Communication strategies used by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and health professionals during treatment.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder, which affects social communicative capabilities. The research study has shown that ASD studies are focused on young children, excluding adolescents and adults: and it is understudied in the context of South Africa. Objective: This study examined the interactional communication strategies of adolescents with ASD and health professionals during different treatment consultations to identify the interactional styles and communication strategies utilised by adolescents with ASD and their respective healthcare professionals in a variety of scenarios in order to generate management strategies for future healthcare professional communication training. Method: A multi-case study design with a qualitative research approach has been used. Four adolescents with a moderate form of ASD and four health practitioners were interviewed. Participants were chosen by purpose and snowball sampling. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were used for health professionals to collect information on the various interaction types and communication methods used, as well as their interpretations of these methods. Conversely, adapted face-to-face interviews were used to collect similar knowledge from adolescents themselves. The findings were qualitatively analysed on a case-by-case and cross-case basis by thematic analysis techniques. Results: The findings indicated that ASD adolescents have interaction types that influence intervention to various degrees. In comparison to motor therapies such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy, interaction types have a greater impact on psychiatry and psychology, which depend mainly on verbal communication. Intuitively, to promote contact with these teens, all health practitioners changed their own interaction styles. They used techniques of clarification and repair. The therapists shared the intention to learn a range of successful ways to strengthen future experiences with ASD between themselves and adolescents. Conclusion: The findings indicate that practitioners can benefit from altering their interaction styles, and that approaches for promoting successful interactions and in establishing rapport could be shared with other professionals in the future.

The influence of screen time on children's language development: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: An exponential increase in screen time amongst children and adults, has given rise to a plethora of studies exploring the influences that this exposure may have on children's development. OBJECTIVES: This review is specifically concerned with understanding the influence of screen time on children's language development. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted to explore the available literature relating to the impact of screen time on children's language development. The scoping review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: This review identified 12 articles. It made an argument for the multifactorial relationship between screen time and language development, given the associated positive and negative effects. The results revealed core themes such as the influence of screen time being dependent on various factors and the diverse effects of screen time on children's language development, with the inclusion of parents' monitoring of and participation in viewing, playing a vital role in language development. CONCLUSION: The review indicated that an increase in the amount of screen time and an early age of onset of viewing have negative effects on language development, with older age of onset of viewing showing some benefits. Video characteristics, content and co-viewing also influences language development. This study demonstrates that the negative influences of screen time appear to outweigh the positive influences.

Promoting emergent literacy in under-served preschools using environmental print.

BACKGROUND: Children from under-served communities are at risk for delayed spoken language and literacy development. Under-served preschools frequently contend with lack of resources, especially with regard to access to age-appropriate storybooks and/or print resources. Environmental print is a cost-effective material that can be used to stimulate emergent literacy skills. In the context of under-served communities, a collaborative approach and mentorship between preschool teachers and Speech-Language Therapists (SLTs) promote language and literacy development. OBJECTIVES: This article's purpose is two-fold; firstly, to discuss the use of environmental print as a stimulus material to promote emergent literacy in preschoolers in under-served preschools. Secondly, to promote the SLT's involvement in such education initiatives. METHOD: A mixed-method, comparative intervention research design, was reported in this article. A pre- and post-test design was employed, with data collected before and after a teacher-based intervention. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group displayed increased scores on the Concepts About Print (CAP) assessment, participants in the comparison group showed no change in scores using the same assessment over the same time period. CONCLUSION: A short-term, teacher-based intervention using environmental print with SLT mentoring and collaboration promoted preschool children's emergent literacy skills. Implications include the value of using environmental print as a teaching material and the positive impact of collaboration between SLTs and teachers to promote emergent literacy in preschool children.

Language and culture in speech-language and hearing professions in South Africa: Re-imagining practice.

South African speech-language and hearing (SLH) professions are facing significant challenges in the provision of clinical services to patients from a context that is culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) due to historic exclusions in higher education training programmes. Over 20 years postapartheid, little has changed in training, research, as well as clinical service provision in these professions. In line with the Health Professions Council of South Africa's (HPCSA) SLH Professional Board's quest to transform SLH curriculum and in adherence to its recently published Guidelines for Practice in a CLD South Africa, in this review article, the authors deliberate on re-imagining practice within the African context. They do this within a known demand versus capacity challenge, as well as an existing clinician versus patients CLD incongruence, where even the clinical educators, a majority of whom are not African, are facing the challenge of an ever more diverse student cohort. The authors systematically deliberate on this in undergraduate clinical curriculum, challenging the professions to interrogate their clinical orientation with respect to African contextual relevance and contextual responsiveness (and responsibility); identifying gaps within clinical training and training platforms; highlighting the influencing factors with regard to the provision of linguistically and culturally appropriate SLH clinical training services and, lastly, making recommendations about what needs to happen. The Afrocentric Batho Pele principles, framed around the concept of ubuntu, which guide clinical intervention within the South African Healthcare sector, frame the deliberations in this article.

Language and culture in speech-language and hearing professions in South Africa: The dangers of a single story.

BACKGROUND:  Speech-language and hearing (SLH) professions in South Africa are facing significant challenges in the provision of clinical services to patients with communication disorders from a context that is culturally and linguistically diverse because of historic exclusions of black and African language speaking candidates in higher education training programmes. Over 20 years post the democratic dispensation, minimal changes have been noted in terms of the training, research as well as clinical service provision in these professions, although the demographic profile of students is seen to be transforming gradually. Objectives: We offer this viewpoint publication as a challenge to the professions to interrogate their academic and clinical orientation in respect of African contextual relevance and responsiveness. Method: We do this by identifying gaps within the higher education context, highlighting the influencing factors to the provision of linguistically and culturally appropriate SLH training and clinical services in South Africa, while asking questions about what SLH students and practitioners need to carefully consider. Results: We make recommendations about what needs to happen within the SLH professions in South Africa in order to stay safe from the dangers of a single story. Conclusion: We invite debate in order to allow for constructive engagement with this complex issue within the South African SLH professions.

'I felt pain. Deep pain ': Experiences of primary caregivers of stroke survivors with aphasia in a South African township.

BACKGROUND: Aphasia is an acquired impairment in language and in the cognitive processes that underlie language. Aphasia affects the quality of life of the person with aphasia (PWA) and his or her families in various ways in diverse contexts and cultures. It is therefore important that speech language therapists understand how different contextual and cultural factors may mediate experiences. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to describe the caregiving experience of female caregivers of PWA residing in Tembisa, a township situated in the east of Johannesburg. METHOD: Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary caregivers of PWA. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 primary caregivers of PWA who were daughters, daughters-in-law or wives of the PWA. The interviews were conducted in participants' first language and analysed by the researcher, who is proficient in isiZulu. Data were analysed according to the principles of thematic analysis. RESULTS: Findings indicated that caregivers are unfamiliar with aphasia and the support available to them. Participants experienced frustration and found communication to be challenging owing to their lack of communication strategies. The participants' experiences reflected their context-specific experiences, such as feminisation of caregiving, barriers to healthcare, the influence of low health literacy and contextual perspectives on stroke and aphasia. CONCLUSIONS: Contextual factors of caregivers in Tembisa have an influence on the experiences between caregivers and PWA, the feelings of individuals and families and health-seeking behaviours of individuals and families.

Commuting and communication: An investigation of taxi drivers' experiences, attitudes and beliefs about passengers with communication disorders.

BACKGROUND: One of the most popular means of public transport within South Africa is mini-bus taxis. OBJECTIVES: As South Africa is made up of diverse cultures, religions and beliefs, the aim of this study was to explore Johannesburg based taxi drivers' experiences of beliefs about, and attitudes towards passengers who have a communication disability. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mini-bus taxi drivers. RESULTS: Interviews revealed that almost all the taxi drivers had encountered passengers with a communication disability, and had an awareness of passengers with a hearing disability as opposed to a speech disability. Furthermore mini-bus taxi drivers generally held a positive view of their passengers with a communication disability. CONCLUSION: Study findings contribute to existing literature within the fields of speech pathology and audiology, advocacy groups and policy makers, particularly research studies on participation experiences of persons with communication disabilities related to transportation access. The results of the study should also provide a foundation for disability policy development initiatives with the aim of increasing levels of public awareness.

Commuting and communication: an investigation of taxi drivers' experiences, attitudes and beliefs about passengers with communication disorders

Background: One of the most popular means of public transport within South Africa is mini-bus taxis. Objectives: As South Africa is made up of diverse cultures, religions and beliefs, the aim of this study was to explore Johannesburg based taxi drivers' experiences of beliefs about, and attitudes towards passengers who have a communication disability. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 mini-bus taxi drivers. Results: Interviews revealed that almost all the taxi drivers had encountered passengers with a communication disability, and had an awareness of passengers with a hearing disability as opposed to a speech disability. Furthermore mini-bus taxi drivers generally held a positive view of their passengers with a communication disability.Conclusion: Study findings contribute to existing literature within the fields of speech pathology and audiology, advocacy groups and policy makers, particularly research studies on participation experiences of persons with communication disabilities related to transportation access. The results of the study should also provide a foundation for disability policy development initiatives with the aim of increasing levels of public awareness

Digit speech reception threshold testing in Tswana/English speakers.

The purpose of this study was to establish whether digit stimuli offer a more accurate measure for Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) testing when assessing first-language Tswana (or Setswana), second-language English speakers, as compared to an English wordlist (CID W-1) and a Tswana wordlist. Forty Tswana first language speaking participants (17 males and 23 females) aged between 18 and 25 years, participated in this study. All participants were undergraduate students at a tertiary institution in Johannesburg, Gauteng. This study utilized a quantitative single group correlation design which allowed for a comparison between three SRTscores (CID-SRT,T-SRT,and D-SRT). Participants underwent basic audiological assessment procedures comprising of otoscopy, tympanometry, conventional pure tone audiometry and SRT testing. SRT measures were established using monitored live voice testing. Basic audiometric data were descriptively analyzed to ensure that hearing function was within normal limits, and PTA-SRT averages and means were calculated. Furthermore, analysis of the SRT-PTA correlation data was conducted through the use of the nonparametric Spearman's correlation coefficient and linear regression. Results from this study were statistically significant (p < .05) and indicated that digit-pairs were not the most effective stimuli for establishing SRT, compared to the CIDW-1 and Tswana wordlists. On the contrary, findings of the current study revealed that PTA-SRT comparison was best in Tswana (r = 0.62), followed very closely by CIDW-1 (r = 0.61), and lastly digit-pairs (r = 0.60). The results however, confirm the efficacy of using digit pairs as alternative stimuli when more appropriate speech stimuli for the establishment of SRT are unavailable, as the correlation between SRT for digit pairs and PTA was also a strong one (r = 0.60). Linear regression analyses indicated that all three lists were acceptable speech stimuli for the population under investigation with the standard error of estimate being significantly smaller than the 5dB-step used to collect the data (1.62 for Tswana, 3.56 for CID W-1, and 3.80 for digit-pairs).