College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..
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Item The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Narrative Abilities in Primary Progressive Aphasia(2018) Colantuoni, Deborah Elise; Faroqi-Shah, Yasmeen; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique that has recently been studied as an adjunct to speech-language therapy in persons with primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Preliminary studies have shown improved language abilities with tDCS-supplemented therapy, primarily in naming, as well as improved generalization and maintenance of skills. However, the effects of tDCS on narrative abilities have not yet been well studied in this population. The present study examined whether the addition of tDCS to anomia therapy improved narrative language measures in 16 participants with PPA versus sham stimulation plus therapy. Results demonstrated that tDCS did not significantly improve narrative language measures in participants with PPA.Item The relationship between maternal speech clarity and infant language outcomes(2011) McColgan, Kerry; Ratner, Nan B; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Mothers' use of infant-directed speech (IDS) may assist infants in decoding language input. IDS is characterized by exaggerated prosodic features (Fernald, 1989), shorter mean length of utterance (Cooper, 1997; Bernstein Ratner, 1996), repetition (Bernstein Ratner, 1996), and more highly clarified acoustic qualities (Bernstein Ratner, 1984; Malsheen, 1980) in comparison to speech directed to adults. However, it is not yet known to what extent such measures of maternal input have long-term impacts on language development. This thesis seeks to test the overarching hypothesis that children who receive more clarified speech input during the prelinguistic stage may be expected to have better language skills at an earlier age than children who receive poorer quality input.Item Infant Speech-in-Noise Perception and Later Phonological Awareness: A Longitudinal Study(2008-10-20) Stimley, Sarah Elizabeth; Newman, Rochelle; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)While differences have been found in the ability of infants on a variety of speech perception skills including speech perception in the presence of background noise, the implications of these differences on later language skills are currently unknown. This study examines the relationship between a specific measure of infant speech perception in noise and later phonological awareness outcomes. In order to test this relationship, individuals who participated in Newman's (2005) study on infant speech perception in the presence of background noise were administered a battery of language, phonological awareness, and intelligence tests. Scores from these tests were analyzed to see if performance differences existed between those who had performed well as infants in the original study and those who had not. No significant differences between these two groups were found on the phonological awareness measures. Potential reasons for these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.Item Vocal Dysfunction in Young-onset Parkinson's Disease(2004-08-10) Bassich-Zeren, Celia J.; McCall, G N.; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Vocal dysfunction is well established in persons with older-onset Parkinson's disease (PD), but has not been investigated in the young-onset PD (YOPD) population. Voice deficits associated with older-onset PD mirror the characteristics of vocal aging, suggesting that our current knowledge base of laryngeal dysfunction in the PD population is confounded by aging effects. The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to examine perceptual voice characteristics and the potential impact of voice symptoms on quality of life; (b) to compare YOPD and healthy control (HC) speakers' performance on two routinely used clinical tasks (sustained vowel phonation and laryngeal diadochokinesis); and (c) to experimentally manipulate and compare speakers' performance in producing phonatory offset-onset gestures as reflected in four phonetic contexts (each eliciting a different mechanism) across three speaking modes. Twelve YOPD speakers and twelve healthy control (HC) speakers participated. YOPD speakers reported voice symptoms of hypophonia, tremor, hoarseness, monotone, and impaired speech intelligibility. They demonstrated a mild to moderate voice handicap. Findings revealed no speaker group differences for speech intensity on sustained vowel phonation and reading tasks. YOPD speakers demonstrated a significantly decreased rate of syllable repetition and used a significantly greater number of pauses during production of one of two laryngeal diadochokinetic tasks. Acoustic measures associated with mechanisms of phonatory offset-onset demonstrated trends of speaker group differences, suggesting that YOPD speakers have impaired voicing control for mechanisms of phonatory offset-onset not associated with oral constriction. Intra-speaker group variability was observed for YOPD speakers. Inspection of speaker groups' performance across speaking modes suggested a disruption in the habitual setting of laryngeal posture in YOPD speakers; namely, they use a laryngeal postural setting that is similar to that observed in HC speakers when speaking in an aspirant or breathy voice mode. Speech masking facilitated a speaking mode change in YOPD speakers and could provide an effective and efficient treatment method for training persons with YOPD to speak in a projected mode. Vocal dysfunction is associated with YOPD and voice symptoms can appear early in the disease process, sometimes preceding onset of limb symptoms. Persons with YOPD should be routinely assessed for vocal dysfunction.