TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative exploration of speech-language pathologists' intervention and intensity provision for children with phonological impairment
AU - Hegarty, Natalie
AU - Titterington, J
AU - Taggart, Laurence
N1 - Funding Information:
This work has been completed through a PhD studentship awarded to Natalie Hegarty by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). Thanks to all SLPs and HSCTs in Northern Ireland for their participation in this work. Thanks to Professor Sharynne McLeod for her contributions to this paper.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited.
PY - 2021/3/4
Y1 - 2021/3/4
N2 - Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the reasons behind speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) current clinical practices (intervention and intensity provision) for children (0–18 years) with phonological impairment. Method: Three focus groups each with five SLPs and six 1:1 interviews with SLP managers from one region of the UK (n = 21) were carried out. A thematic analysis was undertaken. Result: SLPs often used an eclectic mix of familiar approaches with easily-accessible therapy materials. SLPs only reported deviating from their core approach if the child did not progress in therapy. Mixed responses were gathered on the perceived feasibility of transferring evidence-based intervention intensities into clinical practice. The importance of parents to increase intensity provision at home was noted. Barriers to SLPs’ evidence-based decision-making included: time; confidence levels; service-related restrictions and; difficulty replicating research in practice. Having peer support and access to decision-making pathways and manualised intervention protocols were considered ways to overcome these barriers. Conclusion: There is a research-practice gap in which SLPs’ current practices are driven by organisational factors, their own preferences and child-specific factors. To narrow this gap, SLPs suggested the development of time-saving, evidence-based tools.
AB - Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the reasons behind speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’) current clinical practices (intervention and intensity provision) for children (0–18 years) with phonological impairment. Method: Three focus groups each with five SLPs and six 1:1 interviews with SLP managers from one region of the UK (n = 21) were carried out. A thematic analysis was undertaken. Result: SLPs often used an eclectic mix of familiar approaches with easily-accessible therapy materials. SLPs only reported deviating from their core approach if the child did not progress in therapy. Mixed responses were gathered on the perceived feasibility of transferring evidence-based intervention intensities into clinical practice. The importance of parents to increase intensity provision at home was noted. Barriers to SLPs’ evidence-based decision-making included: time; confidence levels; service-related restrictions and; difficulty replicating research in practice. Having peer support and access to decision-making pathways and manualised intervention protocols were considered ways to overcome these barriers. Conclusion: There is a research-practice gap in which SLPs’ current practices are driven by organisational factors, their own preferences and child-specific factors. To narrow this gap, SLPs suggested the development of time-saving, evidence-based tools.
KW - evidence-based practice
KW - phonological impairment
KW - qualitative
KW - Speech and Hearing
KW - Otorhinolaryngology
KW - Research and Theory
KW - Language and Linguistics
KW - LPN and LVN
KW - Humans
KW - Pathologists
KW - Speech Sound Disorder
KW - Speech
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - Articulation Disorders
KW - Speech-Language Pathology
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32635749/
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087633604&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/17549507.2020.1769728
DO - 10.1080/17549507.2020.1769728
M3 - Article
C2 - 32635749
SN - 1754-9507
VL - 23
SP - 213
EP - 224
JO - International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
JF - International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
IS - 2
ER -