Bleaching the rainbow: how high school diversity becomes professional homogeny in speech-language pathology and audiology

[摘要] BackgroundWhile the population of the United States is diverse, the education system resembles a funnel that ultimately leads to a lack of heterogeneity in many higher education institutions. This diversity deficiency can be especially noticed in the careers of speech-language pathology and audiology. The American Speech Language Hearing Association has made attempts at increasing the diversity of the professions through programs aimed towards undergraduates; such programs have done little to lessen this issue.AimsThe aim of this study was to answer: what majors do first and second-year students select; what motivates academic major and career choices; and, why do students choose (or not) to pursue speech-language pathology or audiology?MethodAn anonymous survey was developed and distributed via the online Qualtrics Survey System to first and second-year students, enrolled in 1 of the 17 colleges/universities in Pennsylvania with an undergraduate major in Communication Science and Disorders.ResultsA total of 103 participants responded to the survey. About three-quarters of participants reported knowing their intended major prior to applying to college. Popular reported majors included Communication Science and Disorders, Biology, Engineering, Business, and Psychology. Popular influences on choice of major included personal interest, future salary prospects, and graduate school requirement. Participants who did not list their intended major as Communication Science and Disorders demonstrated a general lack of knowledge regarding the professions and responded either neutrally or negatively when asked how likely they would be to pursue either career.ConclusionInterest in pursuing a career in Communication Science and Disorders depends on an awareness of such a pathway. In order for diversity within the field to increase, more steps should be taken to recruit high school students. The recruitment strategies should take into account reasons why students choose to pursue particular careers (e.g., salary, graduate school requirement, and interest). Once diversity in the field increases, so does the chance of having a group of professionals better equipped to more effectively serve the diverse population of the nation and build cultural awareness in professionals.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh