title: Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling to Examine How Individual SLPs Differentially Contribute to Children's Language and Literacy Gains in Public Schools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the unique contributions in children's language and literacy gains, over 1 academic year, that are attributable to the individual speech-language pathologist (SLP) and (b) to explore possible child- and SLP-level factors that may further explain SLPs' contributions to children's language and literacy gains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 288 kindergarten and 1st-grade children with language impairment who were currently receiving school-based language intervention from SLPs. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we partitioned the variance in children's gains in language (i.e., grammar, vocabulary) and literacy (i.e., word decoding) that could be attributed to their individual SLP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed a significant contribution of individual SLPs to children's gains in grammar, vocabulary, and word decoding. Children's fall language scores and grade were significant predictors of SLPs' contributions, although no SLP-level predictors were significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study makes a first step toward incorporating implementation science and suggests that, for children receiving school-based language intervention, variance in child language and literacy gains in an academic year is at least partially attributable to SLPs. Continued work in this area should examine the possible SLP-level characteristics that may further explicate the relative contributions of SLPs.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Farquharson
authors.forename: Sherine R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Tambyraja
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Justice
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000628:therapy*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D007808:Language Therapy; D016014:Linear Models; D000067010:Literacy; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D024382:Professional Role; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology