The ABA Speech Podcast - Easy Strategies For Parents and Professionals

#199: Language Processing and Pseudoscience with Kathleen Oppenheimer

Oct 22, 2024

Kathleen Oppenheimer, a speech-language pathologist and the mind behind @language_processing, dives into the nuances of language acquisition and processing. She explains Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) and its impact on communication in autistic individuals. Kathleen warns against pseudoscience in the field, stressing the importance of critically evaluating research. The discussion also covers the role of echolalia and the need for speech professionals to engage with current research methodologies to better understand and support language needs.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Communicating Linguistics: A Journey from Theory to Practice

03:26 • 12min

Navigating Challenges in Speech Therapy and Language Processing

15:22 • 4min

Bridging Speech Therapy and Research

19:45 • 8min

Navigating Pseudoscience in Therapy

28:11 • 9min

Understanding Research in Speech Therapy

37:18 • 6min

Joining me today is the SLP behind the Instagram account @language_processing, Kathleen Oppenheimer. She caught my attention because she consistently shares excellent information on her page about language processing and the research behind it.

Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) is a hot topic these days. Kathleen defines GLP as a hypothesis about how language is acquired, in contrast to Analytic Language Processing (ALP). It’s important to note that these terms are not commonly used outside this specific context, nor are they frequently found in research articles. For many in the autism community, GLP currently serves as an identity label for their echolalia, but it's crucial to distinguish this from its use as a clinical label to guide therapy.

We also discuss the abundance of ongoing research and debates in the field. If you’re not aware of what's available, you might not know what to trust. Kathleen emphasizes that pseudoscience can appear scientific but is not applied in a scientifically rigorous manner (e.g., ignoring parts of research, relying solely on anecdotal evidence, not being evidence-based, etc.). When navigating the internet, you may come across ASHA journals, clinical research, peer-reviewed articles, white papers, anecdotal articles, and viewpoint articles—it’s essential to understand the publication requirements for each before applying them to your practice.

As a final thought, Kathleen reminds social media consumers: You don’t know what you don’t know, especially when it comes to research and research methods. Be sure to check out her page for more insights on language processing!

What’s Inside:

What is Gestalt Language Processing and Analytic Language Processing?
What is pseudoscience?
What kind of research is out there and what should you trust?

Mentioned In This Episode:
Kathleen Oppenheimer - Google Scholar
What's Language Processing (@language_processing) on Instagram
@TheLanguageScientists
Join us in the ABA SPEECH Connection Membership
Rose Griffin (@abaspeechbyrose) on Instagram