JCPSLP Vol 18 No. 1Mar 2016

3 / 100

JCPSLP Volume 18, Number 1 2016 2
Prediction and Prognosis
It takes great knowledge and skill to
identify and understand the nature
of a person’s communication and/or
swallowing difficulties. It takes great wisdom
to understand the likely impact on his or her
life, both now and into the future. For speech-
language pathologists, such wisdom is gained
through professional preparation studies,
then enriched through evidence-based
clinical practice and continuing professional
development, and sculpted by interactions
with clients and personal life experiences.
Thus, when it comes to answering questions
such as “will my child talk?”, “when can I
expect my voice to improve?”, or “what does
dementia mean for my partner and me?”, this
wisdom enables us to look back, in order to
see forward clearly.
Across speech-language pathology
practice areas, our ability to accurately predict
likely outcomes for clients and to offer reliable
prognoses is improving rapidly. In large part, progress is due to research moving beyond the
identification, understanding, and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders, to
also include a sophisticated examination of the factors that influence individual outcomes. In
many ways, this evolution in science mirrors what clinicians have always known: that no one
size fits all when it comes to the assessment and treatment of communication and swallowing
disorders, nor how they influence the lives of the individual and their family, friends, and
loved ones.
In this issue, we present a series of articles in which authors have tackled issues
associated with prediction and prognosis. Hersh and Ciccone consider the influence that
clinicians’ judgements regarding client motivation may have on decision-making in aphasia
rehabilitation. Callins, Hill, and Theodoris focus on how patient expectations and treatment
credibility may impact on outcomes for clients with Parkinson’s disease receiving LSVT®LOUD.
Anderson, Scarinci, and Morris examine factors associated with phonological awareness
development in children with cleft lip and/or palate. Smith and Dancer discuss the ethical
considerations associated with genetic testing and its relevance to current and future Speech-
Language Pathology Practice.
In related articles, Ferreira, Ciccone, Verheggen, and Godecke consider the impact that
clinical decision-making during the early stages of an acquired communication and/or
swallowing disorder can have on long term client outcomes. Morton, Davidson, and Cruice
present the results of a study aimed at improving the way in which social participation
– hence the real life impact of communication and swallowing disorders – is measured.
But arguably, the most compelling insights presented in this issue belong to Summers,
who shares her personal experience of living with primary progressive aphasia. Bringing
together her rich and elaborate professional and personal life experiences, personal beliefs
and values, the information she has gleaned from contact with students and clinicians, and
an inspiring outlook on life, Summers reflects on the enablers of a positive journey. It takes
great knowledge, skill, and wisdom to identify, understand, and predict the influence of
communication and swallowing difficulties on a person’s life. It takes even greater courage
and generosity to share those with, and for the benefit of, others in pursuit of the best life
possible for all.
From the editor
David Trembath
1 From the editor
2 Predicting potential for aphasia
rehabilitation: The role of judgments
of motivation – Deborah Hersh and
Natalie Ciccone
7 Are patient expectations and
treatment credibility related to
outcomes from LSVT®LOUD?
– Alexandra Callins, Annie Hill, and
Deborah Theodoros
14 Enablers of a positive journey with
primary progressive aphasia
– Agnes Summers and Jade
Cartwright
18 Speech pathology service delivery
in the acute hospital setting
– Dominique Ferreira, Natalie
Ciccone, Asher Verheggen, and Erin
Godecke
22 An investigation of social activities
of neurologically healthy older
adults and relevance of the Social
Activities Checklist (SOCACT-2)
– Rachel Morton, Bronwyn Davidson,
and Madeline Cruice
28 Implications of language
dominance for assessment of
bilingual children’s language skills
– Chris Brebner, Paul McCormack,
and Susan Rickard Liow
33 Phonological awareness skills in
children with cleft lip and/or palate
– Lilian Anderson, Nerina Scarinci,
and Helen Morris
40 Ethical conversations: Prediction
and prognosis for SLPs in the age of
human genome mapping – Helen
Smith and Donna Dancer
44 What’s the evidence? Tips for
accessing evidence from research
– Sue McAllister
45 Webwords 54: Prognosis,
prediction, pitch, and paradox
– Caroline Bowen
47 Top 10 resources: Prediction and
prognosis – Wendy-Mae Rapson
Contents