The 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome is a genetic disorder in children with many concomitant medical and developmental problems. Communication disorders are among the most common features of this syndrome and include articulation, language, resonance, and voice problems. Awareness of these features and a multidisciplinary approach are necessary for…

This article describes sociocultural theory as a way to ground social identity for clinical and research practices in speech-language pathology. The purpose is to (1) outline the fundamentals of the theory and (2) link the focal unit of analysis from the theory, mediated action, to social identity to (3) support the clinical utility of mediated…

This article adds qualitative analyses to established practices in speech-language pathology to demonstrate how clinicians can work with identity. Interview material is used to illustrate established analytical practices. This same material is again analyzed from the perspective of identity using the Functional Individual Systems (FIS) framework,…

In the profession of speech-language pathology, it is commonly reported that children who stutter, as a group, are more likely to have phonological and language disorders than their non-stuttering peers. Some support for this belief comes from survey studies that have questioned speech-language pathologists about the children on their caseloads…

Speech production involves the integration of auditory, somatosensory, and motor information in the brain. This article describes a model of speech motor control in which a feedforward control system, involving premotor and primary motor cortex and the cerebellum, works in concert with auditory and somatosensory feedback control systems that…

Purpose: This study investigated the opinions of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding their role, education, and training in serving students with communication disorders who have been involved in violence. Method: A survey consisting of 26 items was given to 598 SLPs from eight states representing geographic regions of the United…

The entire deaf prison population in the state of Texas formed the basis for this research. The linguistic skills of prison inmates were assessed using the following measures: (1) Kannapell's categories of bilingualism, (2) adaptation of the diagnostic criteria for Primitive Personality Disorder, (3) reading scores on the Test of Adult Basic…

Recent importance placed upon efficacy research has spawned the development of the Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Trials Research Group (CSDRG). This group, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was organized by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association to address the need for more treatment efficacy research…

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is typically described as a motor-speech disorder with clinically well-defined symptoms, but without a clear understanding of the underlying problems in motor control. A number of studies have compared the speech of subjects with AOS to the fluent speech of controls, but only a few have included speech movement data and if…

Background: Post-stroke dysarthria rehabilitation should consider social participation for people with dysarthria, but before this approach can be adopted, an understanding of the psychosocial impact of dysarthria is required. Despite the prevalence of dysarthria as a result of stroke, there is a paucity of research into this communication…

This brochure discusses briefly, in lay terms, how one individual can approach communicating with another individual who has suffered a stroke. Two kinds of aphasia (language loss) are distinguished: Broca's aphasia, in which the ability to process grammar is impaired, and Wernicke's aphasia, in which neurological damage impairs the ability to…

This paper examines human phonosensitivity (the process by which an organism receives acoustic stimuli and integrates them into its behavior patterns), which is divided into two distinct but inseparable systems: hearing, which controls the reception, transmission, and perception of acoustic stimuli, and listening, which controls the discrimination…

This digest defines the term "communication disorders," states prevalence rates for the condition, describes characteristics of children with communication disorders, and outlines educational implications. Thirteen publications on communication disorders and six organizational resources are listed. (JDD)

The study investigated the prevalence and associated problems of ankyloglossia, characterized by restricted movement of the tongue usually due to the adhesion of the tongue to the frenum, among a preschool Head Start population (N=1,440). Ss were screened for six primary characteristics of the condition and of the 78 children who exhibited the…

The paper notes the difficulties with most formal tests of language skills when applied to the assessment of communication and precommunication skills in individuals with severe and multiple handicaps. General principles for assessment and a flexible assessment device are summarized. The Functional Communication Assessment is offered as a basic…