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Di Pietro G, Masso S. Introducing a novel clinical tool to describe child engagement in telehealth speech and language assessments. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 26:410-422. [PMID: 37387326 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2023.2223782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: Telehealth may be a solution to access barriers in speech-language pathology. Previous investigations of telehealth assessment have alluded to factors affecting children's engagement, though these factors have not been comprehensively described.Aim: This study aimed to develop a novel clinical tool to describe the factors affecting children's engagement in paediatric telehealth assessments.Method: The Factors Affecting Child Engagement in Telehealth Sessions (FACETS) tool was developed using a mixed methods approach. Iterative analysis was conducted through a qualitative evidence synthesis, followed by the application of the tool to seven children aged between 4;3 and 5;7 years old who participated in a speech and language assessment via telehealth. Descriptive data were obtained regarding engagement on both a child-by-child and task-by-task basis. Reliability of the FACETS was determined via percent agreement and Cohen's kappa between two independent raters.Result: Using a mixed methods design, the FACETS framework was developed and refined. Application of the tool to seven case studies revealed variability in engagement with acceptable inter-rater reliability.Conclusion: The FACETS may be a useful resource for describing the factors that influence children's engagement in telehealth during the assessment. The FACETS requires further testing with clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gia Di Pietro
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sarah Masso
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Hamdani S, Chan A, Kan R, Chiat S, Gagarina N, Haman E, Łuniewska M, Polišenská K, Armon-Lotem S. Identifying developmental language disorder (DLD) in multilingual children: A case study tutorial. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38764397 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2024.2326095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE A long-standing issue in identifying developmental language disorder (DLD) in multilingual children is differentiating between effects of language experience and genuine impairment when clinicians often lack suitable norm-referenced assessments. In this tutorial we demonstrate, via a case study, that it is feasible to identify DLD in a multilingual child using the CATALISE diagnostic criteria, Language Impairment Testing in Multilingual Settings (LITMUS) assessment tools, and telepractice. METHOD This tutorial features a case study of one 6-year-old Urdu-Cantonese multilingual ethnic minority child, and seven age- and grade-matched multilinguals. They were tested via Zoom using Urdu versions of the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (LITMUS-MAIN), the Crosslinguistic Lexical Task (LITMUS-CLT), the Crosslinguistic Nonword Repetition Test (LITMUS-CL-NWR), and the Sentence Repetition Task (LITMUS-SRep). RESULT The child scored significantly lower in the LITMUS tests compared to her peers in her best/first language of Urdu. Together with the presence of negative functional impact and poor prognostic features, and absence of associated biomedical conditions, the findings suggest this participant could be identified as having DLD using the CATALISE diagnostic criteria. CONCLUSION The result demonstrates the promise of this approach to collect reference data and identify DLD in multilingual children. The online LITMUS battery has the potential to support identification of multilingual DLD in any target language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saboor Hamdani
- Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Angel Chan
- Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Research Centre for Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
- Peking University Research Centre in Chinese Linguistics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Rachel Kan
- Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | | | - Natalia Gagarina
- Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ewa Haman
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Kamila Polišenská
- City, University of London, London, UK
- The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, and
| | - Sharon Armon-Lotem
- English Literature and Linguistics and the Gonda Interdisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Campbell DR, Lawrence JE, Goldstein H. Reliability and Feasibility of Administering a Child Language Assessment via Telehealth. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 33:1373-1389. [PMID: 38483194 DOI: 10.1044/2024_ajslp-23-00182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite the speed with which telehealth use advanced during the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence is needed to support the remote delivery of standardized assessments. This study investigated the reliability and feasibility of administering a standardized language assessment administered in real-world telehealth scenarios compared to in-person administration. METHOD A total of 100 children between the ages of 3 and 12 years were administered one of three versions of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF). Children were administered the CELF by the same licensed speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in person and using telehealth, with the order counterbalanced. Means for Core Language standard scores were compared between conditions and among devices. Descriptive statistics summarized the behavior and technology disruptions during administration as well as the results of parent and SLP telehealth perception surveys. RESULTS In-person and telehealth mean scores on all three versions of the CELF revealed no systematic differences of one condition under- or overestimating another. The incidence of child behavior disruptions was similar for both test administration conditions. Adaptations compensated for the rare technology disruptions. Despite no significant language score and behavior differences between testing conditions, parents reported they continued to prefer in-person assessments. SLP participants viewed telehealth overall positively but identified conditions in which they continued to prefer in-person delivery. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence of minimal or no differences in scores and behavioral or technological disruptions between remote and in-person administration of the CELF core language assessments. SLP and parent participants' attitudes toward remote delivery of standardized tests appear to be evolving in a positive direction compared to previous studies. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25292752.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah R Campbell
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Jennella E Lawrence
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Howard Goldstein
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Florida, Tampa
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Favot K, Marnane V, Easwar V, Kung C. The Use of Telepractice to Administer Norm-Referenced Communication and Cognition Assessments in Children With Hearing Loss: A Rapid Review. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:244-253. [PMID: 38016175 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Telepractice administration of norm-referenced assessments of communication and cognition is relatively new, and evidence to support this practice for children with hearing loss is limited. This rapid review examines the validity, reliability, feasibility, and common features of telepractice-administered norm-referenced assessments of communication and cognition for children with hearing loss to determine whether results via telepractice-administration are usable. METHOD This rapid review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Rapid Reviews Methods Group recommendations. Rayyan software was used for initial and full-text screening, and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies was used to measure study quality. RESULTS Electronic databases searches identified two studies that met the eligibility criteria. The findings of this rapid review provide some evidence to indicate that results of norm-referenced assessments do not differ depending on test administration conditions or hearing group status. Although both studies were of sufficient quality, replicability of these studies is uncertain due to the limited description of telepractice administration procedures. Participants indicated that sound levels provided by inbuilt computer speakers were adequate for them to be able to participate in telepractice assessment. CONCLUSION Telepractice administration of the norm-referenced assessments in the included studies may be valid, reliable, and feasible; however, the generalizability of these findings to other norm-referenced assessments is uncertain due to the limited amount of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Favot
- National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vivienne Marnane
- National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Carmen Kung
- National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Ferman S, Kawar K. Tele-Assessment of Oral Personal Narratives in Arabic- and Hebrew-Speaking Children Using the Global TALES Protocol. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2023; 75:456-469. [PMID: 37725922 PMCID: PMC10711759 DOI: 10.1159/000533833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tele-assessment (TA) has the potential to enhance access to speech therapy. This preliminary study aimed to investigate the impact of assessment mode (face-to-face [FTF] vs. TA) on the microstructure level and chosen topics of personal narratives produced by Arabic-speaking and Hebrew-speaking school-age children living in Israel. We also investigated whether performance variations, if evident, could be attributed to the children's language/culture. METHODS Eighty-nine 10-year-old children, 38 Arabic-speaking and 51 Hebrew-speaking, living in Israel, participated in this study. Forty participants were assigned to a TA group (via Zoom) and 49 to a FTF group. All participants were assessed using the Global TALES protocol, generating six personal narratives each. The narratives were analyzed regarding the following microstructural measures: total number of words, total number of utterances (TNU), number of different words, and mean length of utterance in words (MLU-W). Additionally, each narrative was categorized into a topic according to the Global TALES protocol. RESULTS The analysis revealed no significant main effect of assessment mode on any of the microstructure measures. However, a significant interaction effect between language/culture and assessment mode was found for TNU and MLU-W, with a significant main effect for TNU exclusively in the Arabic narratives, with the Arabic-speaking children producing more utterances through FTF compared to TA. Across language/culture groups, there was a significant effect of assessment mode on the chosen topic. Additionally, there were significantly higher scores in the Hebrew compared to the Arabic narratives in all microstructure measures, and language/culture also influenced the chosen topics. CONCLUSIONS The results support the feasibility of TA mode for assessing personal narratives in school-aged children, using the Global TALES protocol. However, the results also suggest that TA results may be affected by the language/culture of the narrator. Finally, the findings highlight the potential influence of TA on the chosen topics of personal narratives, perhaps due to a decrease in the quality of communication in TA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ferman
- Department of Communication Disorders, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Located at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Ono Academic College, Kiriat-Ono, Israel
| | - Khaloob Kawar
- Faculty of Education, Faculty of Counselling, Therapy and Educational Support, Beit Berl College, Kfar Sava, Israel
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Dam QD, Pham GT. Remote First-Language Assessment: Feasibility Study With Vietnamese Bilingual Children and Their Caregivers. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2023; 54:618-635. [PMID: 36972337 PMCID: PMC10187970 DOI: 10.1044/2023_lshss-22-00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE There is a shortage of bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the United States. For Vietnamese, less than 1% of SLPs speak the language compared with a Vietnamese American population of > 2.1 million. This study examines the feasibility and social validity of remote child language assessment with the help of a caregiver to address the need for first language assessments among Vietnamese-speaking children. METHOD Twenty-one dyads of caregivers and typically developing children (aged 3-6 years) completed two assessment sessions in their first language, Vietnamese, using Zoom videoconferencing. Sessions were counterbalanced between two conditions in which either the clinician or the caregiver was the task administrator. Children's language samples were elicited using narrative tasks. Social validity was also assessed through caregiver and child questionnaires at the end of each session. RESULTS There were no significant differences between conditions on language sample measures nor the measures of social validity. Both caregivers and their children felt positively about the sessions. The caregivers' feelings were related to their perception of children's feelings about the sessions. Children's feelings were related to their Vietnamese language proficiency, caregiver-reported language ability, and whether they were born outside of the United States. CONCLUSIONS Findings build the evidence base for telepractice as an effective and socially valid service delivery model for bilingual children in the United States. This study supports the potential for caregivers as task administrators in a telepractice setting, making assessment in a child's first language more feasible and accessible. Future investigation is needed to extend results to bilingual populations with disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quynh Diem Dam
- School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, CA
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego
| | - Giang T. Pham
- School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, CA
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Peña ED, Sutherland R. Can You See My Screen? Virtual Assessment in Speech and Language. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2022; 53:329-334. [PMID: 35344443 DOI: 10.1044/2022_lshss-22-00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This introduction presents the LSHSS Forum: Can You See My Screen? Virtual Assessment in Speech and Language. The goals of the forum are to document reliability and validity of assessment results conducted virtually, identify characteristics of measures that are suitable for online assessment, and provide clinical and research guidance for interpreting diagnostic results obtained in virtual settings. METHOD In this introduction, we provide an overview of the research completed by nine teams, who submitted research articles and notes on a variety of topics pertinent to the theme of telehealth assessments. Of these, seven teams investigated the validity and reliability of 14 different assessment tools, while two teams described training and experience issues. CONCLUSION The nine studies presented in this forum will provide speech-language pathologists with insight into a range of issues regarding telehealth assessment, including the breadth of suitable assessment tools; practical strategies for assessing children with a diverse range of ages, languages, skills, and abilities; and the unexpected challenges and opportunities of conducting clinical work and research during a global pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Sutherland
- Discipline of Speech Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Discipline of Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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