How do speech language therapists in New Zealand perceive the psychological impact of communication difficulties?

Abstract

A growing body of research demonstrates the links between communication impairment and psychological difficulties including depression, anxiety, other affective disorders, anger, and aggression. Research has demonstrated high levels of psychological disorders in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, autism, and specific language impairment, and communication impairment among individuals with psychiatric conditions. There are also demonstrated links between communication impairments and psychosocial functioning. However, there has been less research into how speech language therapists (SLTs) perceive the psychological and psychosocial difficulties of patients with communication disorders, and how they address these difficulties within the course of SLT interventions. This survey-based research study investigated the perceptions of SLTs working in New Zealand as to the impact of psychological and psychosocial difficulties on their clients, and whether this varied depending on the SLTs’ training, their experience and their access to psychology within their team. Respondents commented on the impact of psychological and psychosocial difficulties on their clients and family/whanau, and on their perceptions of what could benefit SLTs in addressing these difficulties within the context of SLT scope of practice. Of the respondents 29.3% reported that roughly 50% or more of their clients had significant psychological difficulties, and 51.2% reported that roughly 50% or more of their clients had significant psychosocial difficulties. No correlation was found between the years of experience of SLTs, or their access to psychology for their clients, and their perceptions of the psychological and psychosocial needs of their clients. Overall 76.5% of respondents reported that they did not feel prepared by their initial SLT training to address the psychological needs of their clients, and 77.5% reported that they felt SLTs needed more training to be able to adequately manage these needs within the context of SLT sessions.