Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions from the Perspective of Speech-Language Pathology Students

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions from the Perspective of Speech-Language Pathology Students
Language: English
Authors: Geoffrey A. Coalson (ORCID 0000-0003-1179-2499), Skyller Castello, Kia N. Johnson (ORCID 0000-0002-5874-792X), Janna B. Oetting (ORCID 0000-0003-3092-8320), Eileen Haebig (ORCID 0000-0001-8216-7063)
Source: Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. 2024 55(3):767-780.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: lshss@asha.org; Web site: http://lshss.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Racism, Allied Health Personnel, Speech Language Pathology, Ethnicity, Social Bias, Student Attitudes, Racial Differences, Minority Group Students, White Students, Student Characteristics
DOI: 10.1044/2024_LSHSS-23-00106
ISSN: 0161-1461
1558-9129
Abstract: Purpose: Implicit racial and ethnic biases have been documented across a variety of allied health professions; however, minimal research on this topic has been conducted within the field of speech-language pathology. The purpose of this study was to understand implicit racial and ethnic bias in speech-language pathology students by examining their perceptions and attitudes about the acceptability of racial and ethnic microaggressions. We also examined whether the student ratings varied by their racial and ethnic identity (White vs. people of color [POC]). Method: Fifty-nine students (72% White, 28% POC) currently enrolled in a speech-language pathology program voluntarily completed the Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions Scale via an online Qualtrics survey. Results: Although 70% of the student ratings classified the microaggressive statements as unacceptable, 30% of their ratings classified the statements as either (a) acceptable or (b) neither acceptable nor unacceptable. Although both groups of students rated the majority of statements as unacceptable, students who self-identified as White rated more statements as acceptable than students who self-identified as POC. Conclusions: Findings indicating relatively high rejection of microaggressive statements by speech-language pathology students are promising. However, responses were not uniform, and a nontrivial proportion of responses provided by speech-language pathology students reflected passivity toward or active endorsement of microaggressive statements.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1433290
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Purpose: Implicit racial and ethnic biases have been documented across a variety of allied health professions; however, minimal research on this topic has been conducted within the field of speech-language pathology. The purpose of this study was to understand implicit racial and ethnic bias in speech-language pathology students by examining their perceptions and attitudes about the acceptability of racial and ethnic microaggressions. We also examined whether the student ratings varied by their racial and ethnic identity (White vs. people of color [POC]). Method: Fifty-nine students (72% White, 28% POC) currently enrolled in a speech-language pathology program voluntarily completed the Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions Scale via an online Qualtrics survey. Results: Although 70% of the student ratings classified the microaggressive statements as unacceptable, 30% of their ratings classified the statements as either (a) acceptable or (b) neither acceptable nor unacceptable. Although both groups of students rated the majority of statements as unacceptable, students who self-identified as White rated more statements as acceptable than students who self-identified as POC. Conclusions: Findings indicating relatively high rejection of microaggressive statements by speech-language pathology students are promising. However, responses were not uniform, and a nontrivial proportion of responses provided by speech-language pathology students reflected passivity toward or active endorsement of microaggressive statements.
ISSN:0161-1461
1558-9129
DOI:10.1044/2024_LSHSS-23-00106