Current Practices of Speech-Language Pathologists for Those with Right Hemisphere Damage

Date

2018-12

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Abstract

This study was conducted to obtain a snapshot of current clinical practices of practicing Speech-Language Pathologists that work with people who have developed deficits associated with right hemisphere brain damage after a stroke. Currently licensed SLPs were recruited via online resources and were directed to a link containing a survey that targeted their most common tools for assessment, most common treatment approaches, the rationale behind their choices, their opinion on the adequacy of their available tools, and their confidence levels in correctly diagnosing deficits. A total of 143 SLPs responded, a response rate of approximately 11%. Results indicated that observation was the most common tool to diagnose specific deficits areas, the Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test (CLQT) was the most commonly used test battery for assessment, and the most widely selected rationale behind test selection was administration time. Common treatment approaches for selected deficit areas were also obtained. The majority of SLPs indicated that they did not feel their tools for assessment were adequate but were highly confident that they were correct in their diagnoses. Small, but significant correlations existed between confidence levels and adequacy of tools as well as the type of college courses taken for RHD and the years since graduation.

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Keywords

Speech-language pathologists, Right hemisphere damage (RHD)

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