Public perspectives on communication disorders and profession of speech-language pathology

Parents' perception on the use of augmentative and alternative communication by children with complex communication needs in Malaysia

PURPOSE

Children with developmental disabilities who have complex communication needs (CCN) frequently need to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate effectively and efficiently. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) often work closely with parents and other professionals when deciding on the best AAC system to introduce to these children. This study aimed to describe the use of AAC by children with CCN in Malaysia as reported by their parents.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

An online survey distributed for this study was completed by 235 parents.

RESULTS

Most of the parents of children with CCN who participated in this study reported that their children used low-tech AAC systems. A majority of respondents were satisfied with their child's AAC system. Parental satisfaction was positively associated with the frequency of use and whether the use of AAC helped parents understand the child better. Challenges reported by parents when using AAC and the reason some families abandoned the use of AAC were similar. Examples of challenges include parents having limited time and the child lacking the motivation to use the AAC system.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest the importance of SLPs actively involving parents in the selection of their children's AAC system so they are agreeable with the system introduced and continuously supporting children and their families to encourage and sustain the use of AAC. Implications for rehabilitationSpeech-language pathologists (SLPs) can create communication opportunities for the child to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and experience success, teach parents how to incorporate AAC into the family's daily routine and activities, and reduce the demands on parents by preparing the AAC materials and programming the AAC system where possible.SLPs can provide ongoing support to school teachers to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to support the use of AAC in the classroom.

Public attitudes toward stuttering in Malaysia

PURPOSE

This study aims to: (a) measure public attitudes toward stuttering in Malaysia using the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attitudes-Stuttering [POSHA-S], (b) determine how reported attitudes and knowledge related to stuttering compare to existing data, and (c) determine whether there are differences between groups for identified variables.

METHOD

A total of 250 adults (mean age = 29 years; range = 19-60 years) completed the POSHA-S in English. We compared this sample's attitudes toward stuttering to POSHA-S data from other global samples. General linear modeling examined differences in overall stuttering score, beliefs, and self reaction subscores for demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, parenting, education, employment status, prior exposure to a person who stutters, multilingual, race, and religion.

RESULTS

The Malaysian participants' overall stuttering score and the beliefs and self reactions subscores were all considerably lower (i.e., less positive) than the other samples around the world from the POSHA-S database median values. Being male, receiving a higher education, and knowing someone who stutters were linked to having more positive self reactions, but none of those factors was linked to positive or negative beliefs. Those who had previously been exposed to stuttering scored significantly higher than those who had not.

CONCLUSION

Malaysians may have less positive attitudes toward stuttering than Westerners. More needs to be done to make society more accepting of people who stutter. Future research should aim to find ways to educate and to raise public awareness about stuttering.

Autism Children and English Vocabulary Learning: A Qualitative Inquiry of the Challenges They Face in Their English Vocabulary Learning Journey

Language learning is one of the most important aspects of an individual’s life development and growth. Normal learners’ English language acquisition differs depending on their preferences and learning styles. Children with autism, on the other hand, appear to have different learning methods and routines. There has been a lot of previous work on the language learning styles of normal learners, but not much on the language learning path of children with autism. Due to that, this study aims at investigating the challenges children with autism face in their English vocabulary learning. Observations and focus group discussions were conducted with 45 children with autism, 4 autism education teachers, 2 occupational therapists and a parent of children with mild autism children to investigate the challenges autism children face in their vocabulary learning. The findings have gathered that autistic children encounter a few challenges occasionally in their English vocabulary learning journey. The data were gathered and arranged thematically. Further recommendations and suggestions are discussed in this study.

‘AReal-Vocab’: An Augmented Reality English Vocabulary Mobile Application to Cater to Mild Autism Children in Response towards Sustainable Education for Children with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association defines autism spectrum disorder as a neurological illness, in which children with the disorder have trouble communicating socially or have a set of behaviours that are recurrent or restricted. Autism learners are mostly visual method learners who learn best through pictures and visuals. Most learners with autism struggle to learn new terminology due to their cognitive difficulties, and with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology is no longer a foreign concept in the educational sphere. The usage of augmented reality technology has proven to be beneficial in offering more relevant learning sessions for autism learners. As a result, underpinned by the learning theories of behaviourism, constructivism, connectives and cognitivism, altogether with the theory of mind and Frame model, an augmented reality smartphone application, called ‘AReal-Vocab’, was created to assist children with mild autism in acquiring English vocabulary. The design and development research approach was employed in this study, in which later, the developed mobile augmented reality application was then tested on six mildly autistic youngsters to see how well the designed and developed augmented reality mobile application aided them in acquiring the English language. The AReal-Vocab mobile application, which was planned and built, has had an impact on the English-vocabulary learning of children with moderate autism, according to the findings. Not only has AReal-Vocab helped mildly autistic children learn English vocabulary in a more engaging and meaningful way, sparking their interest in the language learning process, but it also serves as a platform for instilling leisure learning at home, as well as stimulating pronunciation skills and language articulation. The findings of this study are expected to benefit all parties involved, particularly children with autism, autism educators, and parents of children with autism.

Exploring attitudes about evidence-based practice among speech-language pathologists: A survey of Japan and Malaysia

Purpose: To investigate speech-language pathologists' current perceptions, previous training experiences, resources, barriers, and training needs in terms of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in two Asian countries.Method: Their knowledge and attitudes about EBP were explored using an online questionnaire. A descriptive analysis was conducted with consideration of the effect of demographic variables on knowledge and attitudes about EBP.Result: Malaysian speech-language pathologists (n = 98) displayed more positive attitudes toward EBPs, with a significantly higher (t (143) = 5.91, p < .01) total mean score (Mean = 120.7, SD = 11) compared to the Japanese speech-language pathologists (n = 47, Mean = 107.8, SD = 13.5). Malaysian practitioners who were female, worked full-time, and worked in government settings reported higher motivation to develop EBP skills. Japanese practitioners who worked in private sectors reported higher EBPs training needs than those in government settings. In both countries, speech-language pathologists with higher education levels tended to express fewer perceived barriers towards EBP.Conclusion: Findings could help local governance and speech-language pathologist associations to understand the current practices and professional development needs of speech-language pathologists, leading to more effective training programs and educating employers and managers who can reinforce EBP among practitioners.

Mental Health Practitioners' Understanding of Speech Pathology in a Regional Australian Community

(1) Background: This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and the perceptions of speech pathology held by a sample of regional mental health practitioners and to explore factors that facilitate understanding of the roles of speech pathologists in mental health. While mental health is recognised as an area of practice by Speech Pathology Australia, the inclusion of speech pathologists in mental health teams is limited. (2) Methods: An anonymous online survey was created using previously validated surveys and author generated questions and distributed to mental health practitioners in Central Queensland, Australia. (3) Results: Mental health practitioners had difficulty identifying speech pathology involvement when presented with case scenarios. Accuracy was poor for language-based cases, ranging from 28.81% to 37.29%. Participants who reported having worked with a speech pathologist were more likely to demonstrate higher scores on the areas of practice questions, [r(53) = 0.301, p = 0.028], and the language scenarios [r(58) = 0.506, p < 0.001]. They were also more likely to agree to statements regarding the connection between speech pathology and mental health, r(59) = 0.527, p < 0.001. (4) Conclusions: As found in this study, contact with speech pathologists is a strong predictor of mental health providers' knowledge of the speech pathology profession. Thus, the challenge may be to increase this contact with mental health providers to promote inclusion of speech pathologists in the mental health domain.

Knowledge mediates attitude in autism spectrum disorders? Data from Malaysia

Limited efforts have been made in middle- and low-income countries to raise public awareness of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over the past ten years. We report data from a general population survey exploring the relationship between awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding autism in Malaysia. A questionnaire consisting of items related to awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding ASD was distributed. The scores of knowledge of ASD and attitude towards ASD were 6.87 (SD = 4.17; with a total possible score of 12) and 6.39 (SD = 2.77; with a total possible score of 9), respectively, indicating that, on average, the participants had moderate levels of knowledge and attitude. Structural equation modeling showed that improving awareness and knowledge about ASD will enhance more positive attitudes towards ASD. Efforts should be geared towards disseminating information about ASD, in order to increase acceptance of the disorder.

Community awareness of speech pathology: A regional perspective

OBJECTIVE

Speech pathology has a history of low public awareness and in the absence of current research it is unclear if community awareness has changed in recent years. This study sought to explore a regional community's awareness of speech pathology as the impetus for considering future directions pertaining to awareness and understanding of the scope of practice of this profession.

DESIGN

An anonymous online survey was created using questions from previously validated surveys on this topic, and then distributed via snowball sampling using social media.

SETTING

Data are from residents of the Central Queensland community in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Two hundred and seven adults who live in Central Queensland completed the survey.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Comparisons were drawn between the responses from this survey to those from earlier studies.

RESULTS

The majority of respondents had heard of speech pathology mostly due to personal contact, but they indicated that they did not know 'a lot' about speech pathology. Knowledgeable individuals had higher levels of education and were better able to identify speech pathologists' scope of practice. Personal contact with a speech pathologist also significantly contributed to self-rated knowledge and accurate identification of scope of practice of speech pathologists.

CONCLUSION

While regional Central Queensland community members have heard of speech pathology, their self-reported knowledge of the profession continues to be low. In order to optimise service access and consumer outcomes it is recommended that the profession aims to improve community awareness of speech pathology.

Malaysian teachers' experience using augmentative and alternative communication with students

Teachers play an important role in the successful implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for students with complex communication needs. The goal of this two-phase, mixed-methods study was to explore Malaysian teachers' use of, experience with, and perceptions about AAC. Phase 1 involved 252 teachers who completed a questionnaire that was aimed at collecting nationwide data about their use and overall perceptions of AAC. Phase 2 involved semi-structured interviews with 13 teachers who had experience supporting students who used AAC. Approximately half of the participants who completed the questionnaire knew about AAC and had used AAC with their students. Almost all of the participants had positive views of AAC though some misconceptions were reported. Most participants had limited knowledge about AAC that led them to experience difficulties supporting their students. Teachers were motivated to receive AAC-related training to enable them to use AAC more successfully with their students given the small number of SLPs in the country.

Self-stigma and its associations with stress and quality of life among Malaysian parents of children with autism

BACKGROUND

This study explored the relationship between self-perceived stigmatization (affiliate stigma), stress and quality of life among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHOD

Participants (N = 110) filled-in the Affiliate Stigma Scale, the Caregiver Burden Inventory and the CarerQOL scale.

RESULTS

Parents reported low scores on stigma and fair levels of stress and quality of life, indicating that parents do not feel stigmatized by affiliation with a child with ASD nor are they stressed from affiliate stigma. After controlling for demographic factors, both the relationships of affiliate stigma with stress and with quality of life were weak, indicating that stigma may have little to no effect on stress and quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Cultural and religious beliefs may play a part in the acceptance of a child's condition, resulting in less impact of stigma on the parents.

Speech-Language Pathology in Malaysia: Perspectives and Challenges

Purpose

Malaysia, with its diverse culture and multilingual population, presents a unique and interesting setting for working as a speech-language pathologist (SLP). This article discusses the challenges that SLPs face when providing speech and language therapy in Malaysia and issues that need to be addressed for continued growth of this profession. While providing suggestions to SLPs on methods to overcome the challenges faced and improve their clinical practice, this article also calls upon international collaborations in overcoming these challenges.

Conclusions

Within the last few decades, the SLP profession in Malaysia has continued to grow and develop as it seeks to offer services on par with countries where the profession is more established. However, there is still much room for improvement as Malaysia continues to overcome current challenges.