UW Communication Disorders Research
Can you help us?

University of Washington researchers in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences are developing two new questionnaires about the life impact of communication disorders. In the future, these questionnaires should help doctors, speech pathologists and other healthcare providers better understand the impact of communication disorders on the lives of people who live with them. Information in these questionnaires should help healthcare providers and their clients make plans for treatment that will be as successful as possible. We have rough drafts of the questionnaires ready, but we need your feedback to help finish them.

In this stage of our project, we are asking participants to complete two questionnaires. The first questionnaire asks about a variety of everyday communication situations (for example: Letting someone know what you need at the store; or Talking to friends in a restaurant). For each question you are asked to rate how much your health condition interferes with participating in these communication situations. The second questionnaire asks you to rate your speech needs. By speech needs, we mean those things you want and need to do with your speech in day to day activities (talking loudly, talking for long periods of time, talking to unfamiliar people).

Participants in this study will be asked to:
1. Participate in a one-time session that lasts approximately 1 ? - 2 hours
2. Complete both questionnaires (marking answers on paper forms)
3. Tell the researchers if there are any items on the questionnaires that are difficult to understand, confusing, or even inappropriate for particular cultures or backgrounds. Did we miss anything?
4. Answer more in-depth questions about some of the items. These questions include:
a. What does this question mean to you? What does it make you think of?
b. What made you rate your interference in this situation as you did?
c. Would there be another way to ask this question that would be better for you?

Sessions will take place at the University of Washington (UW Medical Center / Harborview Medical Center), or alternative locations can be arranged for your convenience. Participation is voluntary and is completely unrelated to your medical care. All identifying information will be kept confidential. You will receive $25.00 for taking part in this study.  Parking reimbursement is available as well.

You are eligible to participate if you:
Are an adult 18 years of age or older.
Have a communication disorder related to any medical condition such as stroke, head and neck cancer, head injury, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis or other conditions.
 
Are you interested?
Please contact us at:

Carolyn Baylor, Ph.D.     
Hearing Sciences
Phone: 206-755-2247    
Email: cbaylor@u.washington.edu  

Tanya Eadie, Ph.D.
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences
Phone: 206-616-2753
Email: teadie@u.washington.edu

(reminder: we cannot guarantee confidentiality of information via email)

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