An investigation of the motivations and experiences of adults with communication disorders attending a student-led speech pathology clinic

Introduction: Student-led clinics (SLCs) are recognised as a valuable initiative for developing student clinical competencies, expanding placement capacity, and delivering targeted health intervention within the community. Despite the recognised benefits of SLCs, there is a notable lack of research investigating adult clients’ motivations for engaging with these services and their experiences of attending SLCs, particularly within speech pathology (SP) contexts. Objective: This study investigated factors influencing adult clients’ initial engagement with a SP SLC and explored their experience with the service. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was employed to capture clients’ experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face (F2F) interviews with a convenience sample of ten adults who attended the SLC. Interviews were video recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a qualitative description approach. Results: Participants were motivated by a desire to improve their communication, the accessibility of services, and a willingness to contribute to student learning or the community. Positive experiences were associated with service accessibility, feelings of reciprocity, perceived personal growth, therapeutic relationships, and student attributes. All participants reported high satisfaction and willingness to continue at the SLC and would recommend others to a SLC. Conclusion: SLCs were perceived by adult clients as a positive and highly satisfying experience, offering meaningful benefits beyond clinical outcomes, including service accessibility; enjoyment; reciprocity and client self-efficacy. Findings highlight the importance of examining interpersonal and environment factors in the development and evaluation of SLCs given the potential impact on client satisfaction. Future research should continue to explore client motivations and experiences, recognising these insights as critical 5 data for evaluating service delivery within SLCs and broader healthcare contexts.