Background: Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) has been used in the treatment of stuttering, providing different results across different populations and age groups. Aims: This study examines the impact of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) on stuttering-like disfluencies (SLDs) in the spontaneous speech of Jordanian individuals who stutter. Methods…

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) often engage with individuals with histories of trauma. Rather than providing trauma treatment, SLPs are instead positioned to engage in universal precaution for trauma: assuming that trauma is more likely than not to be part of any individual's story and intentionally responding in ways that do not create…

Dementia patients may have language barriers and decreased comprehension ability. Their family caregivers can feel frustrated when communicating with them. Poor communication hinders family caregivers from obtaining accurate health information about patients, and may also increase their emotional burden, affecting patient care quality. The present…

Background: Persons with aphasia (PWA) experience a number of communicative and social-emotional challenges. Reported experiences of PWA include but are not limited to, being misunderstood, isolated, frustrated, and infantilised. Aims: The aim of this pilot study, involving a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA), conducted over the course…

Introduction: Life with aphasia affects the whole family with shorter, less frequent conversations, frustration, reduced social networks, isolation and tension in relationships. Evidence suggests communication partner training (CPT) benefits families. However, expected improvements are poorly articulated. The Aphasia Partnership Training (APT)…

Purpose: The aim of this study was to pilot the efficacy of rapid syllable transition (ReST) treatment when provided once per week for a 50-min treatment session for 12 weeks with five children with childhood apraxia of speech. Of central importance was the children's retention and generalization of gains from treatment as indicators of speech…

Purpose: This study compared the interrater reliability of adult naïve listeners' perceptual assessments of different speech variables in children with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip (CP ± L). In addition, the study investigated whether the listeners were able to perceive differences in these speech variables before and after speech…

Background: The Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) is a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) designed to measure the extent of interference, or difficulty, experienced by adults with communication disorders participating in their day-to-day communication activities. To date, there is limited evidence regarding sensitivity of the CPIB…

Purpose: This study compared the occurrence of different types of generalization (within-class, across-class, and total generalization) following motor-phonetic speech therapy and linguistic-phonological speech therapy in children with a cleft palate ± cleft lip (CP ± L). Method: Thirteen children with a CP ± L (M[subscript age] = 7.50 years) who…

Purpose: To understand factors contributing to therapy success, this study investigated the role of parents' temperament and the fit between parents' temperament and parent-reported child behavior problems in therapy outcomes across two therapy types. Method: A total of 177 children who stutter and their parents were included in this study. Data…

Background: Research is beginning to shed light on the practices employed by speech-language therapists (SLTs) for the management of acquired dysarthria. However, studies that explore SLTs' satisfaction with the effectiveness of current therapies and their interest in new treatment methods for this population have not been carried out. One…

Background: Above cuff vocalisation (ACV) involves the application of an external flow of air via the subglottic port of a tracheostomy. ACV can facilitate vocalisation and may improve swallowing and quality of life for patients with a tracheostomy. A recent systematic review highlighted the limited evidence available for the acceptability,…

Background: Few formal instruments exist to assess the communicative competence of patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs). This can limit interventions by health professionals. Aims: To map the categories and instruments for assessing the communicative competence of adult patients with minimal response in ICUs. Methods &…

Background: Many speech sound disorder (SSD) interventions with a long-term evidence base are 'new' to clinical practice, and the role of services in supporting or constraining capacity for practice change is underexplored. Innovations from implementation science may offer solutions to this research-practice gap but have not previously been…

Background: Speech and language therapy (SLT) services are fundamental for communication, academic and social development. Evidence shows that demand for services is increasing, and this can adversely affect the quality of care. There are limited published studies in relation to the demand and quality of speech and language services in Malta.…