Browsing by master's degree program "Logopedian maisteriohjelma"
Now showing items 101-111 of 111
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(2021)Varhaisten eleiden ja esinetoimintojen omaksumisajankohdan, kokonaismäärän ja käytön monipuolisuuden on havaittu olevan vahvasti yhteydessä myöhempään sanaston kehitykseen. Siinä missä eleiden kokonaismäärän ja käytön monipuolisuuden yhteyttä myöhempään sanastoon on tutkittu paljon, ei yksittäisten ele- ja sanakategorioiden välisistä yhteyksistä ole vielä kovinkaan paljoa tietoa. Tämän pro gradu-tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, ovatko yksittäiset varhaiset eletyypit vuoden iässä mitattuna yhteydessä ymmärretyn ja ilmaistun sanaston hallintaan puolentoista vuoden iässä. Aineisto koostui 50 yksikielisestä suomenkielisestä lapsesta (25 poikaa ja 25 tyttöä), jotka osallistuivat Sanaseula-tutkimukseen. Eleiden ja esinetoimintojen hallintaa selvitettiin Varhaisen kommunikaation ja kielen kehityksen arviointimenetelmän 8-16 kuukauden ikäisten arviointiin tarkoitetun Toiminnat ja eleet-osion avulla. Sanaston hallintaa arvioitiin Sanaseula-menetelmän Vauveli-versiolla, joka on tarkoitettu 9-18 kuukauden ikäisten lasten arviointiin. Aineistoa analysoitiin tarkastelemalla varhaisten ele- ja esinetoimintojen ja Sanaseulaan sisällytettyjen ymmärrettyjen ja ilmaistujen sanojen välisiä korrelaatioita. Lisäksi tarkasteltiin ele- ja esinetoimintojen yhteyttä ymmärretyn ja ilmaistun sanaston sanakategorioiden prosentuaalisiin osuuksiin kaikista Sanaseulaan sisällytetyistä sanoista. Kun tarkasteltiin varhaisten eletyyppien ja myöhemmän ymmärretyn sanaston välisiä yhteyksiä, havaittiin deiktisten eleiden hyvän hallinnan vuoden iässä olevan yhteydessä suurempaan ymmärrettyjen verbien prosentuaaliseen osuuteen Sanaseulaan sisällytetyistä sanoista puolentoista vuoden iässä. Lisäksi esinetoimintojen hyvä hallinta vuoden iässä oli yhteydessä suurempiin adjektiivien ja sulkeisen luokan sanojen osuuksiin ymmärretyistä sanoista. Tarkasteltaessa varhaisten eletyyppien ja myöhemmän ilmaistun sanaston välisiä yhteyksiä huomattiin, että ritualisoitujen pyyntöjen runsas käyttö vuoden iässä oli yhteydessä ilmaistujen sosiaalispragmaattisten sanojen, substantiivien ja sulkeisen luokan sanojen hyvään hallintaan puolentoista vuoden iässä. Esinetoimintojen ja ilmaistujen adjektiivien ja sulkeisen luokan sanojen suhteellisten osuuksien välillä havaittiin myös positiivisia yhteyksiä. Varhaisten eleiden omaksuminen näyttäisi olevan yhteydessä ensimmäisinä lapsen sanastoon ilmaantuvien sanojen omaksumiseen. Lisäksi tuloksista voidaan päätellä, että niillä lapsilla, joilla oli vuoden iässä käytössään paljon esinetoimintoja oli muita lapsia suuremmat ymmärretyt ja ilmaistut sanastot puolentoista vuoden iässä. Tässä tutkielmassa esiin nousseet tulokset vahvistavat aiempaa käsitystä siitä, että eleiden käyttö edeltää ja edesauttaa ymmärretyn ja ilmaistun sanaston omaksumista.
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(2022)Naming is part of word-finding process where we retrieve words from our mental lexicon. Word retrieval is one of the fundamental procedures in linguistic processing. Aphasia is a linguistic disorder caused by a cerebrovascular accident. Word-finding or naming difficulty is the most common symptom of aphasia. Normal aging is also associated with decline in word-finding and naming abilities. The aim of this study was to investigate how healthy young adults, healthy elder participants and subacute aphasic participants perform in novel word naming task. Subacute aphasic participants performance in the naming task was compared with data collected on the performance of healthy control groups. In addition, the connection between performance in the novel word recognition task and in the naming task ability was examined. There was a total of 50 participants in this study. The sample of the study consisted of three groups: subacute aphasic participants (n=10), healthy young adults (n=20) and healthy elder participants (n=20). On first occasion the word learning task was completed on a computer program where participants practiced six pseudoword-picture pairings. Novel word learning was measured by word recognition task and naming task on two different occasions that were one week apart from each other. The performance in the naming task differentiated significantly between all the groups. Healthy young adults performed significantly better than subacute aphasic participants. Subacute aphasic participants’ and healthy elder participants’ performance in the naming task was close to significance. However, it can’t be inferred from the result that there is no difference in performance between these groups. There was a significant difference between performance of the healthy elderly participants and the healthy young adults. There was a correlation between the performance in the word recognition task and word naming task when investigating the whole sample. There was no correlation found between the two tasks when the groups were assessed independently. Additionally, this study provides new research data of the naming ability of young healthy adults, the elderly and subacute aphasic participants.
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(2021)Aphasia is a linguistic disorder that occurs after language acquisition and can lead to difficulties with expressive and receptive language. Aphasia is most often caused by a stroke. The inability to retrieve words, also known as anomia, is the most common symptom of aphasia and it is most often assessed with object-naming tasks. It is acknowledged that in aphasia learning is fundamental aspect of the recovery process and this has led to increasing interest to study novel word learning ability in aphasia. So far, word learning ability in people with aphasia has been studied mainly in chronic stage. The aim of this study was to examine novel word learning ability in subacute aphasia using recognition and naming task and to investigate the possible connection between recognition and naming ability. Additionally, the possible connection between naming of familiar objects and new objects was investigated. The sample of this study was part of the Opi sanoja research project and included ten adults with subacute aphasia (maximum 3 months post-stroke). Participants completed a learning task on computer and their aim was to learn six pseudoword-picture pairings. The novel word learning ability of the participants was assessed using recognition and confrontation naming task. The tasks were administered on two different occasions one week apart from each other. The ability to name familiar objects was assessed using Boston Naming Test. Participants’ ability to name novel objects wasn’t correlated with their ability to recognize the novel objects. Furthermore, participants’ ability to name familiar objects didn’t correlate with the ability to name novel objects. However, there was considerable inter-individual variability in learning performance. Some of the participants were able to recognize novel objects at the statistically significant level immediately after the learning task and one week later. However, some of the participant’s couldn’t recognize the objects either immediately after the learning task or one week later. At the group level participants’ performance on the novel object naming task was poor and was virtually at floor. However, consideration of individual participant results revealed that one of the participants was able to name some of the novel objects correctly. Based on the results, people in subacute aphasia recognize novel targets better than name them. The results are in line with previous studies that have investigated ability to learn new words in chronic aphasia and support the initial evidence that people with subacute aphasia can learn novel words. The findings of this study also provide preliminary understanding of the ability to name novel objects in subacute aphasia.
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(2022)Objectives: In apraxic-aphasic disorder, both apraxia of speech (AOS) and aphasia impede speech production. There is little research on severe apraxic-aphasic disorder and its rehabilitation, which complicates the targeting and planning of rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to obtain information about rehabilitation of severe apraxic-aphasic disorder, by observing changes in production of non-propositional speech production during a three-year period. Additionally, the aim was to observe whether the changes in sound errors were similar between the subjects. Method: The data of this study consisted of audio and video recordings in which the participants with severe apraxic-aphasic disorder produced non-propositional speech. The tasks involved counting the numbers 1–10 and reciting the days of the week. The participants had a severe apraxic-aphasic disorder as a result of left hemisphere ischemic stroke. The study examined the changes of sound distortion errors in non-propositional speech tasks. In the data analysis 0–2 points were given for each type of sound errors (sound omissions, sound substitutions, sound distortions and sound additions) for each individual word. High number of sound errors in speech resulted as a high number of error points in the analysis. Results and Conclusions: Five of the seven participants were able to count from 1 to 10 and recite the days of the week at least once with or without help and two participants were not. Of the five subjects who were able to count the numbers 1–10 and recite the days of the week, four were able to produce the non-propositional speech tasks with fewer sound errors during the follow-up. The number of sound errors decreased the most within 15,5 months post-onset. Most of the sound errors were sound omissions and sound substitutions, but high number of sound omission was in part due to assistance from the researcher. The results show that the number of changes in sound errors among severely apraxic-aphasic subjects vary over the course of a three-year period. Changes in the type of sound errors were minimal. The results of the study help to better understand the apraxic-aphasic disorder and its rehabilitation.
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(2022)Apraxia and aphasia occur frequently together. Producing speech and using other means of communication such as gesturing is challenging for persons with a severe apraxia-aphasia. Prior research concerning the recovery of persons with a severe apraxic-aphasic disorder is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the possible changes in gesturing among persons with severe apraxic-aphasic disorder between one and three years after stroke. The goal was to investigate the changes in recognizability of the gestures produced after a verbal command. Additionally, the possible effects on recognizability of the gestures by showing a picture of an object related to the gestures or a gesture model were investigated. The sample used in this study was part of the Long-term recovery from apraxia-aphasia after a left hemisphere stroke research project and included seven persons with a severe apraxic-aphasic disorder. The gesturing was assessed using The Florida Apraxia Screening Test-Revised (FAST-R) on two study occasions – after one year and after three years of stroke. The results were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings of this study suggest that changes in gesturing among persons with severe apraxic-aphasic disorder are possible between one and three years after stroke. However, there was much variation in the performance between the participants. The performance on gesturing after a verbal command improved in four persons and remained approximately the same in three persons. At group level the changes in gesturing after a verbal command were not statistically significant. Generally, showing a gesture model improved the recognizability of the gestures substantially more compared to showing a picture. Persons with severe apraxic-aphasic disorder can benefit from showing a picture or gesture model in gesture production, but there was considerable variation between the participants.
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(2022)Aims. Parents are most important communication partners for young child, and language, learning and memory skills develop via everyday parent-child interaction. Shared book reading is an interactive moment that fosters parents to use richer and more diverse language than they would otherwise be using in everyday life. Previous research on shared reading has focused particular on the association between reading and children’s language development and vocabulary. However, there are indications that shared reading could also support the development of a child’s later learning skills and memory. The aim of this study was to examine how shared reading (2;7–4;2 years) is connected to the language skills, learning skills and memory functions assessed by the parent of a five-year-old child. In addition, it is explored how shared reading (2;7–4;2 years) manages to explain the child's skills at the age of five, when the background factors are controlled. Methods. The study sample consisted of 70 typically developed Finnish-speaking children. The study sample is part of the LEINIKKI-study. Data on the amount of parents’ reading to a child was collected on a parent-report form. Children’s receptive and expressive language skills at the age 2,7-4,2 years were assessed with the Reynell Developmental Language Scales III. The children's skills at the age of five were assessed using the following sections from the The Five to Fifteen -parent-report questionnaire: Language, Learning, and Memory. The connection between the shared reading and the Language, Learning, and Memory skills at the age of five was analyzed with Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U-test, and linear regression analysis. Results and conclusions. Children, whose both parents red books often, had significantly better scores in all three skill areas (Language, Learning and Memory). Regression analysis showed that the more parents red to their 2.7 to 4.2 aged children the higher scores in Learning-section children had at the age of five. However, parents’ active reading to their child may enhance the development of the child’s later learning skills and potentially support children’s language skills and memory. The results of the study can be used to encourage parents to read to their children. Future studies should use larger sample size to confirm the longitudinal association of shared reading and later language, learning, and memory skills.
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(2021)Parents are young child’s most important communication partners. When parents use rich and diverse language it enhances child’s language development. The aim of this study was to examine if using a different kind of supporting forms (shared book reading, storytelling and singing) by parents enhances typically developed (2;6–3;6 years) children’s receptive vocabulary, receptive language and/or expressive vocabulary. Research data consists of 50 typically developed monolingual Finnish-speaking children, a sub-group of participants of LEINIKKI Study. Parent’s usage of language supporting forms was examined by Supporting children’s language development at home -form. Children’s receptive vocabulary skills were assessed by Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence III (WPPSI-III) subtest of Receptive Vocabulary. Children’s receptive language skills were assessed by the receptive part of the Reynell Developmental Language Scales III. Children’s expressive vocabulary were assessed by WPPSI-III subtest of Picture Naming and LEINIKKI -method’s vocabulary section. The data was analysed statistically. Methods included independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests and linear regression analysis. In this research children, whose parents read books often with child, got statistically significantly higher scores in tests of receptive vocabulary, receptive language, and expressive vocabulary than children, whose parents read books seldom with child. Children, whose parents tell stories often, got statistically significantly higher scores of expressive vocabulary measured by LEINIKKI meth-od’s vocabulary section than children, whose parents tell stories seldom. There were no group differences in language skills between children, whose parents sing often or seldom. Shared book reading and storytelling develops child’s language skills. These research findings can be utilized when encouraged parents to read aloud books and telling stories to the child. It is important to research this topic more with larger data to get more information about connection of parent’s language supporting forms to preschool age child’s language skills.
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(2023)Aim. People who cannot communicate by speech the way they want to, need augmentative and alternative communication systems, AAC. Aided communicators are often characterized as passive in interactions involving aided communication. However, conversations are always co-constructed, and all conversational partners impact on them with their own actions. The aim of this study was to identify and describe how conversations are co-constructed in these situations. Moreover, the aim was to describe which communication moves, pragmatic functions, and modes of communication were utilized across three different dyads. Method. The thesis used mixed methods research, where the phenomena were examined mainly with qualitative methods. In addition, quantitative methods were used for comparison between pairs. The participants of the study were 8-year-old Sara and her three conversation partners: a mother, a teacher, and a peer. Sara communicated with a communication book, and using gaze, gestures, and single words. The data was part of an international research project Becoming an aided communicator (BAC): Aided language skills in children aged 5–15 years – a multi-site and cross-cultural investigation. The data consisted of videoed and transcribed material from video event description tasks. Six video event descriptions from each Sara-conversation partner-dyad, 18 in total, were chosen for analyses. The data analysis followed the analysis method used by Pennington and McConachie (2001). The data were analyzed to identify how conversations are structured using structure of move, pragmatic functions, and mode of communication. Results and conclusions. The study showed that communicative moves and pragmatic functions were distributed similarly between different dyads. Sara’s communication partners differed in how they used the modes of communication with Sara. The teacher used the communication aids more than the peer or the mother. The study highlights Sara’s active role in all interactions. She contributed to the progress of the conversations with her own actions and initiatives. The study reinforces observations from previous studies concluding that aided conversations are often constructed by question-and-answer sequences. However, in part, it challenges previous studies indicating that the aided communicator would always have a passive role and the speaking partner would dominate interaction situations.
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(2023)Tavoitteet. Tässä maisterintutkielmassa tarkastellaan, millaisia viittaussuhteiden tulkitsemisen ongelmia tyypillisesti kehittyvät 4- ja 5-vuotiaat lapset nostavat esiin leikkivuorovaikutuksessa oman vanhemman kanssa. Tutkimuksen kohteena ovat lasten esittämät korjausaloitteet. Korjausaloite on puheenvuoro, jolla ilmaistaan keskustelukumppanin aiemman vuoron olleen vaikeasti kuultavissa tai ymmärrettävissä. Korjausaloitteilla pyritään ylläpitämään ja tarvittaessa palauttamaan hetkellisesti menetettyä keskinäistä ymmärrystä eli intersubjektiivisuutta keskustelussa. Tässä tutkielmassa tarkastellaan, mitä korjausaloitteita lapset käyttävät vanhemman puheenvuorossa esiintyneen viittaussuhteen jäädessä epäselväksi, ja mikä on korjausaloitteiden esiintymisympäristö keskustelussa. Lisäksi selvitetään, voidaanko 4- ja 5-vuotiaiden lasten tekemien korjausaloitteiden välillä havaita eroa. Menetelmät. Tässä työssä tutkittiin kahdeksan 3;11–5;1-vuotiaan lapsen korjauskäytänteitä leikkivuorovaikutuksessa oman vanhemman kanssa. Tutkimusaineistona oli autenttisissa vuorovaikutustilanteissa tallennetut videot, ja yhteensä videoaineistoa oli kuusi tuntia 46 minuuttia. Aineisto on kerätty vuosina 2004–2007 osana Lapsen kehittyvä kieli ja vuorovaikutus -tutkimushanketta (myöh. COMPAIR). Tutkimus perustuu keskustelunanalyyttisen tutkimusparadigman mukaiseen sekventiaaliseen analyysiin ja aineistolähtöiseen ryhmittelyyn. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Tutkimukseen osallistuneiden lasten korjausaloitteet vastasivat monelta osin aiemman tutkimuksen havaintoja lasten korjauskäytänteistä. Viittaussuhteita tarkentavien korjausaloitteiden määrässä oli osallistujakohtaista hajontaa. Erot voivat osittain heijastaa lasten keskustelussa kohtaamien ongelmien määrää, osittain lasten taipumusta esittää korjausaloitteita. Lapset nostivat esiin viittaussuhteiden tulkitsemisen ongelmia pääasiassa tulkintaehdokkailla ja kysymyssanoilla. Aineistosta löytyi myös kaksi kysymyslauseen muotoista korjausaloitetta. Pelkkiä ei-sanallisia aineksia sisältäviä korjausaloitteita ei havaittu, mutta tulkintaehdokkaisiin liittyi usein osoittava ele tai tarkistava katse. Aineistoissa havaittiin laajempia toimintajaksoja, ja niiden aikana muotoutuvia tyypillisiä keskustelun lähikonteksteja, joissa lapset tekivät korjausaloitteita. 4- ja 5-vuotiaiden ryhmät eivät juuri eronneet toisistaan korjausaloitteiden esiintymisfrekvenssin tai koostumuksen osalta, mutta lähikonteksteja tarkasteltaessa 5-vuotiailla korjaustoimintaa esiintyi 4-vuotiaita harvemmissa konteksteissa. Kahden ikäryhmän korjauskäytänteiden vertaaminen vahvisti käsitystä siitä, että lapsen iän ja kielellisen kehitystason lisäksi kontekstuaaliset tekijät vaikuttavat siihen, millaisia puheen tulkitsemisen ongelmia lapset keskustelussa kohtaavat ja kuinka intersubjektiivisuus keskustelussa rakentuu. Tässä tutkimuksessa tutkittiin lapsen vuorovaikutusta vanhemman kanssa. Kattavampi kuva saataisiin tarkastelemalla jatkossa lasten korjaustoimintaa myös esimerkiksi leikkivuorovaikutuksessa ikätoverin kanssa.
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(2023)Background and Objectives: It is crucial to identify children's linguistic and communicative challenges as early as possible. Previous research indicates that early vocabulary and gesture-object expression skills are strong predictors of later linguistic and communicative abilities. By assessing these skills, it is possible to identify children in need of support at an early stage. Various methods have been developed to assess early language and communication development, one of which is Finnish version of Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales, Developmental Profile (FinCSBS). It is a screening method where parents evaluate a child's social communication, speech comprehension, and speech production skills between the ages of 6 to 24 months. While the FinCSBS has been standardized up to two years of age, there is limited research on its application in assessing this age group. The aim of this master's thesis was to investigate whether a child's mastery of vocabulary and gestures at the age of one is related to their linguistic and communicative development at the age of two, as assessed using the FinCSBS. Additionally, the study aimed to examine the usability of the FinCSBS in assessing children's linguistic development at two years of age. Participants and Methods: This study included 50 typically developing Finnish-speaking children. The study sample was part of the validation study of short form of the MacArthur Communication Inventories Finnish version (Sanaseula study). Children's mastery of vocabulary and gesture-object functions was assessed at one year of age using the Finnish Long Form version of the Communicative Development Inventories (FinCDI-LF), while their linguistic and communicative skills at two years of age were assessed using the FinCSBS. The connections between one-year-old children's vocabulary and gesture-object skills and two-year-old children's linguistic and communicative skills were initially examined by analyzing the Spearman correlation coefficient. Subsequently, the connections were further explored through linear regression analysis. Results and Discussion: Based on the correlation coefficients, it was found that vocabulary mastery at one year of age was associated with later vocabulary comprehension, and gesture-object functions were related to later social communication skills. More information is needed to understand the connections between these skills in greater detail. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the FinCSBS may not necessarily be suitable for assessing two-year-old children, as its ability to identify children in need of support at this age may be weaker compared to earlier age groups. Therefore, its usage is advisable to be focused on younger age groups. At the age of two, the FinCSBS could be most beneficial when used alongside another method that provides a more detailed assessment of vocabulary. In the future, it is essential to develop a method that allows for a more precise assessment of a two-year-old child's comprehension of vocabulary.
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(2024)Tavoitteet. Sanasujuvuustehtävä on yleisesti käytetty arviointimenetelmä, jonka avulla saadaan tietoa kielellisistä taidoista sekä toiminnanohjauksesta. Sanasujuvuustehtävässä tutkittavaa pyydetään tuottamaan rajatussa ajassa sanoja, jotka täyttävät tietyt määreet. Sanoja määrittävä tekijä voi olla esimerkiksi semanttinen kategoria tai sanan alkuäänne. Tässä tutkielmassa tarkasteltiin lasten suoriutumista eläinsanasujuvuustehtävässä. Tutkielman tarkoituksena oli tuottaa lisää tietoa 6–8-vuotiaiden monikielisten lasten suoriutumisesta sanasujuvuustehtävässä verrattuna samanikäisiin yksikielisiin lapsiin. Yksikielisten lasten normit arviointimenetelmissä eivät ole suoraan sovellettavissa monikielisille lapsille, ja monikielisten lasten suoriutumisesta tarvitaan tietoa mahdollisimman tarkan arvioinnin mahdollistamiseksi. Menetelmät. Tutkittavia oli yhteensä 54, joista monikielisiä lapsia oli 26 ja yksikielisiä lapsia 28. Aineisto oli kerätty osana PAULA-hanketta eteläsuomalaisessa kaupungissa. Tutkittavia pyydettiin minuutin aikana luettelemaan niin monta eläintä kuin mahdollista. Tutkittavien vastaukset pisteytettiin ja saatua aineistoa analysoitiin tilastollisesti. Tarkastelun kohteena olivat hyväksyttyjen sanojen määrä, tehtyjen virheiden määrä sekä niiden jakautuminen ajallisesti minuutin neljäsosiin. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Yksikieliset tutkittavat tuottivat enemmän hyväksyttyjä sanoja kuin monikieliset tutkittavat, ja ero oli tilastollisesti merkitsevä. Virheiden määrässä ei sen sijaan ollut merkitsevää eroa ryhmien välillä. Kumpikin ryhmä tuotti eniten hyväksyttyjä sanoja ensimmäisessä intervallissa, jonka jälkeen hyväksyttyjen sanojen määrä oli jokaisessa intervallissa edellistä pienempi. Virheiden jakautumisessa ajallisesti ei ollut ryhmien välillä eroa. Monikielisten tutkittavien pienempi hyväksyttyjen sanojen määrä voi johtua esimerkiksi pienemmästä suomen kielen sanavarastosta. Samankaltainen virheiden määrä kummallakin ryhmällä puolestaan kertoo, että virheiden määrään vaikuttavat prosessit kuten toiminnanohjaus, itsetarkkailu ja inhibitio toimivat kummallakin ryhmällä tarpeeksi hyvin suuren virhemäärän välttämiseksi. Sanojen jakautuminen intervalleihin samalla tavalla yksi- ja monikielisten tutkittavien ryhmissä kertoo, että sananhaussa ja sanavaraston järjestymisessä ei ole ryhmien välillä merkittävää eroa. Nämä tulokset antavat tärkeää tietoa monikielisyyden vaikutuksista eläinsanasujuvuustehtävässä suoriutumiseen.
Now showing items 101-111 of 111