Effects of a Peer-mentoring Program on Undergraduate Students' Outcomes and Perspectives Related to a Career in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Study Overview
Detailed Description
Speech-language pathology (SLP) and audiology (AUD) comprise the fields of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) and have consistently been considered professions both in-demand and facing job shortages. Speech-language pathology is facing a projected growth of 18 percent from 2023 to 2033 as a result of the increasing needs of the adult and pediatric populations with communication disorders that SLPs serve (American Speech- Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], n.d.). Similarly, the field of audiology is expected to continue expanding at an albeit smaller increase of 11 percent, but one that will be adding an average of 1,600 jobs a year to a market in need of qualified audiologists who often work alongside SLPs to provide services to those in need (ASHA, n.d.). This demonstrates positive growth and expansion of the field of SLP and AUD, but the job vacancies unfortunately outnumber the amount of job seekers available to assist these vulnerable populations and bolster the current SLP and AUD workforce (ASHA, 2024; ASHA, 2025). The discrepancy between the demand for SLPs/AUDs and the supply of qualified clinicians ready to enter the workforce has prompted a call to action (Castro, 2025). For this reason, research into how to best support undergraduate students who may one day be the future clinicians of tomorrow is an important focus area.
One such method of support is peer mentorship designed to assist students with becoming acclimated to their academic environment and creating robust social support networks that help them develop a sense of belonging and navigate the transition into higher education (Hall & Jaugietis, 2011; Rayle & Chung, 2007). Peer mentoring programs may also create supportive environments that help undergraduate students reduce the risk of school attrition, improve academic achievement, and foster social and professional skill development (Goff, 2011; Jacobi, 1991; Mahendra & Kashinath, 2022).
This study will be part of an ongoing process to understand how to increase interest in the SLP/AUD fields amongst undergraduate students and how to encourage the desire to pursue a graduate degree and eventually join the workforce that is in need of qualified CSD professionals.
Study Type
Enrollment (Estimated)
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Contact
- Name: Robyn Becker
- Phone Number: 973-655-7356
- Email: beckerr@montclair.edu
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
- Adult
- Older Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Description
Inclusion Criteria: enrolled in CSND 100 -
Exclusion Criteria: not enrolled in CSND 100
-
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Other
- Allocation: Non-Randomized
- Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: mentor group
|
mentor program participant
|
|
No Intervention: comparison group
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Mentorship experiences survey developed by the research team
Time Frame: prestest at baseline (Feb 2026); immediately after completion of mentor program (May 2026)
|
pre/post program survey
|
prestest at baseline (Feb 2026); immediately after completion of mentor program (May 2026)
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Rayle, A. D., & Chung, K.-Y. (2007). Revisiting first-year college students' mattering: Social support, academic stress.Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 9(1), 21-37. https://doi.org/10.2190/ x126-5606-4g36-8132
- Montclair State University. (2024, September 7). What It Means to Be a Hispanic-Serving University.https://www.montlcair.edu
- Mahendra N, Kashinath S. Mentoring Underrepresented Students in Speech-Language Pathology: Effects of Didactic Training, Leadership Development, and Research Engagement. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2022 Mar 10;31(2):527-538. doi: 10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00018. Epub 2021 Nov 3.
- Jacobi, M. (1991). Mentoring and undergraduate academic success: A literature review. Review of Educational Research
- Hall, R., & Jaugietis, Z. (2011). Developing peer mentoring through evaluation. Innovative Higher Education, 36, 41-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-010-9156-6
- Goff, L. (2011). Evaluating the outcomes of a peer-mentoring program for students transitioning to postsecondary eTeaching and Learning, 2(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl-rcacea.2011.2.2
- Castro, N. (2025). Opening the pipeline to the field of communication sciences and disorders through career counseling 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_PERSP-24-00291
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA]. (2025). Supply and demand resource list for audiologists audiologistshttps://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/supply-demand-audiology.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOooHaoNWkJCjuBfAtry3Yx9P
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA]. (2024). Schools survey report: SLP workforce and work for speech language pathologists chttps://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/schools-survey-report-slp-workforce-trends-2004-2024.pdf?srsltid=AfmBO
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA]. (n.d.). Market Trends in Audiology and Speech-Languaghttps://www.asha.org/careers/market-trends/#:~:text=audiologists%20and%20SLPs.-,Reasons%20for%20Growth,o
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Estimated)
Primary Completion (Estimated)
Study Completion (Estimated)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Other Study ID Numbers
- IRB-FY25-26-4917
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
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