JCPSLP Vol 23 Issue 2 2021

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140

120

100

80

60

40

Frequency of responses (n)

20

0

drinking techniques

thickener

sensory modification

free water

postural 45˚ recline

syringe drinking

alternative delivery

Strategy

always

often

sometimes

rarely

never

Figure 2. Frequency of recommended strategies

120

100

80

60

40

Frequency of responses (n)

20

0

drinking techniques

thickener

sensory modification

free water

postural 45˚ recline

syringe drinking

alternative delivery

Strategy

very good

good

ok

poor

very poor

Figure 3. Self-rated SLP confidence with skills across the seven strategies

Confidence in clinical skills Figure 3 shows how participants rated their own skills in using drinking strategies. SLPs rated their skills highest in using thickener (91%, n = 199) as very good or good ). SLPs also rated their skills with alternative delivery (81%, n = 181) as very good or good ). SLP skill with drinking techniques was rated as very good or good by 62% ( n = 137) among SLPs. In contrast, fewer than half of SLPs rated their skills as very good or good with sensory modification (49%, n = 110), free water (42%, n = 92), postural recline (23%, n = 52), and syringe drinking (18%, n = 39).

Knowledge of the evidence base SLPs rated their knowledge of the current evidence for each of the seven strategies (Figure 4). Most rated their knowledge base as very good or good for the use of thickener SLPs (66%, n = 146). SLPs also frequently rated their knowledge of evidence with drinking techniques as very good or good (61.1%, n = 137). Fewer SLPs rated their knowledge base as very good or good with the other five strategies: alternative delivery (37%, n = 82), sensory modification (37%, n = 82), free water (36%, n = 81), 45˚ postural tilt (9%, n = 21), and syringe drinking (6%, n = 13).

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JCPSLP Volume 23, Number 2 2021

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