Auditory Processing Disorder: Protocols and Controversy.

Purpose: This study examined current auditory processing disorder (APD) protocols and audiologists' perspectives on the active debate seen in the literature regarding the status of APD as a unique disorder.

Method: This study used a cross-sectional, nonexperimental survey design. The participants were 134 U.

Audiology Clinical Practice Patterns in Acoustic Reflex Testing.

Purpose: Periodic reports of audiology clinical practice patterns, including acoustic reflex threshold (ART) protocols, provide insights into trends and assist in clinical decision making. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine audiologists' ART protocols, factors influencing audiologists' decision to test, and considerations for mentoring Doctor of Audiology (AuD) students in ART testing.

Method: This study used a paper survey distributed by mail to a random sample of audiologists.

Burnout in U.S. Audiologists.

Background: Research on burnout in audiologists is limited, especially in the United States. Recent changes to the profession may have increased burnout.

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate burnout in the U.

Change Resistance and Clinical Practice Strategies in Audiology.

Background: Audiology is experiencing pressure from market forces that may change the profession's nature. Research suggests that understanding resistance needs to change and organizational culture may provide insights that can facilitate change.

Purpose: This study was designed to examine audiologists' resistance to change, organizational culture, and clinical practices related to hearing aid pricing and audiology assistants.

Occupational Stress in U.S. Audiologists.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to explore interview data related to occupational stress in U.S. audiologists.

The Lived Experience of the Audiologist: Connections Between Past, Present, and Future.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to use qualitative research methods to explore connections between audiologists' lived experiences and perceptions of the future and change.

Method: This research was based on a constructivist grounded theory approach. A semistructured interview guide inspired 30 audiologists to share their stories via virtual interview.

Assessing Auditory Processing Abilities in Typically Developing School-Aged Children.

Background: Large discrepancies exist in the literature regarding definition, diagnostic criteria, and appropriate assessment for auditory processing disorder (APD). Therefore, a battery of tests with normative data is needed.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to collect normative data on a variety of tests for APD on children aged 7-12 yr, and to examine effects of outside factors on test performance.

Assessment of the efficacy of a hearing screening program for college students.

Background: The Towson University (TU) Speech-Language-Hearing Center (SLHC) conducts annual hearing screenings for college students entering education or health-care professions. Hearing is screened in therapy rooms, and students who fail the screening are rescreened in a sound-treated booth. Students who fail the rescreening are referred for a comprehensive audiological assessment, which is offered at no cost to students at the SLHC.

Deaf studies alumni perceptions of the academic program and off-campus internship.

Alumni of an undergraduate Deaf studies program completed an online survey about their education and employment after graduation and their perceptions of their internship and undergraduate academic program. Demographically, this population of Deaf studies alumni represented a higher percentage of women and dual-major graduates than was present in the general university population. It was found that most of the alumni reported using the knowledge and skills from the Deaf studies program in their current job.

Development of a formative and summative assessment system for AuD education.

Purpose: This article provides an overview of a comprehensive assessment system that documents that students have obtained the skills and knowledge necessary to obtain a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree.

Method: The individual components of the assessment system; rationale for development of each assessment; and grading criteria, outcomes measures, faculty commentary, missteps, and successes of the system are discussed.

Conclusion: Carefully planned and dynamic assessments can be integrated successfully into the AuD students’ program of study with generally reasonable expectations for faculty workload.

Survey of audiological immittance practices.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine current immittance practices and trends over time, reasons why multifrequency (MF) and multicomponent (MC) tympanometry have been underused, and the prevalence of negative patient reactions to acoustic reflex (AR) testing.

Method: Two audiological practice surveys were conducted regarding tympanometry (2008, n = 156) and AR (2009, n = 90).

Results: Most respondents conduct tympanometry and AR threshold (ART) testing.

The awareness of the profession of audiology among entering college students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test a survey of entering college students' awareness of the profession of audiology and to report the preliminary results of the survey.

Method: A survey was developed and administered in 2003 at the California University of Pennsylvania. A modified survey was administered in 2009.

Effect of static force on bone conduction hearing thresholds and comfort.

Objective: To assess the effect of the static force of a bone vibrator on the results of bone conduction (BC) threshold measurements and comfort.

Design: BC thresholds were determined for 40 participants using the standardized P-3333 headband and a leather adjustable headstrap with variable static forces (2.4, 3.

Survey of the diagnosis and management of auditory processing disorder.

Purpose: A survey of audiologists' diagnosis and intervention protocols for auditory processing disorder (APD) was conducted to determine current protocols and compare results with published recommendations.

Method: A survey was distributed by mail to 515 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association audiology members who listed APD as an area of expertise and via e-mail to Educational Audiology Association members. The survey was completed by 195 audiologists.

Speech intelligibility and passive, level-dependent earplugs.

Objectives: Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational diseases. Military personnel are at especially high risk due to the broad range of military noise hazards and the frequency of exposure. Hearing protectors are vital for this particular workforce, yet they can impede the ability to understand necessary communication in the field.

The AuD program at Towson University.

Purpose: This article provides an overview of the Towson University doctor of audiology (AuD) program.

Method: Faculty and facilities, program highlights and requirements, admission criteria, and funding opportunities are summarized.

Conclusions: Towson University is a student-focused university with an emphasis on interactive and interdisciplinary hands-on learning.

Automated screening for biological weapons in homeland defense.

Biological threat detection programs that collect air samples and monitor for large-scale release of biowarfare agents generate large numbers of samples that must be quickly and accurately screened for the presence of biological agents. An impediment to the rapid analysis of large numbers of environmental biological samples is that manual laboratory processes are time-consuming and require resources to maintain infrastructure, trained personnel, and adequate supplies of testing reagents. An ideal screening system would be capable of processing multiple samples rapidly, cost-effectively, and with minimal personnel.

The auditory processing battery: survey of common practices.

A survey of auditory processing (AP) diagnostic practices was mailed to all licensed audiologists in the State of Maryland and sent as an electronic mail attachment to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Educational Audiology Association Internet forums. Common AP protocols (25 from the Internet, 28 from audiologists in Maryland) included requiring basic audiologic testing, using questionnaires, and administering dichotic listening, monaural low-redundancy speech, temporal processing, and electrophysiologic tests. Some audiologists also administer binaural interaction, attention, memory, and speech-language/psychological/educational tests and incorporate a classroom observation.