Cultural and linguistic diversity in speech-language pathology

Diversity in the Australian speech-language pathology workforce: Addressing Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 8, and 10

PURPOSE

Individuals have multiple intersecting identities, unique perspectives, and experiences which provide opportunities for new ways to interact, support inclusion and equity, and address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This commentary explores the diversity of the speech-language pathology workforce in Australia.

RESULT

A survey of Australian speech-language pathologists (SLPs; n = 1,638) distributed in November and December 2021 explored personal characteristics and experiences of the workforce. Almost 30% of SLPs who responded reported having experiences or perspectives that were relevant to service users and a quarter described other lived experiences, which included disability, cultural and linguistic background, mental health, caring responsibilities, neurodiversity, and being LGBTQI+.

CONCLUSION

This commentary affirms the value of diversity among allied health professions to enrich practice with individuals and communities. By understanding the diversity of the speech-language pathology workforce and perspectives of historically marginalised or invisible groups, the profession can introduce strategies to more meaningfully engage and support people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives in the workforce and enhance service equity and accessibility for people with communication and swallowing disabilities. This commentary focusses on SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10.

Advancing Workplace Diversity Through the Culturally Responsive Teamwork Framework

Purpose Diversification of the profession is an important element of combating racism, bias, and prejudice in the speech-language pathology workforce at national and systemic levels. However, national and systemic change needs to be combined with equipping individual speech-language pathologists to adapt to the challenges that they face to engaging in culturally responsive practice. This paper presents four interacting levels of practice within the Culturally Responsive Teamwork Framework (CRTF): (a) intrapersonal practices, (b) interpersonal practices, (c) intraprofessional practices, and (d) the interprofessional practices. Conclusion CRTF is a practical, strengths-based framework that draws on international research and expertise to expand personal and professional practice and describe critical behaviors within the workplace that can be used to promote principles of evidence-based practice and social justice, especially when working with people from nondominant cultural or linguistic groups.

Perceptions of mothers with preterm infants about early communication development: A scoping review

Background

Preterm infants are at risk of communication disorders or delays, and their mothers experience various difficult emotions and realities. These communication difficulties could be effectively prevented or addressed through the provision of appropriate maternal support. Maternal perceptions regarding early communication–interaction and development in preterm population should thus be well understood by health professionals. Previous studies have focussed on parents’ and patients’ perceptions of medical information received from health professionals. Limited research, however, has been undertaken on maternal perceptions of early communication development in preterm infants, specifically in the South African context.

Objectives

The study aims to summarise the range and the nature of available research in the fields of early communication development and intervention in preterm infants, specifically maternal perceptions thereof.

Method

A scoping review methodology comprising five phases was used. Data were extracted from the final selection of 12 articles and analysed through quantitative and thematic techniques.

Results

The results of the scoping review indicate that the defined research field is in a developing phase. Mothers mainly experience negative emotions and have limited knowledge regarding communication interaction with preterm infants. Furthermore, hospitalisation has been experienced as a barrier to natural communication–interaction between mother and infant.

Conclusion

Based on these results, it is recommended that primary research be conducted with the mothers of preterm infants to establish the most effective strategies for communication–interaction training with this vulnerable population. A further recommendation would be to increase awareness of early communication development and intervention in the preterm population amongst both parents and health professionals.