Social media use by young people with language disorders: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Social media are widely used by young people (YP), but how YP with language disorders use social media for social interaction remains insufficiently studied. This article provides an overview of the research on social media use by YP with language disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A scoping review was conducted, guided by a five-stage framework. Ten databases were searched (CENTRAL, CINAHL, ERIC, LLBA, Medline, PsychINFO, Scopus, speechBITE, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global). Chaining searches of papers identified for inclusion were conducted. RESULTS: After screening 199 unique papers, 44 were included. Findings revealed that YP with language disorders use social media less compared to typically developing peers; their profile of communication difficulties may impact the types of social media with which they engage. Although intervention studies are limited, the results offer encouraging findings regarding the positive impact of support for use of social media. Barriers and facilitators for social media use are identified. CONCLUSIONS: YP with language disorders use social media for social purposes. However, co-designed research into what YP with language disorders perceive their social media needs to be is urgently needed. How to support YP with language disorders to use social media is subject to future investigation.

Young people with language disorders are likely using a range of social media to support their social participation, but they use social media less than typically developing peers.The types of social media young people with language disorders choose to engage with may be impacted by their language/literacy difficulties.There is preliminary evidence that intervention to support the use of social media by young people with language disorders is beneficial, but more research is required to identify the components to include in social media use training programs.To support the access to and use of social media by young people with language disorders, healthcare professionals may need to collaborate with parents and schools.

Do speech-language therapists support young people with communication disability to use social media? A mixed methods study of professional practices.

BACKGROUND: Social media is increasingly used by young people, including those with communication disability. To date, though, little is known about how speech-language therapists (SLTs) support the social media use of young people with communication disability. AIMS: To explore what services SLTs provide to facilitate the social media use of young people with communication disability, including what these services look like, and the factors that impact SLTs' professional practices. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A sequential mixed methods approach was employed including an online survey and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Participants were qualified practising SLTs in Australia with a caseload that included clients aged 12-16 years. Quantitative data were analysed with SPSS. A thematic analysis of qualitative data was conducted with NVivo. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Survey responses from 61 SLTs were analysed. Interviews were conducted with 16 participants. Survey data indicated that SLTs do not systematically assess or treat young people's use of social media as part of their professional practice. Interview data revealed that where SLTs do support young people's use of social media, they transfer knowledge and practices typically used in offline contexts to underpin their work supporting clients' use of social media. In terms of factors that affect SLTs' practices, three major themes were identified: client/family factors, SLT factors, and societal factors. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: While young people with communication disability may desire digital participation in social media spaces, SLTs' current professional practices do not routinely address this need. Professional practice guidelines would support SLTs' practices in this area. Future research should seek the opinions of young people with communication disability regarding their use of social media, and the role of SLTs in facilitating this. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject Young people with communication disability use social media, but digital inequality means that they may not do so to the same extent as their typically developing peers. Services targeting a young person's social media use is within the SLT scope of practice. Whether or not SLTs routinely address the social media use of young people with communication disability as part of their professional practice is unknown. What this study adds to existing knowledge This study found that SLTs in Australia do not systematically provide professional services targeting young people's use of social media. When services do address a young person's use of social media, knowledge and practices typically used by SLTs in offline contexts are adapted to support their work targeting online social media contexts. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This study indicates that SLTs should consider a range of factors when deciding whether to address a young person's social media use. Adapting existing offline professional practices to online environments could support SLTs' work in providing services targeting social media use. Professional practice guidelines would support SLTs' work facilitating the social media use of young people with communication disability.

Clinical practices of speech-language pathologists working with 12- to 16-year olds in Australia.

Purpose: The current landscape of speech-language pathology (SLP) services for 12- to 16-year olds in Australia remains largely unchartered. Implementing the Speech Pathology 2030 vision necessitates mapping current services, and gaps in services, provided by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). However, the last survey of Australian SLPs' practices with young people was conducted in 2005. The aim of this study was to bridge the service delivery information gap.Method: Ninety-six SLPs working with 12- to 16-year olds in Australia completed an anonymous online survey consisting of binary choice, multiple choice, and Likert scale questions. A theoretical approach to service delivery based on response to intervention models underpinned question design.Result: SLP clinical practices remain traditional, following an impairment/diagnostic model. Additionally, there is an inequitable provision of SLP services across states/territories of Australia, according to whether or not there is government provision for SLP services in public schools.Conclusion: The results suggest a need for standard government provision of SLP services across Australia to ensure equity of access. These findings inform our understanding of contemporary assessment and intervention practices of SLPs working with 12- to 16-year olds in Australia.

Training secondary school teachers in instructional language modification techniques to support adolescents with language impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the efficacy of a collaborative intervention where a speech-language pathologist (SLP) trained mainstream secondary school teachers to make modifications to their oral and written instructional language. The trained teachers' uptake of techniques in their whole-class teaching practices and the impact this had on the language abilities of students with language impairment (LI) were evaluated. METHOD: Two secondary schools were randomly assigned to either a trained or a control condition. A cohort of 13 teachers (7 trained and 6 control) and 43 Year 8 students with LI (21 trained and 22 control) were tested at pre, post, and follow-up times-teachers by structured interview and students by standardized spoken and written language assessments. RESULTS: Significantly increased use of the language modification techniques by the trained teachers was observed when compared to the control group of untrained teachers, with this increased use maintained over time. Results from the trained group of students showed a significant improvement in written expression and listening comprehension relative to the control group of students. CONCLUSION: This randomized controlled trial is one of the first investigations to evaluate a collaborative intervention that links changes in mainstream secondary teachers' instructional language practices with improvements in the language abilities of adolescents with LI.