Poster Session II
Project Type
Poster
Project Funding and Affiliations
College of Health
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Amy Glaspey
Faculty Mentor’s Department
School of Speech, Language, Hearing, and Occupational Sciences
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Speech-language pathologists strive for patient-centered care, yet clinicians often face limitations when making collaborative decisions with children. Understanding a child’s unique emotional experience is vital for developing effective treatment plans for speech sound disorders; however, traditional assessments rely heavily on the perspectives of parents and teachers. This leaves the child’s internal world largely undiscovered. Our project evaluates the Sound Effects Study Drawing Protocol (SESDP) as a multimodal tool to bridge the gap between external observations and a child’s inner perspective.
We asked: During a drawing task, what developmental milestones and symbolic skills are evident over time for preschool-aged children with a speech sound disorder (SSD)? Our methodology involved administering the SESDP to two boys (ages 3–4) diagnosed with SSD and enrolled in speech treatment. Participants were provided with markers and paper and prompted to, "Draw a picture of you talking to someone." We then applied a modified focal point analysis and emotional labeling to identify recurring communicative themes, developmental milestones, and emotional markers.
The results of the study demonstrated measurable growth in both developmental milestones and symbolic skills across the assessment period. Child 1 showed significant progress, transitioning from drawing only a head to five distinct body parts, alongside a shift from communicative frustration to joy. Similarly, Child 2 exhibited incremental growth in consonant accuracy and question-answering skills while moving from mixed emotions to a positive outlook on communication. Through the use of a drawing protocol, clinicians can build deeper trust and develop more empathetic, individualized treatment plans.
Category
Life Sciences
Beyond Words: Unlocking the Child's Perspective in Speech Therapy
UC South Ballroom
Speech-language pathologists strive for patient-centered care, yet clinicians often face limitations when making collaborative decisions with children. Understanding a child’s unique emotional experience is vital for developing effective treatment plans for speech sound disorders; however, traditional assessments rely heavily on the perspectives of parents and teachers. This leaves the child’s internal world largely undiscovered. Our project evaluates the Sound Effects Study Drawing Protocol (SESDP) as a multimodal tool to bridge the gap between external observations and a child’s inner perspective.
We asked: During a drawing task, what developmental milestones and symbolic skills are evident over time for preschool-aged children with a speech sound disorder (SSD)? Our methodology involved administering the SESDP to two boys (ages 3–4) diagnosed with SSD and enrolled in speech treatment. Participants were provided with markers and paper and prompted to, "Draw a picture of you talking to someone." We then applied a modified focal point analysis and emotional labeling to identify recurring communicative themes, developmental milestones, and emotional markers.
The results of the study demonstrated measurable growth in both developmental milestones and symbolic skills across the assessment period. Child 1 showed significant progress, transitioning from drawing only a head to five distinct body parts, alongside a shift from communicative frustration to joy. Similarly, Child 2 exhibited incremental growth in consonant accuracy and question-answering skills while moving from mixed emotions to a positive outlook on communication. Through the use of a drawing protocol, clinicians can build deeper trust and develop more empathetic, individualized treatment plans.