Speech-language pathologists' confidence levels and professional development needs in motor neurone disease: An Australian survey.

Purpose: Clinician confidence is vital for effective patient-professional relationships, yet limited research has explored speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) confidence in supporting people with motor neurone disease (MND). This study investigated speech-language pathologists' self-reported confid...

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Publicado en:International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 208 - 229
Autores principales: El-Wahsh, Sarah, Bonnor, Susannah, Byrne, Katarina, Maynes, Val, McCluskey, Clare, Heatley, Rachel, Signorelli, Monique, Bogart, Elise
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2026
      vid: 28
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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        10.1080/17549507.2025.2511950
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        atl: Speech-language pathologists' confidence levels and professional development needs in motor neurone disease: An Australian survey.
      aug:
        au:
          El-Wahsh, Sarah
          Bonnor, Susannah
          Byrne, Katarina
          Maynes, Val
          McCluskey, Clare
          Heatley, Rachel
          Signorelli, Monique
          Bogart, Elise
        affil: Speech Pathology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Speech-Language Pathologists Psychosocial Factors
          Confidence Evaluation
          Professional Development
          Motor Neuron Diseases Rehabilitation
          Self Report
          Professional Competence
          Human
          Deglutition
          Oral Hygiene
          Airway Management
          Communication
          Australia
          Questionnaires
          Regression
          Content Analysis
          Sociodemographic Factors
          Work Experiences
          Organizational Structure
          Multidisciplinary Care Team
          Age Factors
          Thematic Analysis
          Clinical Competence
          Speech-Language Pathologist Attitudes
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Workload
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
          Chi Square Test
          Needs Assessment
          Support, Psychosocial
          Professional-Patient Relations
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Purpose: Clinician confidence is vital for effective patient-professional relationships, yet limited research has explored speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) confidence in supporting people with motor neurone disease (MND). This study investigated speech-language pathologists' self-reported confidence across key speech-language pathology domains (swallowing, oral secretions, oral hygiene, airway management and communication) in MND. It also investigated associated demographic variables, barriers, facilitators and professional development needs. Method: Seventy-two speech-language pathologists from Australia completed an online questionnaire, covering the above topics. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis, while content analysis was applied to open-ended responses. Result: Participants reported varied confidence levels, with higher confidence with general interventions, including diet/fluid modification and clear speech strategies, but lower confidence in motor neurone disease-specific interventions, including voice preservation, secretion management, and electronic alternative and augmentative communication devices. Demographic and background factors including years of experience, motor neurone disease caseload proportion, multidisciplinary team structure, and clinician age were statistically significantly associated with confidence. Participants described various facilitators and barriers to confidence development, categorised into four themes: Support systems and collaboration, resources, knowledge and skills, and interactions and communication. Participants highlighted key insights they wish they had known when starting to work with people with motor neurone disease, which informed the development of practical tips for new clinicians. Conclusion: These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors influencing speech-language pathologists' confidence when supporting people with motor neurone disease, emphasising the need for targeted measures to address identified gaps. A set of recommendations has been developed to advance multidisciplinary team research and clinical practice in this area. Enhancing speech-language pathologist confidence has the potential to improve both clinician satisfaction and patient care. Further research is needed to implement and evaluate these recommendations.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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