How Confident are Final-Year Speech and Language Therapy Students Regarding Provision of Intervention to Youth Offenders with Communication Disorders?

2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Noreen O’Leary ◽  
Fiona Gibbon
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Youth Offenders ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Communication Development ◽  
Challenging Behaviours

Objective: To determine how confident final-year speech and language therapy (SLT) students feel regarding provision of intervention to youth offenders with communication disorders. This project looked specifically at confidence assessing adolescents, providing intervention to adolescents, and providing intervention to youth offenders. Method: A cohort of 23 final-year SLT students completed a questionnaire comprised of Likert and open-ended questions. Main results: Only 17% of the participants felt confident providing intervention to youth offenders with communication disorders; 70% of the participants felt confident assessing adolescents with communication disorders; while 53% felt confident providing intervention to adolescents. However, when specific areas of assessment and intervention were considered, there were gaps in confidence, including knowledge of typical adolescent communication development, provision of intervention for adolescent dysfluency and management of challenging behaviours. Conclusion: Final-year SLT students have much of the basic knowledge required to help youth offenders develop communication skills; however, most do not feel confident providing intervention to youth offenders with communication disorders. Undergraduate workshops and continuing professional development courses may facilitate transference of underlying skills to the provision of intervention to youth offenders with communication disorders.

scholarly journals 170 Admissions to a Stroke Unit in an Irish Rehabilitation Hospital: A Review from Speech and Language Therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii1-iii16
Author(s):  
Niamh Ní Dhufaigh ◽  
Marie Haughey ◽  
Cliodhna Gillen
Keyword(s):  
Stroke Rehabilitation ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Research Education ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Communication Difficulties

Abstract Background Communication disorders and dysphagia are debilitating sequelae associated with stroke. Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) has a pivotal role in stroke rehabilitation, and in improving outcomes. The research into dysphasia, dysphagia, and dysarthria post-stroke is extensive. In comparison, the research into cognitive-communication difficulties post-stroke is still emerging. Cognitive-communication difficulties (CCDs) are communication impairments resulting from underlying cognitive deficits due to neurological impairments1. The aim of this audit was to review SLT referrals in an Irish Stroke Rehabilitation Unit. Methods Single-centre retrospective review of all stroke admissions from January to December 2018. Communication outcomes were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure and Functional Assessment Measure (FIM+FAM)2 a 7-point disability rating scale. Standard Bayesian statistics were employed for analysis. Results SLT received referrals for 66% (n=41) of all stroke admissions (n=62). Mean age was 68 years (SD+/-14), compared with 70 years (SD+/-14) for patients not referred. 65% were female and 35% male. Patients requiring SLT had significantly longer length of stay (p=0.0072). 83% of referrals were for communication, 12% dysphagia, and 5% inappropriate. Of communication referrals, primary diagnoses were as follows: 17.5% dysarthria (n=6), 26.5% dysphasia (n=9) and 56% CCD (n=19). Patients with dysphasia showed greater improvement in FIMFAM scores (x̄=1.3) than those with CCD (x̄=0.9) or dysarthria (x̄=0.7). Patients with CCD comprised the largest cohort who required SLT on discharge (68%). Conclusion CCDs are highly prevalent and represented the largest subtype of communication disorders in this cohort. FIMFAM scores appear useful in assessing CCDs however they display insufficient sensitivity in capturing change within this population. This audit highlights the need for further interdisciplinary research, education and training into cognitive-communication difficulties with post-stroke populations.

scholarly journals The ASCEND Study: Protocol for a Feasibility Study to Evaluate an Early Social Communication Intervention for Young Children with Down Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesna Stojanovik ◽  
Emma Pagnamenta ◽  
Emily Seager ◽  
Maria Breen ◽  
Susie Jennings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Children With Down Syndrome ◽  
Full Trial

Abstract Background: Down syndrome is the most common cause of learning disability, affecting approximately 1 in every 700 babies. Children with Down Syndrome have particular difficulties with speech and language. This makes it challenging for them to participate fully in life, access health care services and educational opportunities. Improving the language skills of young children with Down Syndrome is vital for their future social and emotional well-being and behaviour, and consequently contribution to society. As Down Syndrome is detected before or at birth, we can provide support from early on. There are currently no standard interventions for improving the language skills of children with Down Syndrome under the age of 36 months. Evidence suggests that early parent-based interventions may be effective in improving language outcomes. In partnership with parents and speech and language therapists, we have co-developed an intervention focusing on early social communication skills and our preliminary work shows that it can lead to better language in children with Down Syndrome. Our aim is to carry out a feasibility study which will inform a future pilot/full trial to test whether the intervention is effective in improving language skills before children with Down Syndrome start school. Methods: This is a two-arm feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 randomisation stratified by trial site comparing the intervention (plus standard NHS speech and language therapy) with no intervention (standard NHS speech and language therapy only). We aim to recruit between 25 and 30 children with Down Syndrome aged between 12 and 30 months. Sites are defined by the geographical boundaries of three National Health Service (NHS) Trusts. Recruitment is from NHS Speech and Language Therapist caseloads within the 3 Trusts and self-referral. In the intervention arm parents/guardians will receive brief training on the parent-based intervention and a manual to follow with their child for 10 weeks. The children’s language and early communication skills and family health outcomes will be assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline, post-intervention and 6 month follow up. Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews will explore the acceptability of the intervention to parents and SLTs.Discussion: The feasibility study’s outcomes will determine whether it would be viable to progress to a full-trial and whether adjustments need to made to the procedures, data collection methods, intervention delivery, and the intensity of support needed. We want to assess whether our early intervention can be delivered and rolled out through NHS Speech and Language Therapy Services. We anticipate that NHS services will need to make ongoing changes due to the COVID19 pandemic, so it is likely we will need to make adjustments for the definitive trial. We will also calculate descriptive statistics of the language outcome measure which will we use for any future sample size calculation. Trial registration: ISRCTN13902755. Registered on 25th August 2020. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13902755

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