International Students' Belongingness in U.S. Communication Sciences and Disorders Clinical Graduate Programs

Abstract

Communication sciences and disorders (CSD) encompasses speech-language pathology (SLP) and audiology, both of which are vital for addressing a range of communication and hearing disorders. Despite rigorous training and a heterogeneous patient population, the CSD workforce in the United States remains predominantly homogeneous and is not particularly well-prepared to serve individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. International students, although historically well-represented in U.S. higher education, make up a small fraction of the student bodies in clinical CSD graduate programs, suggesting potential barriers in these programs for students without U.S. citizenship. Applying Allen et al.'s (2021) framework of belonging, this study explored how competencies (e.g., cultural intelligence, language proficiency), opportunities (e.g., social connections), motivations (e.g., academic and professional aspirations), perceptions (e.g., faculty support, microaggressions), and sociocultural contexts (e.g., cultural distance) impact international students' sense of belonging in CSD programs using a mixed-methods survey approach. Participants included 43 international graduate students currently enrolled in entry-level clinical graduate programs in SLP and audiology or completing their clinical fellowship year in the U.S. Several predictors of belongingness were identified based on quantitative analyses: cultural intelligence, experiences of microaggressions, and faculty support. By identifying potential areas associated with belongingness that can be bolstered, these findings contribute to efforts to foster greater cultural and linguistic diversity within the CSD field and ultimately improve the quality of care for diverse patient populations both domestically and globally.