| Speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) scope of practice includes assessing and treating cognitive-communication disorders associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although literature describes verbal and non-verbal challenges faced by survivors of TB I, little empirical evidence examines academic preparation and rehabilitation tools used by SLP's. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of SLP's who serve adults with TB I in urban healthcare settings about key factors that impact their use of assessment and treatment methods for verbal and non-verbal pragmatic deficits. An online survey questionnaire was distributed to SLP's that examined perceived impact of pragmatic deficits on survivors and their families, use of assessment and treatment procedures, and academic and clinical training. Results suggest SLP's perceive pragmatic deficits as important intervention targets; however, many feel less than prepared to address pragmatic deficits. In addition, many use standardized assessments that do not specifically address pragmatics as part of their assessment procedures. The authors concluded that current rehabilitation tools may not offer a comprehensive assessment of pragmatic challenges related to cognitive-communication disorders, and therefore SLP's may be missing important intervention targets. |
