Decision Making of Speech and Language Therapists: Science or Intuition?

Abstract

Understanding decision-making as a process is essential in relation to the practice of many professions seeking to improve efficacy. The ideal of evidence-based practice can be challenging to implement in practice. This study is novel in examining the decision-making process (DMP) of Turkish speech and language therapists, through the lens of a decision theory. The cognitive continuum theory (CCT) considers decision-making to span between intuitive and science-based judgments. Sixteen speech and language therapists (SLTs) participated in this study which utilised multiple data collection methods to understand the complexity of their DMP. Participant SLTs were found not to have a specific and uniform way to select an intervention; instead, they had a dynamic DMP determined by multiple factors. Three main themes related to DMP emerged from the data: 'the nature of the resources' that SLTs used; 'the nature of the therapy' that they selected; and 'the role of parents'. We suggest that cognitive continuum theory (CCT) can be a useful tool to address the gap between theory and practice. Awareness of CCT may enhance SLTs awareness of the influences on their decisions so they can move towards balanced, deliberate practice and further offer a higher-quality service.