SLP 524 Final Study Guide

Purpose and Use of Intake Forms:

Collect preliminary client information, such as medical history, developmental milestones, and concerns, to guide the evaluation process.

Helps streamline the in-person interview and prioritize areas of assessment.

Purpose of In-Person Interviews:

Builds rapport with clients and families.

Allows clinicians to clarify and expand upon information from intake forms.

Provides insights into client communication behaviors and attitudes.

Standard Score

Reflects a test-taker’s performance relative to the norm group, typically with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15.

Percentile Rank

Shows the percentage of scores in a norm group that fall below a given score. Example: A score at the 90th percentile is higher than 90% of the norm group.

Standard Deviation

Indicates the amount of variation from the mean; helps classify performance levels.

Mean

The average score in a data set, often used as a benchmark in standardized tests.

Impairment Levels

Mild: 1 standard deviation below the mean.

Moderate: 1–2 standard deviations below the mean.

Severe: More than 2 standard deviations below the mean.

Norm-Referenced Standardized Tests:

Compare an individual’s performance to that of a normative group.

Common in educational or clinical settings for identifying developmental or cognitive delays.

Criterion-Referenced Tests:

Evaluate individual performance against specific criteria, not against other test-takers.

Useful for determining mastery of skills or knowledge.

Objective

Observable, measurable facts (e.g., “The client produced 10 repetitions”).

Subjective

Clinician’s interpretation or opinion (e.g., “The client seemed anxious”).

Psychometrics

The science of test development, focusing on reliability, validity, and standardization.

Raw Score

The unadjusted score obtained from a test before being converted into standard scores or percentile ranks.

Ceiling

The point at which a test becomes too difficult for the client, indicating their performance limit.

Basal

The starting point on a test where the client consistently answers correctly, assuming mastery of all previous items.

Assessment of Children with Limited Language

Nonverbal, single-word, and early multiword communicators.

Importance of observing social prerequisites (e.g., joint attention) and play behaviors.

Use of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tools to assess language comprehension and production.

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Speech Sound Disorders

Difficulty with perception, articulation, or phonological representation of speech sounds.

SODA (Substitution, Omission, Distortion, Addition)

Framework for classifying articulation errors.

Phonological Disorders

Rule-based errors affecting sound patterns (e.g., cluster reduction)

Articulation Disorders

Physical difficulty producing specific sounds (e.g., a lisp)

Typical Disfluencies

Occasional hesitations, interjections, or revisions.

Atypical (Stuttering)

Part-word repetitions, sound prolongations, or blocks that disrupt communication.

Risk Factors for Developing a Stutter

Family history, gender (higher prevalence in males), and late onset of speech development.

Underlying Cause of Aphasia

Brain damage due to stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or other neurological conditions.

Key Areas to Assess for Apraxia of Speech (AOS)

Speech production, prosody, motor planning, and automatic vs. volitional speech.

Purpose of a Diadochokinesis (DDK) Test

Evaluate motor planning and coordination by measuring rapid alternating speech movements

Children with CAS (Childhood Apraxia of Speech) Are at Risk for

Delayed speech and language development, reading difficulties, and reduced intelligibility

Hoarseness

A rough or raspy vocal quality.

Dysphonia

Any abnormality in voice production, including pitch, loudness, and quality.

Supraglottis, Subglottic, Glottis, Arytenoids

Anatomical regions of the larynx involved in phonation and resonance.

Scope of Practice for Voice SLPs

SLPs assess and treat functional voice disorders but cannot diagnose medical conditions like laryngeal cancer, which require ENT referral.

Cancer and Alaryngeal Voice Disorders

Address voice rehabilitation post-laryngectomy using techniques like esophageal speech, electrolarynx training, or tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP)

Statement of the Problem

Brief summary of the evaluation reason

Background Information

Medical and developmental history relevant to the diagnosis

Clinical Impressions

Interpretation of test results and overall diagnosis

Professional Tone

Objective, clear, and concise writing style

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)

Brain damage caused by an external force, often affecting communication and cognition

IEP (Individualized Education Plan)

A legal document outlining educational goals and services for students with disabilities

ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases)

A coding system used for diagnosing and billing medical and communication disorders