Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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Date of Graduation
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Advisor(s)
Geralyn R. Timler
Dannette A. Bronaugh
Marsha S. Longerbeam
Keri S. Bethune
Abstract
In the public schools, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) serve as clinicians to children with various language, articulation, and communication disorders. Often times, these conditions are present in children who also have disruptive or inattentive behaviors. SLPs in the school system are required to provide effective treatment to each child; however, too often the effectiveness of treatment is hindered by behavior outbursts from the children. Although there are empirically supported plans and strategies for behavior management in general elementary school classrooms, little is known about the knowledge and implementation practices of SLPs who serve school-age children. The purpose of this honors thesis was to examine graduate student and practicing SLP knowledge and implementation of nine behavior management strategies through dissemination of a survey. The strategies examined were- Differential Reinforcement, Token Reinforcement, Antecedent Based Intervention, Response Interruption/Redirection, Prompting, Operant Reinforcement Schedules, Functional Communication Training, Prompt Fading, and Time Delay. The participants included 33 graduate students and 35 school-based SLPs. Results showed 100% of practicing SLPs serve students with behavior issues. The first year students reported less knowledge than the second year students who reported less knowledge than the practicing SLPs for every strategy except prompt fading and time delay. Implications for training and future research are also discussed.
Recommended Citation
Withers, Gillian, "Use of behavior strategies in speech-language therapy: A survey of Virginia school based speech-language pathologists" (2018). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 621.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/621
