD hold and to explore their strategies for making friends. Methods: We conducted multiple, art‐informed interviews on the topic of friendship with 14 children with LD at the age of 6–8 years. Participating children were based in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. They attended enhanced provision, specific speech and language classes and mainstream classrooms. We used framework analysis to map children's responses to Selman's (1979) developmental model of interpersonal understanding, which espouses a theory of children's social development within the context of peer relationships. Results: The understanding of friendship formation in children with LD varied from physical presence to mutual support and sharing. Children's ideas about a good/bad friend represented the lowest developmental stage. Participants from the mainstream classroom demonstrated the highest stages of interpersonal understanding. Children with LD did not mention their language abilities as a barrier to making friends. Conclusion: There are limited studies exploring friendship directly from children with LD, and this study provides insights into this gap, by utilising art‐informed interviews. Children's immature understanding of a good/bad friend points towards a potential susceptibility to false friends, which we suggest needs further empirical validation. We also found that children with LD did not pay attention to their language difficulties when making friends, which raises questions about the ways diagnoses are shared with children. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Children with Language Disorder (LD) are at risk of peer relationship difficulties. Studies to date are based on sociometrics and adult reports. Only a few studies employ participatory approaches to research with children, directly engaging children with LD when exploring their friendships What this paper adds: This paper directly asks children with LD about their understanding of friendship and strategies for making friends.Physical proximity and play are important to children.s understanding of friendship especially in recognising good and bad friends. This indicates potential reasons for children with LD being susceptible to false friendsAdditionally, children with LD do not perceive language and communication as a barrier to making friends. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Concepts around friendship and good/bad friends should be routinely assessed and targeted (if appropriate) in interventions. The study highlights the need to continue discussing practices around sharing diagnoses with children with LD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy and young onset Alzheimer's disease may experience language and communication difficulties. However, the role of speech and language interventions for people with these non‐language led dementias has received little attention. Aims: This study aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of people living with these conditions, and their families, regarding their language and communication difficulties and how speech and language therapy could address these needs. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design to explore the experiences of people living with or caring for somebody with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy or young onset Alzheimer's disease, and to understand their opinions about speech and language therapy. Participants were recruited from a support service connected to a dementia clinic to attend one of five focus group meetings. Videorecorded focus groups and interviews were transcribed, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data from people affected by each type of dementia. Results: A total of 25 participants were recruited to the study, with representation across the different forms of non‐language led dementias. The four main themes identified were: (1) communication difficulties as a key difficulty, (2) loss and loneliness, (3) speech and language therapy, and (4) the role of the caregiver. Sixteen subthemes were also identified which highlighted individual issues across disease types. Discussion: Although all the forms of dementia studied here are not considered to be language‐led, people with these conditions and/or their care partners identified speech, language and communication as common challenges. These communication difficulties were reported to have a negative impact on their social participation and mental health and participants felt speech and language interventions could help. There is a need for research exploring speech and language interventions developed for and with people with non‐language led dementias and their care partners, to ensure they meet the needs of the people they are designed for. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: People with primary progressive aphasia present with speech, language and communication difficulties, and several speech and language interventions have been developed to meet the needs of this population. However, people with non‐language led dementias may also experience speech, language and communication difficulties, and little is known about interventions that may address these difficulties. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: People living with or caring for somebody with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy and young onset Alzheimer's disease report experiencing speech, language and communication difficulties that impact on the person with dementia's social participation and mood. Participants in this study also shared their opinions about how speech and language interventions could help, from the earliest stages of the disease. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Speech and language therapists need to address the individual speech, language and communication needs of people with dementias, even those that are not thought to be language‐led. Current speech and language therapy service provision does not meet the needs of people with non‐language led dementias and further research is required to develop interventions and services to meet these needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Evidence shows that 20%–30% of patients who aspirate do so silently. Research to date has not demonstrated clear evidence to indicate which patients are at higher risk of silent aspiration. Our aim was to use univariate logistic regression analysis of retrospective case review to determine potential patterns of silent aspiration. Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 455 fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) reports. The patients were divided into four groups: G1 – neurological diseases (n = 93), G2 – head and neck surgery (n = 200), G3 – gastroenterological diseases (n = 94) and G4 – other patients (n = 68). Data included the occurrence or absence of saliva penetration or aspiration, of silent fluid/solid food penetration or aspiration, type of penetration or aspiration, occurrence of cranial nerve paresis, radiotherapy and tracheostomy. Univariate logistic regression was used to evaluate independent risk factors of silent aspiration in the study population. Three models with different independent variables were considered. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in the frequency of occurrence of silent penetration and aspiration within the groups (p < 0.001), with intraglutative being most frequent. Fluid and food penetration and aspiration correlated with saliva penetration and aspiration in all groups (p < 0.001). Cranial nerve paresis (IX and X), radiotherapy and tracheostomy correlate with saliva penetration and aspiration (p = 0.020 for cranial nerve paresis; p = 0.004 for radiotherapy; p < 0.001 for tracheostomy). One hundred and fifteen patients (45.81%) in the subgroup of patients with intraglutative aspiration had cranial nerve paresis (IX, X or IX–X). Conclusions: Patients who should be prioritised or considered to be at a higher need of instrumental swallowing evaluation are those with IX and X cranial nerve paresis, tracheostomy and those who have had radiotherapy, with saliva swallowing problems, especially after paraganglioma, thyroid and parathyroid glands and middle and posterior fossa tumour surgery. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Clinical signs of penetration or aspiration include coughing, throat clearing and voice changes, while silent penetration or aspiration patients aspirate without demonstrating any clinical symptoms. The most common consequences of silent aspiration include aspiration pneumonia, recurrent lower respiratory tract infections and respiratory failure. Additionally, malnutrition and dehydration can be indicators of silent aspiration. Patients may unknowingly reduce their oral intake and lose weight. Retrospective studies have shown that 20%–30% of patients aspirate silently (e.g. patients after stroke, acquired brain injury, head and neck cancer treatment, prolonged intubation). Clinical examination of swallowing can miss up to 50% of cases of silent aspiration. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Currently, silent aspiration is often discussed in neurological literature, but its applications to head and neck surgery are limited. In this study, we identify head and neck surgery patients who should be prioritised or considered to be in higher need of instrumental swallowing evaluation due to a higher risk of silent aspiration. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Post‐treatment structural changes can result in lower cranial nerve paresis (IX, X, XII) and face injury, in which vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves are injured. After tracheostomy and radiotherapy, patients with problems swallowing saliva need careful clinical examination, particularly cranial nerve examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal input plays an important role in influencing linguistic development during the first years of life, and it is evident that mothers adapt their language according to their child's characteristics. Recently, it was demonstrated that maternal input addressed to children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) at 8 months of age is prosodically and functionally different from that addressed to typically developing (TD) peers. Aims: The study aimed at analysing maternal input at 24 months when the presence of a language delay could be more evident than during the preverbal stage. We were interested in examining if maternal input was influenced by a diagnosis of SCT (by comparing children with SCT and TD children) or by children's linguistic level (by comparing children with weak lexical ability versus children with typical lexical ability regardless of the presence of genetic diagnosis). Methods and Procedures: Forty‐four mother–child dyads in which the children had an SCT and 20 mother–child dyads in which the children were TD participated in the study. Of these 64 dyads, 23 children (21 with SCTs and two TD children) formed the group of children with weak lexical ability (children with a vocabulary size lower than 50 words at 24 months). Maternal utterances were collected during one video‐recorded play session and were then coded considering both the linguistic and functional features of the input. Outcomes and Results: The results showed that the input addressed to 24‐month‐old children with SCTs is as rich and complex as that addressed to TD peers. Moreover, no significant differences in the functions expressed by maternal input were found (all ps > 0.05). Comparing the children with weak lexical ability and the children with typical lexical ability in our sample, having a poor vocabulary at 24 months of age showed a significant influence on the maternal input features: the input addressed to children with weak lexical ability was characterised by a higher presence of attention getters (U = 217.00, p = 0.007) and a lower proportion of questions (U = 236.00, p = 0.017) than that of mothers of typically‐talking children. Conclusions and Implications: At 24 months of age, it seems that the presence of a language delay and not belonging to the clinical group of children with SCTs influences the functional characteristics of the maternal input. It is important to support the parents of children with SCTs during the communication process and later during their child's development, leading them to observe their children's manifested skills rather than looking for possible predicted difficulties. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Studies in the literature demonstrated how mothers can generally adapt their input to their child's characteristics. To our knowledge, only two recent studies analysed the maternal input addressed to children with SCT at 8 months of age, highlighting significant differences. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The maternal input addressed to children with SCT at 24 months of age is not different from that addressed to TD children. At 24 months of age, the mothers adapt their input to the verbal competence shown by their child (weak lexical ability versus typically‐talking), while belonging to the clinical group does not show an influence. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: All the participants of the present study received prenatal diagnosis disclosure by an expert team of professionals, and they were all involved in a longitudinal study aimed at monitoring the children's development and supporting their parents. These results show that giving clear and complete information about possible development paths to parents of children with SCTs during diagnosis disclosure is crucial. Moreover, supporting the parents during the communication process and later during their child's development is fundamental, leading them to observe their children's manifested skills rather than looking for possible predicted difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examines the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention on ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) or who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH). It emphasizes the importance of self‐reflection and measurement for personal growth. The research design incorporates both subjective and objective measures to evaluate the intervention's efficacy. Aims: To investigate the impact of the ToM intervention on ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH. It hypothesizes that participants in the intervention groups will show improved ToM and social–emotional functioning compared with those in the control groups. Methods & Procedures: Adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH were recruited through collaboration with educational institutions. The study utilized a pre‐/post‐test design, assigning participants to either the intervention or the control group. The ToM intervention involved targeted activities to enhance ToM abilities. ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning were assessed using standardized tests and self‐report questionnaires. Statistical analyses compared outcomes between the intervention and no intervention groups. Outcomes & Results: The findings reveal subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning among the D/HH intervention group. However, no significant effects on objective ToM measures were observed. These results highlight the need for further investigation and refinement of interventions in these areas. Future research should focus on improving intervention strategies and exploring additional objective measures to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intervention's impact on ToM and social–emotional functioning in this population. Conclusions & Implications: The ToM intervention shows subjective benefits in improving social–emotional functioning among D/HH adolescents. However, it does not yield significant effects on objective ToM measures. These findings emphasize the ongoing need to refine interventions targeting ToM abilities and social–emotional functioning in this population. Future studies should explore alternative strategies and incorporate additional objective measures to enhance understanding and outcomes. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Before this study, it was known that ToM interventions have the potential to enhance ToM abilities. However, the specific effects of such interventions on subjective and objective measures for ToM and social–emotional functioning in adolescents with DLD or who are D/HH remained unclear, necessitating further research. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: This study adds to the existing knowledge by demonstrating subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning among adolescents who are D/HH and underwent a ToM intervention. However, no significant effects on objective ToM measures were observed. These findings highlight the need for refining interventions and exploring additional measures to better understand the intervention's impact. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The subjective improvements in social–emotional functioning observed in this study have important clinical implications. They suggest that ToM interventions can positively impact the social well‐being of adolescents who are D/HH. However, the lack of significant effects on objective ToM measures emphasizes the need for further research and intervention refinement to address specific areas of improvement in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurodiversity is increasingly discussed in relation to autism research and practice. However, there is a lack of scholarship concerning the neurodevelopmental condition of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and the neurodiversity movement. While this movement may hold opportunities for the DLD community, the application of the concept of neurodiversity to DLD research and practice needs consideration, as DLD and autism have very different levels of public and professional awareness and understanding. Aims: In this article, we discuss what the concept of neurodiversity and the associated neurodiversity movement could mean for DLD research and practice. We aim to critique some assumptions that may arise from the application of neurodiversity principles (or assumed principles) to the field of DLD. Methods: This is a discussion paper, drawing on the personal experiences and reflections of the author team. Main Contributions: We make the case for why DLD should be included in discussions about neurodivergence and outline considerations for doing so, and why some issues and applications may be particular to DLD. We outline points of similarity and contrast with autism in relation to our understanding of neurodiversity. We consider the issues around diagnosis and terminology and urge practitioners to continue to diagnose DLD using currently agreed terminology, so as not to undermine recent awareness efforts. We note that a neurodiversity‐informed perspective challenges us to offer interventions that operate at the level of our environments, not just at the level of an individual. Indeed, neurodiversity offers a platform to argue for better rights and more inclusive spaces in mental health settings, education and work for children and adults with DLD. Conclusions: DLD should be considered from a neurodiversity‐informed perspective, and it is our hope that this will lead to neurodiversity‐affirming practice that will afford young people with DLD better understanding from members of the public and the professionals who work with them. Further work is needed to better support children, young people and adults with DLD to have a voice in the neurodiversity movement. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Neurodiversity approaches are increasingly being taken up in research and practice in relation to autism, meaning that our understanding of autism and how autistic people are supported is increasingly drawing on the principles of neurodiversity. However, autism is not the only neurodivergent population. Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is another neurodevelopmental condition; however, relative to autism, DLD has lower awareness amongst professionals and the public. There has been no scholarship that has examined DLD through the lens of neurodiversity, or considered the application of neurodiversity‐affirming approaches to DLD. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: In this paper, we examine what the neurodiversity movement means for DLD research and practice. In particular, we consider what neurodiversity in the field of autism might teach us about the application of neurodiversity in the field of DLD, and highlight where we believe there are important differences between the two populations. We reflect on what neurodiversity means for intervention, diagnosis, terminology and championing the need for accessibility, especially with regard to mental health support, education and employment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Neurodiversity highlights the need to consider interventions at the level of an individual's environment (e.g., how can we make this space more inclusive?) as well as interventions operating at the level of the individual themselves (e.g., interventions focusing on an individual's language skills). We challenge the notion that neurodiversity‐affirming approaches mean not diagnosing DLD or changing DLD's terminology: we argue that this is not in the spirit of the original neurodiversity movement, but also that for a condition with such low public awareness, these actions could do more harm than good for families affected by DLD. We call for more in‐depth scholarship and discussion around the application of neurodiversity approaches to DLD and argue that the neurodiversity movement offers an important opportunity to raise better awareness and understanding of DLD in multiple sectors, including (but not limited to) mental health, education and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endovascular clot retrieval (ECR) is known to reduce global disability at 3 months post stroke however limited research exists regarding the trajectory of specific clinical impairments including language, swallowing and cognitive deficits between onset and 3 months. Aims: To assess language, swallowing, and cognitive performance following ECR and explore whether impairment severity is correlated with modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score (mTICI), stroke severity or quality of life (QoL). Methods: Assessment was completed within 7 days (T1), 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) post‐stroke. Performance was measured with the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Trail Making Test (TMT A and B) and Brixton Spatial Awareness Test. The Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) was used for left hemisphere stroke. QoL was measured with the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale. Results: Twenty‐five participants (median 72 years; 64% male) were prospectively recruited following ECR. High reperfusion success (68% mTICI 3) and low stroke severity post ECR (median 24 h NIHSS = 3, IQR 7–18) were noted. At T1, 10 participants presented with aphasia, eight required a modified diet and 20 had impaired cognition. At T3 all had recovered to a normal oral diet, 39% had persistent cognitive impairment and 45% of patients with left hemisphere stroke remained aphasic. Performance on the WAB, FOIS, RBANS and TMT changed significantly over time (all p < 0.05). The severity score at T1 for all measures, excluding TMT B and Brixton, was significantly correlated with 24 h NIHSS. WAB scores at T3 were correlated with QoL (r = 0.618; p = 0.043). Conclusion: This exploratory study found the longitudinal performance of language, swallowing and cognition significantly improved over time and severity in the first‐week post‐ECR was correlated with 24 h NIHSS rather than the degree of reperfusion. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Randomised control trials have demonstrated the benefit of ECR in patients with ischemic stroke using global measures of disability and function. Limited research exists regarding the trajectory of specific clinical impairments including language, swallowing and cognitive deficits. There is also a reliance on screening assessments and a lack of consideration of the influence of co‐occurring impairments. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This prospective study is amongst the first to explore the longitudinal trajectory of language, swallowing and cognitive impairment using a standardised assessment battery. Twenty‐four‐hour NIHSS was significantly correlated with language, swallowing, global cognition and some measures of executive function. Language performance post ECR was correlated with domain‐specific cognitive assessment of attention, immediate memory and delayed memory, which differed from swallowing performance post ECR that correlated with measures of executive function. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: It is important for speech‐language pathologists and the wider medical team to monitor language, swallowing and cognitive performance post ECR regardless of treatment success. Stroke severity at 24 h post‐ECR influences the severity of language, swallowing and cognitive impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inducible laryngeal obstruction causes narrowing of the laryngeal aperture in response to external triggers. Outcomes are measured in inducible laryngeal obstruction to monitor changes in health status over time. Methods: This study is a scoping review based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. The review will be guided by the following research question: 'What health outcomes are measured in studies including people with inducible laryngeal obstruction?' The research question was validated using the Population‐Concept‐Context framework according to the methodology for Joanna Briggs Institution Scoping Reviews. Relevant peer‐reviewed studies and grey literature conducted over the last 40 years will be identified from electronic databases including AMED, CINAHL, Embase, EMCARE, MEDLINE, OVID, PubMed and PsycINFO. The search strings 'inducible laryngeal obstruction', 'ILO', 'vocal cord dysfunction', 'VCD', 'paradoxical vocal fold motion', 'PVFM', 'outcome', 'measure', 'measurement instrument', 'assessment', 'scale', 'questionnaire' will be combined using Boolean logic. An independent reviewer will conduct title screening; two independent reviewers will conduct abstract and full article screening, followed by data extraction by two reviewers. Analyses will be conducted appropriate to the findings. Discussion: The review will document evidence of health outcomes measured in inducible laryngeal obstruction, identifying measurement characteristics and potential utility. Collating studies may identify gaps in coverage, the need for novel tools, and for standardisation for clinical and research purposes. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Inducible laryngeal obstruction causes narrowing of the laryngeal aperture in response to external triggers. Outcomes are measured in inducible laryngeal obstruction to monitor changes in health status over time. Currently, there are no standardised outcome measures for measuring the effects of interventions in inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO). What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Assessment of health can be measured in a variety of ways. Physiological, radiological and biochemical measurements of impairment are more common historically but there are a lot of outcomes of other factors now including subjective measures of functional status and health‐related quality of life, with data collected directly from patients. This study will allow us to scope the literature to see the health outcomes being measured in ILO to attempt to standardise and develop future health outcomes. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: The review will document evidence of health outcomes measured in inducible laryngeal obstruction, identifying measurement characteristics and potential utility. Collating studies may identify gaps in coverage, the need for novel tools and for standardisation for clinical and research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Competent clinical reasoning forms the foundation for effective and efficient clinical swallowing examination (CSE) and consequent dysphagia management decisions. While the nature of initial CSEs has been evaluated, it remains unclear how new information gathered by speech–language therapists (SLTs) throughout a patient's acute‐care journey is integrated into their initial clinical reasoning and management processes and used to review and revise initial management recommendations. Aims: To understand how SLTs' clinical reasoning and decision‐making regarding dysphagia assessment and management evolve as patients transition through acute hospital care from referral to discharge. Methods & Procedures: A longitudinal, qualitative approach was employed to gather information from two SLTs who managed six patients at a metropolitan acute‐care hospital. A retrospective 'think‐aloud' protocol was utilized to prompt SLTs regarding their clinical reasoning and decision‐making processes during initial and subsequent CSEs and patient interactions. Three types of concept maps were created based on these interviews: a descriptive concept map, a reasoning map and a hypothesis map. All concept maps were evaluated regarding their overall structure, facts gathered, types of reasoning engaged in (inductive versus deductive), types of hypotheses generated, and the diagnosis and management recommendations made following initial CSE and during subsequent dysphagia management. Outcomes & Results: Initial CSEs involved a rich process of fact‐gathering, that was predominantly led by inductive reasoning (hypothesis generation) and some application of deductive reasoning (hypothesis testing), with the primary aims of determining the presence of dysphagia and identifying the safest diet and fluid recommendations. During follow‐up assessments, SLTs engaged in increasingly more deductive testing of initial hypotheses, including fact‐gathering aimed at determining the tolerance of current diet and fluid recommendations or the suitability for diet and/or fluid upgrade and less inductive reasoning. Consistent with this aim, SLTs' hypotheses were focused primarily on airway protection and medical status during the follow‐up phase. Overall, both initial and follow‐up swallowing assessments were targeted primarily at identifying suitable management recommendations, and less so on identifying and formulating diagnoses. None of the patients presented with adverse respiratory and/or swallowing outcomes during admission and following discharge from speech pathology. Conclusions & Implications: Swallowing assessment and management across the acute‐care journey was observed as a high‐quality, patient‐centred process characterized by iterative cycles of inductive and deductive reasoning. This approach appears to maximize efficiency without compromising the quality of care. The outcomes of this research encourage further investigation and translation to tertiary and post‐professional education contexts as a clear understanding of the processes involved in reaching diagnoses and management recommendations can inform career‐long refinement of clinical skills. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: SLTs' clinical reasoning processes during initial CSE employ iterative cycles of inductive and deductive reasoning, reflecting a patient‐centred assessment process. To date it is unknown how SLTs engage in clinical reasoning during follow‐up assessments of swallowing function, how they assess the appropriateness of initial management recommendations and how this relates to patient outcomes. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: Our longitudinal evaluation of clinical reasoning and decision‐making patterns related to swallowing management in acute care demonstrated that SLTs tailored their processes to each patient's presentation. There was an emphasis on monitoring the suitability of the initial management recommendations and the potential for upgrade of diet or compensatory swallowing strategies. The iterative cycles of inductive and deductive reasoning reflect efficient decision‐making processes that maintain high‐quality clinical care within the acute environment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Employing efficient and high‐quality clinical reasoning is a hallmark of good dysphagia practice in maximizing positive patient outcomes. Developing approaches to understanding and making explicit clinical reasoning processes of experienced clinicians may assist SLTs of all developmental stages to provide high standards of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Evidence suggests telehealth in speech and language therapy can enhance access to care, cost‐effectiveness and satisfaction. However, little is known about use of telehealth in the United Kingdom. Moreover, many assessments/outcome measures for aphasia have been tested for face‐to‐face administration only, posing challenges to reliable use within the telehealth context. We explored the experiences and views of speech and language therapists (SLTs) working with people with aphasia on using telehealth to conduct assessments/outcome measures, perceived barriers and facilitators in telehealth, and their priorities for research in telehealth aphasia assessment. Method: We explored views of UK SLTs through an online cross‐sectional survey (2021) delivered through the Qualtrics platform. The survey covered three main areas: (i) participant demographics; (ii) experience of using telehealth and doing telehealth assessments with people with aphasia post‐stroke during the COVID‐19 pandemic; and (iii) plans for telehealth post‐pandemic. Response formats included yes/no, multiple choice, 5‐point Likert scales and open‐ended text responses. The survey was expected to take no more than 10 min to complete. Survey data were analysed through descriptive statistics and content analysis of open‐ended questions. Results: One hundred twenty‐four SLTs responded to the survey. The majority (>80%) used telehealth during the COVID‐19 pandemic and >90% planned to continue to use telehealth in the future. The most used platforms were Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Attend Anywhere. Access to internet and telehealth platforms, and practical problems (e.g., difficulties sharing resources online, limited functionality of telehealth platforms for assessment) were common barriers. Therapists highlighted that training, resources and materials that assist the administration of assessments were important. Most participants responded that there was a need for existing measures to be tested for administration via telehealth (n = 68, 70.8%). Participants overall felt there was a need for online interactive assessments, more online resources that have been trialled for use via telehealth, accessible formats for resources for people with aphasia and clear instructions for how people with aphasia can access resources. Conclusions: This study provides new insights into the current use of telehealth assessment with people with aphasia in the United Kingdom and directions for future research. Barriers and facilitators identified can support the implementation of telehealth assessment in SLT services. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: The use of telehealth in speech and language therapy has advantages in terms of access to care, cost‐effectiveness and satisfaction with care. However, little is known about the use of telehealth in aphasia rehabilitation in the United Kingdom, especially in the area of assessment and outcome measurement. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study identified that the majority (>80%) of aphasia therapists used telehealth during the COVID‐19 pandemic and >90% planned to continue to use telehealth in the future. A need was identified for existing measures to be tested for administration via telehealth and for training, resources (e.g., online interactive assessments) and materials (e.g., accessible formats for people with aphasia). What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: To facilitate the successful implementation of telehealth assessment, there is a need for measures validated for use via telehealth and more online resources that have been trialled for use via telehealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pictures drawn by people with aphasia (PWA) are often more challenging to understand than those drawn by healthy people. There are two types of objects: those that tend to be drawn symbolically (symbolically drawn objects—SOs) and those that are likely to be drawn realistically (realistically drawn objects—ROs). Aims: To compare the identification rate and number of misunderstanding types between SOs and ROs drawn by PWA and healthy controls (HCs). To reveal trends in the misunderstandings of drawings by PWA, and to identify the language or cognitive abilities related to the identification rate of pictures drawn by PWA. Methods & Procedures: We designed a drawing task involving SOs and ROs. A total of 18 PWA and 30 HCs completed the task, and respondents identified the drawings. The identification rate and number of misunderstandings were analysed with two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) including group (PWA and HCs) and object type (SOs and ROs). The misunderstandings were divided into four categories varying in semantic and morphological similarity; these ratios were examined with a chi‐square test. The relationships of language and cognitive abilities with the identification rate were investigated with multiple regression analyses. Outcomes & Results: There was a significant effect of the interaction between group and object type on the identification rate (F(1.1387) = 3.90, Mean Squared Error (MSE) = 4139.67, p = 0.04): the identification rates for ROs were lower in the PWA than in the HCs. For the number of misunderstanding types, an interaction was observed between group and object type (F(1.56) = 8.26, MSE = 26.93, p < 0.01): the number of misunderstanding types for ROs in the PWA was greater than that in the HCs. The misunderstanding patterns differed between ROs and SOs (χ2(3) = 694.30, p < 0.001, V = 0.37). ROs were semantically related, whereas SOs were morphologically related. The identification rates of ROs and SOs were correlated only with Kanji writing scores (ROs: β = 3.66, p = 0.01; SOs: β = 6.57, p < 0.01). Conclusions & Implications: In drawings by the PWA, SOs had a higher identification rate, while ROs had a lower identification rate and a greater variety of misunderstandings. SOs may increase drawing motivation. Interventions to improve the identifiability of SOs and ROs should reflect each character. Identification rates were correlated only with Kanji writing scores. The PWA, whose native language was Japanese and had preserved Kanji writing abilities, and their communication abilities may be increased through drawing. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: PWA often have impaired drawing abilities and draw pictures that third parties misinterpret. Some objects tend to be drawn symbolically, and some are drawn realistically. However, it is not clear whether there is a difference between these types of drawings depicted by PWA in identifiability and the tendency to be misunderstood by ordinary people. In addition, the relationships between language or cognitive abilities and the identification rate of drawn pictures are not clear. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: The identification rate differed between SOs and ROs. In drawings by PWA, SOs had a higher identification rate, while ROs had a lower identification rate and the greatest variety of misunderstandings. Approximately half of the misunderstandings were related to the target object. SOs tended to be confused with morphologically related objects, while ROs tended to be confused with semantically related objects. Identification rates were correlated only with Kanji writing scores. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: To motivate PWA's drawing, it is suitable to begin with SOs. Examining drawing ability from the perspective of SOs and ROs increases the chance of identifying drawing ability. PWA whose native language is Japanese and have preserved Kanji writing abilities may be able to increase their communication abilities through drawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of participatory health research (PHR) is increasingly acknowledged by funding bodies, researchers and civil society globally; however, it continues to be under‐represented in the speech and language therapy (SLT) research literature. This collaborative research approach is associated with the increased application of research evidence, and the generation of positive impacts in practice, policy, health systems and society. Aims: To increase researchers' and other participatory partners' understanding of PHR, and to demonstrate its applicability to research in the SLT field. Methods & Procedures: This aim is achieved through a discussion on PHR, its principles, benefits and challenges, and the evaluation of its impact. A recently developed evaluation framework to support the implementation of best engagement practices is examined, and recommendations for how this framework can be used to plan and evaluate engagement in participatory stuttering research is presented. Main contribution: This paper serves as an important conversation on the value of PHR to SLT research, and presents guidance to support its increased implementation in this research field. Conclusions & Implications: Conclusions & Implications: PHR remains an under‐represented research approach in the SLT literature, despite increasing evidence demonstrating its effectiveness and value. It offers a potential solution to the research–practice gap, and challenges the ongoing research hierarchies by democrating the process of knowledge production. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: PHR is increasingly attracting the attention of funders, researchers and decision‐makers due to a growing body of evidence in support of this collaborative research approach. Despite its potential to bridge the research–practice gap, PHR remains significantly under‐represented in the SLT research literature. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: This paper discusses the principles, benefits, challenges and impact evaluation of PHR. A recently developed evaluation framework for supporting the implementation of best engagement practices is examined. A demonstration of how this framework can be used to plan and evaluate engagement in participatory stuttering research is presented. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Speech and language therapists play a key role in PHR, as co‐researchers contributing essential context‐based knowledge. It is therefore imperative that they understand the principles and practices of this approach in order to maximize their input in future participatory partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Training parents to implement language and communication intervention strategies is an effective approach to promote language development for children with language delay. Aims: This study introduces an online parent training program conducted in Hubei province, China, which was designed to help parents of language‐delayed children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental language disorder (DLD) or global developmental delay (GDD) apply language intervention strategies into daily interactions and promote their children's language development at home. Methods & Procedures: The Bethel Hearing and Speaking Training Center Family Training for Early Communication & Language Development (Bethel Family Training Program, BFT) (Bethel HSTC, 2020) was designed to improve the language and communication skills for children with language delay in a naturalistic way. The caregivers (including parents, grandparents and other main caregivers) participated in an 8‐h online program, including lectures on milestones in child language development, common misunderstandings of child language development, and three basic family language intervention strategies ('Looking together, playing together, and talking together') incorporating active learning through video analysis and discussion. Tongji Hospital in Hubei then continued with 3 months of online home intervention monitoring to all the caregivers via weekly online Q&As led by BFT certified speech therapists' team. The Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) was carried out before the online parent training program and after the 3‐month online home intervention monitoring. Outcomes & Results: 146 families whose children aged 12–68 months with language delay participated in the online training program. The results of the GDS assessments conducted before and after the program showed that not only did the developmental quotient (DQ) of language improve, but so did the DQ of social behaviour and adaptive behaviour (p < 0.001). There is no between‐group difference in the application of three strategies between the ASD group and the DLD or GDD group (p > 0.05). Furthermore, both caregivers' ability to apply 'looking together, playing together, talking together' strategies and the effective interaction time played important roles in improving the child's language abilities. Conclusion & Implications: The online parent training focusing on improving daily interaction with children through speech–language stimulation strategies promoted the development of language skills. It is an economic and practical approach for children with language delay who have limited access to local language intervention programs. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Parent‐implemented language intervention is an effective approach at improving children's language development. Telepractice is an appropriate model of service delivery for audiologists and speech–language therapists and may be the primary mode of service delivery or may supplement in‐person services. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge: This paper explores the effectiveness of an online parent training program and provides new evidence that online training on language support strategies (looking together, playing together, talking together) followed by home intervention monitoring works for Mandarin‐speaking children and it is equally effective for children with ASD and non‐ASD diagnosis. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Developmental behavioural paediatricians and speech–language therapists in countries and areas that lack sufficient training resource for every child will have the option to deliver parent training and home intervention monitoring online, which will save time and cost considerably while offering convenience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Despite the ability of cochlear implants (CIs) to provide children with access to speech, there is considerable variability in spoken language outcomes. Research aimed at identifying factors influencing speech production accuracy is needed.To characterize the consonant production accuracy of children with cochlear implants (CWCI) and an age‐matched group of children with typical hearing (CWTH) and to explore several factors that potentially affect the ability of both groups to accurately produce consonants.We administered the Bankson‐Bernthal Test of Phonology (BBTOP) to a group of 25 CWCI (mean age = 4;9, SD = 1;6, range = 3;2–8;5) implanted prior to 30 months of age with a mean duration of implant usage of 3;6 and an age‐matched group of 25 CWTH (mean age = 5;0, SD = 1;6, range = 3;1–8;6). The recorded results were transcribed, and the accuracy of the target consonants was determined. Expressive vocabulary size estimates were obtained from a language sample using the number of different words (NDW). A parent questionnaire provided information about maternal education, duration of CIs experience and other demographic characteristics of each child.The CWCI group demonstrated some similarities to, and some differences from, their hearing peers. The CWCI demonstrated poorer consonant production accuracy overall and in various phonetic categories and word positions. However, both groups produced initial consonants more accurately than final consonants. Whilst CWCI had poorer production accuracy than CWTH for all phonetic categories (stops, nasals, fricatives, affricates, liquids and glides and consonant clusters), both groups exhibited similar error patterns across categories. For CWCI, the factors most related to consonant production accuracy when considered individually were expressive vocabulary size, followed by duration of CI experience, chronological age, maternal education and gender. The combination of maternal education and vocabulary size resulted in the best model of consonant production accuracy for this group. For the CWTH, chronological age followed by vocabulary size were most related to consonant production accuracy. No combination of factors yielded an improved model for the CWTH.Whilst group differences in production accuracy between the CWCI and CWTH were found, the pattern of errors was similar for the two groups of children, suggesting that the children are at earlier stages of overall consonant production development. Although duration of CI experience was a significant covariate in a single‐variable model of consonant production accuracy for CWCI, the best multivariate model of consonant production accuracy for these children was based on the combination of expressive vocabulary size and maternal education. Research has shown that a range of factors is associated with consonant production accuracy by CWCIs, including factors such as the age at implant, duration of implant use, gender, other language skills and maternal education. Despite numerous studies that have examined speech sound production in these children, most have explored a limited number of factors that might explain the variability in scores obtained. Research that examines the potential role of a range of child‐related and environmental factors in the same children is needed to determine the predictive role of these factors in speech production outcomes. Whilst the consonant production accuracy was lower for the CWCIs than for their typically hearing peers, there were some similarities suggesting that these children are experiencing similar, but delayed, acquisition of consonant production skills to that of their hearing peers. Whilst several factors are predictive of consonant production accuracy in children with implants, vocabulary diversity and maternal education, an indirect measure of socio‐economic status, were the best combined predictors of consonant production accuracy. Understanding the factors that shape individual differences in CWCI speech production is important for effective clinical decision‐making and intervention planning. The present findings point to two potentially important factors related to speech sound production beyond the duration of robust hearing in CWCI, namely, a lexical diversity and maternal education. This suggests that intervention is likely most efficient that addresses both vocabulary development and speech sound development together. The current findings further suggest the importance of parental involvement and commitment to spoken language development and the importance of receiving early and consistent intervention aimed both at skill development and parental efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications What this paper adds What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Concussion and communication researchers have yet to study how post‐concussion communication changes affect youths’ daily lives. The lack of attention paid to how young people respond to communication changes during concussion recovery constitutes a significant gap in current concussion management research and practices.To explore how youth respond to the effects of post‐concussion communication changes in their daily life, including (1) daily routines, (2) relationships with family members, (3) relationships with peers and (4) participation in school/work and community activities.Five youths (16–25 years) and three family members participated in this arts‐based reflexive collective case study. Ecocultural theory provided the theoretical framework for study design, data collection and analysis. Cases consist of (1) pre‐interview demographic information, (2) three 60–90‐min virtual interviews, (3) optional family member interviews, (4) multi‐media arts‐based participant‐generated materials representing participants’ experiences of communication change and concussion, and (5) researcher observations, discussions and reflexive journal entries. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.Analysis yielded four themes that illustrate the ways youth navigated and adapted to post‐concussion communication changes: (1) navigating changes in communication tasks, daily roles, and identity; (2) re‐negotiating relationships and emotional reactions; (3) seeking control and learning to let go during recovery; and (4) helping youth adapt to post‐concussion communication changes.The study findings deepen our understanding of the impact of post‐concussion communication changes on youths' daily lives and underscore considerations critical to the development of communication‐focused concussion education programs and interventions tailored specifically for youth. Youth is a critical period of social and emotional development. Communication is integral to identity, relationships, participation in daily activities and well‐being. Concussions can affect speech clarity, fluency, understanding and use of language, and social interactions. Re‐engaging in routine activities and pre‐injury roles can be challenging for youth experiencing communication changes as part of complex concussion recoveries. Findings from this research illuminate how youth navigate and adapt to communication changes post‐concussion and support the development of youth‐focused communication education programs, assessments and interventions. Youth participants actively managed their recoveries by developing innovative strategies to support their communication during daily activities, learning about communication, practicing communication tasks sequentially, and facing fears. Youth also reframed and challenged narrow views of ‘normal communication’. Findings highlight the need for more youth‐ and communication‐focused education materials and programs within youth concussion management protocols. Information about the specific ecological and sociocultural factors youth encounter during concussion recovery is needed to develop targeted communication‐focused education and intervention programs for youth and their families to mitigate risks of isolation, loneliness, and mental health concerns and increase youths’ participation in family, community and cultural life. By learning from youth about how communication changes affected their participation in daily activities, identity and relationships, clinicians can provide information and interventions to reduce adverse listener reactions and help young people feel supported and understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications What this paper adds What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to the existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Attainment inequalities exist for ethnic minority students graduating from higher education institutes (HEIs) in the UK. Previous research has investigated the outcomes and experiences of students from ethnic minority backgrounds on health and social care programmes. However, studies exploring ethnic minority speech and language therapy (SLT) students’ experiences have only focused on international students and were conducted in Australia. No known studies exploring the experiences of both home‐domiciled and international SLT students from ethnic minority backgrounds have been conducted in the UK.To explore the experiences of home‐domiciled and international ethnic minority students on a SLT training programme and to identify ways to improve these experiences.All SLT students attending a pre‐registration postgraduate course who identified as being from an ethnic minority background were invited to participate. Two focus groups, one for three international students and one for six home students, were conducted. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Three themes were identified that illustrated students’ current experiences and how experiences could be improved: (1) feeling an outsider, explores students’ sense of belonging in SLT education; (2) finding ways to manage, describes the strategies used by students to cope with their experiences of marginalization, and how adopting these strategies impact on their well‐being; and (3) promoting inclusion, explains how the training programme could be modified to improve the experience of ethnic minority students.A better understanding of the experiences of ethnic minority SLT students can help others to support them more effectively. The findings suggest that making changes to SLT training programmes could improve ethnic minority students’ outcomes and experiences. These include: more training for staff and students, support groups for ethnic minority students, sharing lived experiences of students and experienced SLTs from ethnic minority backgrounds, and clearer ways of reporting racist incidents. International students would benefit from receiving more information on HEI support services and cultural practices in the UK. Previous studies have investigated the experiences of ethnic minority students on a range of HEI programmes, including those for students of physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The only studies investigating the experiences of ethnic minority SLT students are those exploring how international SLT students in Australia can be supported on professional placement. This study explores the experiences of home and international SLT students in the UK who identify as being from minority ethnic backgrounds. Findings suggest that these students feel like outsiders, affecting their sense of belonging. The need to find and implement strategies to manage their feelings of marginalization impacts on their well‐being. The findings suggest measures to promote the inclusion of ethnic minority SLT students to improve their experiences and support their well‐being. These include more training for all staff and students and the creation of a ‘lived experiences library’ where students and experienced SLTs from ethnic minority backgrounds could share positive experiences as well as ways of dealing with challenges. Clearer ways of reporting racist incidents would be beneficial for all students. International students would benefit from receiving more information on HEI support services and cultural practices in the UK. It is important that ethnic minority SLT students are involved in developments that aim to improve their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Method & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications What this paper adds What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? Over 8 million children with disabilities live in Africa and are candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), yet formal training for team members, such as speech–language therapists and special education teachers, is extremely limited. Only one university on the continent provides postgraduate degrees in AAC, and other institutions provide only short modules at an undergraduate level. The need for an introductory training course on AAC that is accessible by university students continent‐wide was identified. An online programme, namely an intelligent tutoring system (ITS), was identified as a possible option to facilitate interactive learning without the need for synchronous teaching. The use of an ITS is shown to be effective in developing knowledge and clinical reasoning in the health and rehabilitation fields. However, it has not yet been applied to student teaching in the field of AAC.To determine both the feasibility of an ITS to implement an AAC curriculum for students in four African countries, and the usability and effectiveness of such a system as a mechanism for learning about AAC.The study included two components: the development of a valid AAC curriculum; and using the ITS to test the effectiveness of implementation in a pre‐ and post‐test design with 98 speech–language therapy and special education students from five universities.Statistically significant differences were obtained between pre‐ and post‐test assessments. Students perceived the learning experience as practical, with rich content.The findings suggest that the ITS‐based AAC curriculum was positively perceived by the students and potentially offers an effective means of providing supplementary AAC training to students, although modifications to the system are still required. Professionals typically lack formal training in AAC. In Africa, this presents a serious challenge as there are over 8 million children who are candidates for AAC. A need for an introductory training course on AAC, which can be accessed by university students continent‐wide, was identified. An AAC curriculum was developed and integrated into an ITS, an online programme allowing interactive learning through asynchronous teaching. Students from four African countries completed the AAC ITS curriculum. The curriculum was positively received by the students and statistically significant changes in knowledge were identified. This feasibility study shows that the use of an ITS is an effective means of providing AAC training to university students in these African countries. The results provide a valuable contribution toward ensuring the equitable distribution of AAC training opportunities in the African context. This will have a significant positive impact on those who are candidates for AAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Over 50% of individuals with aphasia face ongoing word‐finding issues. Studies have found phonologically oriented therapy helpful for English speakers, but this has not yet been studied in French. It is essential to assess the effectiveness of such a therapy in French, considering the distinct linguistic typologies between both languages, which may impact the outcomes of phonologically oriented interventions.This paper evaluates the effectiveness of French Phonological Component Analysis (Fr‐PCA) on communication skills of individuals with chronic aphasia and the impact of individual factors on treatment success.Eighteen individuals with chronic aphasia received 15 h of Fr‐PCA therapy over 5 weeks. Naming accuracy for treated and untreated words was measured before and after therapy, as well as at 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups. Secondary outcome measures included standardized tests measuring within‐level generalization (object and action naming) and across‐level generalization (repetition, verbal fluency, oral comprehension, communication effectiveness reported by a frequent communication partner).Fr‐PCA led to improved accuracy for treated (17 participants out of 18) and untreated words (9 participants out of 18), with gains maintained at 6‐month follow‐up (7 participants out of 10 for treated and 6 participants out of 10 for untreated), and generalization to communication effectiveness reported by a frequent communication partner (11 participants out of 16). Age, apraxia of speech severity and initial anomia severity impacted therapy gains.Though more research is needed, results suggest Fr‐PCA benefits French individuals living with aphasia. Identifying individual factors influencing therapy gains could enable clinicians to improve therapy tailoring. Phonological Component Analysis (PCA) improves naming of treated and untreated items in individuals living with aphasia. There is also evidence supporting long‐lasting benefits following PCA. However, PCA has never been studied in French, a language presenting with a different linguistic typology than English, and we know little as to which individual factors can influence PCA therapy benefits. Through group‐level analyses on both personalized sets and standardized tests, this study shows that PCA constitutes an effective therapy protocol for francophone individuals living with aphasia. The gains are measured on treated and untreated items and generalized to levels other than naming, such as communication effectiveness. Individual factors such as age, initial anomia severity and apraxia of speech severity influence therapy outcomes. There is now evidence supporting PCA in French, a language with strong morphological‐phonological interactions. Furthermore, when working with individuals living with aphasia and severe anomia or apraxia of speech, gains can still be made, but might be longer to attain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? SPEAK OUT! has been shown to enhance various aspects of voice such as intensity, prosody, voice quality and perception of voice. However, their impacts on expiration and communication effectiveness have not yet been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Hybrid SPEAK OUT! method on aerodynamic measurements and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).This study included 157 participants with PD who underwent an intensive 8‐week multidisciplinary treatment program. The Hybrid SPEAK OUT! method consisted of three sessions per week, including two group sessions and one individual treatment session. Voice‐related aerodynamic measures included maximum phonation time (MPT), vocal cord function using the S/Z ratio, and expiratory flow measures including peak expiratory flow (PEF) and peak cough flow (PCF). Two PROMs were included: the Hebrew version of the voice handicap index‐10 and communication effectiveness questionnaire.The results of 111 participants were analysed. MPT duration increased, PEF and PCF increased, and better scores were found in PROMs.These findings would appear to support the effectiveness of the Hybrid SPEAK OUT! methods improving function, activity and participation in individuals with PD. However, further research is needed. Prior research has demonstrated the effectiveness of behavioral therapies, including the SPEAK OUT! program, in managing speech symptoms in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). These therapies have shown improvements in voice intensity, fundamental frequency, voice quality, and voice perception. However, the impact on aerodynamic measures, expiratory flow, and patient‐reported outcome measures has not been extensively studied. This study adds to the existing knowledge by demonstrating that a Hybrid SPEAK OUT! approach, can lead to improvements in aerodynamic measures, including maximum phonation time (MPT), expiratory and cough peak flow. In terms of motor learning, we found that two non‐speech exhalation‐related tasks that were not directly trained improved following the intensive speech training protocol. Furthermore, it shows positive changes in patient‐reported outcome measures, with reduced voice‐related disability and improved communication efficiency. The findings of this study have important clinical implications for the management of speech symptoms in individuals with PD. The Hybrid SPEAK OUT! program, which combines group and individual sessions, can effectively improve voice, aerodynamic measurements and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs), ultimately enhancing the overall quality of life for patients. These findings support the effectiveness of the Hybrid SPEAK OUT! methods for improving function, activity, and participation in individuals with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Speech and language therapists (SLTs) play an important role in assessing and rehabilitating communication disorders in people with dementia, but there is evidence to suggest that they do not receive appropriate training to provide management and support during their training.To investigate the level of awareness and knowledge that practising SLTs from Brazil have about dementia and their role in the care of dementia through an online survey.An online survey tool was developed to collect information from practising Brazilian SLTs regarding their knowledge about dementia, awareness about their role in the care of people with dementia, and opinions on how SLTs may be better prepared to work in the dementia field. The survey was disseminated via social media, websites, and e‐mail lists of researchers and stakeholders.A total of 227 SLTs completed the survey. Participants showed good knowledge of dementia in general, while their answers were less accurate on primary progressive aphasia. Regarding the awareness by SLTs of their role in the care of people with dementia, most agreed or strongly agreed that SLTs could help people in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dementia (> 80%). However, fewer participants agreed or strongly agreed that they felt confident in contributing to the treatment and diagnosis process of dementia (about 50%). To improve the training of SLTs in Brazil, most participants believed that it would be necessary to improve the teaching of dementia at the undergraduate speech and language therapy curriculum level and to develop recommendations or guidelines about speech and language therapy practice in dementia.The results of this survey point to a need for improvement in the knowledge and confidence of Brazilian SLTs about dementia. To reach this goal, targeted training courses and applied practice opportunities should be embedded within university curricula and training programmes. Many studies confirm the importance of speech and language therapy in the non‐pharmacological treatment of people with dementia. However, other evidence suggests to a possible lack of training for Brazilian SLTs, especially in the curriculum of undergraduate courses. This study reveals that Brazilian SLTs have substantial knowledge of dementia and recognize the significance of their role in treating people with dementia. However, a minority expressed confidence in their ability to assess and treat people with dementia. The findings of this research demonstrate that Brazilian SLTs have good knowledge of dementia and endorse their professional role in dementia care; however, they lack confidence in their own skills and expertise in diagnostic assessment and treatment of dementia. Interventions aimed at boosting the SLT's confidence level could lead to improved patients outcomes and overall quality of care within clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods & Procedures Outcomes & Results Conclusions & Implications WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject What this paper adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? People with aphasia (PWA) typically exhibit deficits in spoken discourse. Discourse analysis is the gold standard approach to assess language deficits beyond sentence level. However, the available discourse assessment tools are biased towards English and European languages and Western culture. Additionally, there is a lack of consensus on which discourse measures to use and limited evidence of the psychometric properties of published discourse measurements.(1) To develop a standardized, norm‐referenced, culturally and linguistically appropriate Arabic Discourse Assessment Tool (ADAT); and (2) to examine the psychometric properties of content and construct validity and interrater reliability of different discourse measures elicited using three discourse genres (descriptive, narrative and procedural) in neurotypical control adults and matched PWA.Discourse samples were collected using three novel discourse stimuli that are sensitive to the Arabic language and culture from 70 neurotypical control adults and a matched group of 50 PWA. Transcription agreement was assessed. A standard approach was used to evaluate construct validity and interrater reliability for 16 discourse measures that assess fluency, language productivity, information content, lexical–semantics, lexical diversity, grammatical category, grammatical structure and syntactic complexity. Strong measures were identified based on their psychometric properties, and normative data were established on these measures. Discourse performance of PWA was then examined using the newly developed tool (ADAT).Transcription agreement was extremely high for all discourse stimuli in both groups. Eight discourse measures were proven to have consistently very high construct validity and consistently very good to excellent reliability across the three stimuli in both neurotypical control and aphasia groups: lexical information units, content information units, words per minute, discourse duration, number of different words, number of complete sentences and proportion of open and closed class words. Norms were established on these measures, and cut‐off scores of impairments were determined. Other measures showed low construct validity and variable or poor reliability across the two groups.The newly developed, standardized, and norm‐referenced tool (ADAT) consist of three discourse stimuli and eight high‐quality discourse measures that assess multiple aspects of spoken discourse and were able to differentiate PWA from neurotypical adults consistently. ADAT also includes normative data and cut‐off impairment scores. The tool has great potential to enhance clinical practice and research with Arabic speakers. Evidence was provided that not all discourse measures are of high quality, as some are vulnerable to differences between raters, discourse stimuli and groups. Clinicians and researchers can use ADAT for accurate aphasia assessments, better management plans and to monitor therapy effectiveness. ADAT can be further validated in other clinical populations with language impairments. Discourse analysis is the gold standard approach to assess language deficits beyond sentence level. However, existing discourse assessment tools are biased towards English and European languages and Western culture. Additionally, there is a lack of consensus on which discourse measures to use in aphasia, and limited evidence of the psychometric properties of published discourse measurements. A novel, standardized, norm‐referenced Arabic Discourse Assessment Tool (ADAT) was developed and validated in this study. ADAT was further validated among PWA. The study provides evidence that not all discourse measures are of high quality and thus should not be used with confidence. Specific measures are vulnerable to the type of stimuli, the rater and/or the tested group. On the other hand, eight discourse measures were identified to be reliable between different raters and across different stimuli for the two groups, and they were able to differentiate the discourse performance of PWA from neurotypical control adults. Normative data derived from neurotypical control adults were established on these strong measures, and the performance of PWA was classified as impaired based on these norms. The present study provides a novel, standardized, norm‐referenced, validated discourse assessment tool that is culturally and linguistically appropriate for use by Arabic speakers (ADAT). ADAT holds immense potential to enhance clinical practice and research with Arabic speakers. The study also identified strong discourse measures that can be used to assess language productivity, information content, lexical–semantics, lexical diversity, grammatical category, and syntactic complexity for accurate and comprehensive assessments. This will lead to better rehabilitation management by guiding the development of tailored client‐centred interventions. ADAT can be utilized in clinical and research settings in PWA and has the potential to be further validated with other clinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods Results Conclusions WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on this subject What this study adds to existing knowledge What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Speech and language therapists (SLTs) regularly use phonetic transcription to record and analyse typical and disordered speech. Phonetic transcription is highly demanding of auditory perceptual skills so researchers are sceptical about its accuracy and reliability. The literature describes how phonetic transcription is prone to auditory illusions and biases, such as a preference to transcribe speech sounds from the transcriber's own language. Few empirical research studies have calculated agreement amongst transcribers where a range of agreement scores have been reported (51%–97%). There is a consensus that agreement rates decrease as phonetic detail increases. Vowels and consonants are characterised by different perceptual features within the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) so they may differ in agreement rates, and thus far there is contradictory evidence as to whether vowels or consonants are more agreed upon. Transcription agreement studies to date have most commonly recruited phoneticians rather than SLTs so further research is warranted to determine transcription agreement amongst SLTs and its impact on clinical practice.The study's primary aim was to calculate agreement scores from a group of English‐speaking SLTs who transcribed disordered speech samples in an ecologically valid setting. The study also sought to contribute to the pre‐existing contradictory evidence base regarding whether vowels or consonants may be more agreed upon by comparing their agreement scores. The researcher aimed to comment on SLTs’ use of diacritics and non‐native speech symbols (symbols not included in the English phonetic inventory) in terms of their frequency and agreement of use. By analysing transcriptions, the study aimed to discuss the impact transcription variability has on speech sound error patterns and thus its impact on clinical decision‐making such as diagnosis, choice of intervention and therapy targets.Twelve paediatric SLTs were recruited via a convenience sample at two National Health Service trusts, two of whom were specialists in Speech Sound Disorders (SSDs). Participants transcribed 16 words from a video of a boy with disordered speech completing the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP, Dodd et al., 2006) from a telehealth appointment. The use of diacritics and non‐English IPA symbols were manually analysed. A classic agreement score was calculated for each target word using a Python script, and then for vowels and consonants in isolation. Datasets were manually analysed to determine whether differences in transcription resulted in the identification of different speech sound error patterns. The researcher considered the implications this had within clinical practice.The average classic agreement score was 56.3%. Consonants were more agreed upon than vowels with agreement scores of 62.8% and 48.6%, respectively. Nine participants (75%) used diacritics (most commonly length marks) and eight participants (67%) transcribed non‐native IPA symbols at least once in their datasets, but generally with low frequencies and agreements amongst their use. Transcriptions captured the occurrence of typical and atypical error patterns but only three error patterns, out of the 20 identified, were present in all 12 participants’ transcriptions.The agreement score of 56.3% questions the accuracy and reliability of transcription amongst SLTs which is an essential skill of the profession. The findings highlight SLTs should be more cautious of interpreting vowels than consonants given lower agreement rates. The frequency of use of non‐native symbols and diacritics was relatively low which could reflect a low accuracy of their use or reduced confidence in transcribing these. The study discussed how variations in transcriptions can impact phonological and phonetic analysis, which in turn can influence clinical decision‐making such as diagnosing SSDs, selecting further diagnostic assessments and choosing therapy targets and interventions. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists‐endorsed transcription guidelines (Child Speech Disorder Research Network, 2017) could be revised to convey realistic expectations of SLTs’ transcription skills, or SLTs should be offered more training to improve transcription skills to meet current expectations. Other suggestions to improve transcription accuracy are discussed such as via instrumental methods, yet these come with their own limitations such as practicality, costs and need for specialist training. Phonetic transcription is highly demanding of human perceptual skills, and researchers are sceptical about its reliability. There are few empirical research studies calculating agreement amongst transcribers, and a range of agreement scores have been reported (51%−97%) dependent on the research conditions. Research mostly involves experienced transcribers (e.g., phoneticians) rather than speech and language therapists (SLTs), a profession expected to regularly use phonetic transcription to record and analyse typical and disordered speech. A range of transcription agreement scores have been reported in previous studies, mainly comparing pairs or small groups of specialist transcribers rather than SLTs. This study provides an agreement score of 56.3% when a group of 12 SLTs transcribed a disordered speech sample in an ecologically valid setting (where speech samples were taken from a real‐life speech sound assessment over a telehealth appointment using the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology). The study found consonants are more agreed upon than vowels, adding to the contradictory evidence base. Unlike other studies, the researcher analysed transcriptions to identify error patterns to examine the impact that transcription variation has on clinical decision‐making. The researcher questions whether SLTs are meeting the expectations of ‘accurate transcription’ as listed by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) endorsed transcription guidelines (Child Speech Disorder Research Network, 2017) given the relatively low agreement score of 56.3%. The study also questions the reliability of the use of diacritics and non‐English International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols and whether SLTs should be expected to use these due to perceptual limitations. Twenty phonological processes emerged from the datasets, only three of which were agreed upon across all 12 participants. The researcher therefore discusses how transcription variations could result in different diagnoses, therapy targets and interventions choices. The paper suggests more training is required to enhance transcription accuracy, and also considers the appropriateness of utilising instrumental methods whilst recognising its limitations such as feasibility, costs and specialist training needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]