Insights on Literacy From Stroke Survivors With Aphasia: A Mixed-Methods Inquiry.

PURPOSE: Individuals with aphasia commonly experience reading and writing difficulties, negatively impacting everyday communication and life participation. Using mixed methods, this study aimed to understand literacy experiences described by individuals with aphasia and explore how their perspectives are related to test performance and other demographic factors. METHOD: Twenty-one stroke survivors with aphasia completed reading and writing testing and shared their perspectives through a close-ended survey and an open-ended interview about literacy abilities and experiences. Quantitative methods were used to compare pre- and poststroke self-ratings and explore associations between self-ratings and demographic factors. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interviews. The data sets were merged to derive mixed-methods results for a more in-depth view of participants' perspectives. RESULTS: Significant decreases in perceived literacy abilities were found; however, there were no differences in literacy importance or enjoyment pre- to poststroke. Reading and writing test scores were correlated with self-rated abilities but not with importance, enjoyment, or frequency of reading and writing. The thematic analysis process identified four main themes: Feelings about literacy, Literacy challenges, Literacy supports, and Literacy goals. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that individuals with aphasia highly value reading and writing and are heavily invested, despite recognized challenges, in using and improving these skills. Therefore, assessments and treatments addressing literacy in aphasia are critical, and individuals with aphasia should be invited to share their literacy experiences and goals, allowing for more person-centered clinical resources to be collaboratively constructed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25893049.

Students' Perception of a Virtual Dissection Laboratory in Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing: A Focus Group Study.

Hands-on laboratory experience that allows for manipulation of realistic and relevant materials in course curricula has been shown to improve students' learning, understanding, and critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the experiences of students who engaged in laboratory coursework using a virtual dissection (VD) table as part of an undergraduate course in anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing. Undergraduate students enrolled in an anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing course at a single university for the fall 2021 semester consented to participate. Nine students, divided into two focus groups, were encouraged to describe their experiences and perspectives about the VD table and corresponding laboratory assignments. Following verbatim transcription of the data, the authors conducted a thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the body of data: (1) using the VD table, (2) completing the VD lab assignments, (3) preparation for laboratory sessions, (4) suggested modifications, and (5) enriched learning. Students believed using the VD table aided in a better understanding of course material than traditional methods. Moreover, they surmised that this method of learning, particularly for speech-language pathologists, may be superior to learning through models and cadavers.

Considering Health Care Needs in a Rural Parkinson Disease Community.

BACKGROUND: People living with Parkinson disease (PD) have multiple health care needs that intensify over time, because the disease is both chronic and degenerative. Past research indicates that issues with mobility, financial constraints, and lack of support networks impede access to health care for people with PD. These challenges are elevated for individuals who live in rural communities due to the lack of local health care professionals and specialists and support resources, and the need to travel to see providers/specialists. The research objective was to have PD community stakeholders identify health care barriers and resources as well as possibilities for improved health care in a rural state. METHODS: Focus groups were conducted in the context of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. Focus group data collection helped create comfort and parity in the discussion, while a CBPR approach allows for authenticity of the findings because members of the community in question are involved as researchers. The responses were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Coding and organizing of themes was completed manually and using NVIVO 10 software. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis revealed three main themes, PD issues, access issues, and stigma. These themes described disease-related stigma and concerns about disease progression and treatment, as well as challenges in accessing information, providers, and support by the PD stakeholders. The study results provided insight into the needs of people living with PD in rural communities. CONCLUSIONS: Rural PD stakeholders proposed the use of technology (e.g., telehealth) to provide support to improve health care for people with PD.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Comfort Providing Intervention to Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From a National Survey.

Purpose This exploratory study examined speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) clinical experience and work environment characteristics impacting comfort with providing intervention to children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method This study included 162 SLPs who responded to a national survey about their comfort providing intervention to children with TBI, clinical experience (i.e., years of experience treating children with TBI, TBI preprofessional training and professional development, and licensure/credentialing), and work environment (i.e., work setting, caseload size, geographic location). Results Findings from latent class analysis revealed 3 distinct groups of SLPs based on their comfort with providing services to children with TBI: those with low comfort, moderate comfort, and high comfort. Further analyses revealed statistically significant differences across the 3 groups in the areas of years of experience treating children with TBI, professional development, work setting, TBI caseload size, and geographic location. Conclusions Our findings reveal that most SLPs feel comfortable providing intervention to children with TBI; however, differences in characteristics across groups suggest that specific steps can be taken to ensure increased comfort for all SLPs working with this population. Practicing SLPs may increase their level of comfort through professional development and hands-on, mentored experience with TBI. Efforts such as these may influence the quality of service provision and expand the population of SLPs who feel comfortable treating children with TBI. Future research is needed to further examine how comfort and SLP characteristics directly impact the quality of speech and language intervention and long-term outcomes of children with TBI.

The diverse vocational experiences of five individuals returning to work after severe brain injury: A qualitative inquiry.

OBJECTIVE: The researchers explored the return-to-work experiences of five adults with severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and those associated with them by performing a qualitative, multiple case study investigation involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Selection of this qualitative methodology allowed for personal, individualized accounts of adults with TBI returning to work. Specifically, this methodology promoted accurate representation of the idiosyncratic nature of each participant's experiences. METHODS: The researchers asked individuals to participate based on the diversity of their vocational experiences following TBI. RESULTS: Four of the five participants had returned to their pre-injury jobs. Two were subsequently fired and, at the time of research participation, were unemployed. One participant never returned to paid employment; however, he had held two volunteer positions for several years post-injury. Salient content from interview transcripts allowed for the identification of five to eight themes pertinent to each case. CONCLUSIONS: Interpretation of the themes led to three main conjectures about return-to-work experiences following TBI: (a) job satisfaction may relate more to involvement in productive activities than monetary compensation; (b) adults with TBI can be successful in holding and maintaining positions with high cognitive demands; and