Evaluating Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge of Functional Speech Disorders

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer an evaluation of speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') experiences with and knowledge of functional speech disorders. Functional speech disorders occur as a part of functional neurological disorders, a complex disorder that is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. Through an assessment of experience with and common myths about functional speech disorders among SLPs, the importance of providing education to SLPs about this patient population is discussed. Method: As a part of the presentation about functional speech disorders during the 2023 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Health Care Summit, 122 participants were asked to anonymously respond to a series of questions that outlined their demographics, training in functional speech disorders, and experiences with this patient population. Descriptive data are presented. Results and Conclusions: Among attendees, 58% were exposed to functional speech disorders in graduate school while 75% had seen a patient with a functional speech disorder, most of whom had also diagnosed the patients' communication disorder. This study highlights the role of the SLP in identifying and managing functional speech disorders and the increased attention this patient population has received over time, as well as the work yet to be done. Functional speech disorders are a legitimate clinical entity, for which a diagnosis can be made based on positive clinical features (i.e., is not a diagnosis of exclusion). The call to action includes guidance for clinicians, educators, and academic training programs to support this patient population. See the Appendix for a plain language summary.