One of the most long standing and persistent concerns within the field of speech-language pathology is its lack of diversity. In 2003, approximately 93% of SLPs self-identified as white, and in 2023, these numbers had changed only slightly, with about 90% of SLPs self-identifying as white.
This episode focuses on the reasons why supporting increased diversity in the SLP profession is so crucial, and offers simple ideas for actions that could help to make the field more diverse and inclusive.
The episode opens by briefly exploring two recent research studies. The first study is a systematic review from the University of Alberta, and it looked at the effects of increased diversity in the medical profession. Results indicated that patients from racial minority populations get better interpersonal care from clinicians of their own race or ethnicity. The second study is a survey of over 80,000 students, and results indicated that academic and emotional outcomes for students improved when they had teachers of their own race or ethnicity. These results highlight the value of a shared background between clinicians/educators and patients/students.
Recent U.S. government statistics show that the majority of students who receive SLP services are not white; however, the majority of SLPs are white, and this is one of the many reasons why increased diversity in the field is so important.
The episode goes on to identify four main barrier points that maintain the lack of diversity in speech-language pathology. They are:
- Initial awareness/who decides to pursue the field in the first place
- Graduate school admissions
- Successfully completing graduate school
- Retention in the SLP field itself
The episode shares ideas for individual actions to take to encourage increased diversity at each of these barrier points, while acknowledging that systemic change is needed.
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SLP Instagram Accounts to Follow:
@bilingualspeechie
@bvgslp_belinda
@havingoursay
@heywes
@jrc_theslp
@slpbizqueen
@slpsofcolor
@speechologist
@theblackspeechie
@thebuckyeslp
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