Maria L. Muñoz, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Assistant Professor of Speech-Language Pathology
Email: mmunoz2@utk.edu

Dr. Maria L. Muñoz joined the faculty following completion of a doctorate at the University of Texas-Austin and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona. She teaches graduate courses in neural bases of speech and language, acquired neurogenic communication disorders, and multicultural issues in communication sciences and disorders. Dr. Muñoz’s research focuses on treatment outcomes to improve functional communication in individuals with aphasia, and understanding effective assessment and treatment practices for Spanish speakers with acquired neurogenic language disorders. Dr. Muñoz was awarded a dissertation grant from the NIDCD to investigate the assessment of lexical retrieval and recognition in bilingual speakers of Spanish and English with and without aphasia. She has presented frequently at research meetings including the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, Clinical Aphasiology Conference, and the Texas Research Symposium on Language Diversity.

EDUCATION

University of Arizona: Tucson, AZ (January 2001-August 2002). Post-doctoral Fellow. Specializations: Treatment outcomes in acquired language and reading impairments in collaboration with Dr. Audrey Holland and Dr. Pelagie Beeson.

University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX (May 2001). Doctor of Philosophy; Major Area: Communication Sciences and Disorders. Specializations: Neurogenic communication disorders; Multicultural issues in communication disorders. Dissertation title: Picture naming and verification in aphasic and neurologically normal bilingual speakers of Spanish and English; Advisor: Thomas P. Marquardt, Ph.D.

University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX (December 1991). Master of Arts; Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders. Specialization: Bilingual Speech-language Pathology

University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara, CA (May 1988). Bachelor of Arts. Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences.

COURSES TAUGHT

ASP 506: Neural bases of speech and language
ASP 518: Adult Neurogenic Communications Disorders I
ASP 519: Adult Neurogenic Communications Disorders II
ASP 527: Language, culture, and communication disorders
ASP 555: Counseling in Speech Pathology and Audiology

GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS

The ASHA- Students Preparing for Academic and Research Careers (SPARC; 2005-2006) was awarded to Meghan Burchfield to participate in mentored activities under my direction.

Muñoz, M. L. (2004). Professional Development Award, University of Tennesse, Knoxville. Awarded for the project “A comparison of computer-aided and clinician-aided methods for conducting Script Training as a treatment for non-fluent aphasia” ($4,300)

Von Hapsburg, D. and Muñoz, M. L. (2004). Professional Development Award, University of Tennesse, Knoxville. Awarded to conduct research relate to use of cognitive processing models to understand how bilinguals process speech in noise.

Travel Fellowship to attend the Deafness Research Foundation Advanced Clinical Research Conference, 2003.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Youmans, G., Holland, A., Muñoz, M.L., and Bourgeois, M. (2005). Script training and automaticity in two individuals with aphasia. Aphasiology, 19(3-5), p. 435-450.

Muñoz, M.L., and Qualls, C.D., (2005). Consideration of the monolingual –bilingual continuum in research and clinical practice in neurogenic communication disorders. ECHO, vol. 1.

Qualls, C.D., and Muñoz, M.L., (2005). Socioeconomic Status as a Proxy for Race-Ethnicity: A Proposed Framework for Studying Cultural Variables in Individuals with Neurogenic Communication Disorders. ECHO, vol. 1.

Muñoz, M.L. and Marquardt, T.P. (2004). The Influence of Language Context on Lexical Retrieval in the Discourse of Bilingual Speakers with Aphasia. Journal of Multilingual Communication Disorders, 2 (1), 1-17.

Muñoz, M.L. and Marquardt, T.P. (2003). Picture Naming and Identification in Bilingual Speakers of Spanish and English: Interpretation of Performance in Aphasia Compared to a Normative Reference Group. Aphasiology,17 (12), 1115-1132.

Muñoz, M. L., Gillam, R.B., Peña, E.D. (2003). The development of language and episodic structure in the fictional narratives of pre-school children enrolled in Head Start. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 34(4), 332-342.

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

Conture, E., Harkrider, A., Horton-Ikard, R., Muñoz, M.L., and von Hapsburg, D. (2005). “The who, what when, and why of getting a PhD.” Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists annual convention. Knoxville, TN.

Von Hapsburg, D., Muñoz, M. L., and Bhang, J.W. (May 2005). Semantic and phonological training to improve bilingual speakers processing of speech in noise. Acoustical Society of America.

Powers, H. and Muñoz, M.L. (2004) Treatment outcomes following script training for Broca’s aphasia. Poster session presented at the annual convention of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association.

Horton-Ikard, R., Kellerbell, Y., Thomas-Tate, S., and Munoz, M.L. (2004) Beyond the Master’s: How to Complete and Survive a Ph.D.  Panel Presentation at the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing.

Muñoz, M.L., and Marquardt, T.P. (2004). The performance of bilingual speakers of English and Spanish with and without aphasia on the short version of the Bilingual Aphasia Test. Poster presented at the Clinical Aphasiology Conference

Youmans, G., Holland, A., and Muñoz, M.L. (2004). Script training and automaticity in two individuals with aphasia. Poster presented at the Clinical Aphasiology Conference.

Muñoz, M.L., and Marquardt, T.P. (2003). The performance of neurologically normal bilingual speakers of English and Spanish on the Bilingual Aphasia Test. Poster presented at the Texas Research Symposium on Language Diversity.

Youmans, G., Holland, A., and Muñoz, M.L. (2003). A script training approach to aphasia treatment. Poster presented at the annual American Speech Language and Hearing Association convention.

Schuele, C.M., Conture, E., Jakielski, K., McNeil, M., Muñoz, M.L., and Oetting, J. (2003). “Thinking about a PhD? An information session for prospective doctoral students. American Speech-Language Hearing Association convention.

Muñoz, M.L., Gillam, R.B., & Peña, E. (2002). Language and narrative development of children in head start. Poster presented at the annual American Speech Language and Hearing Association convention.

Muñoz, M.L., and Beeson, P. (2002). Differential response to MOR treatment in two patients with acquired alexia. Poster presented at the annual American Speech Language and Hearing Association convention.

Schuele, C.M., Hadley, P., Jakielski, K., Muñoz, M.L., Seaver, E., and Ukrainetz, T. (2002). Life as a professor: What are the possibilities? Panel presentation conducted at the annual American Speech Language and Hearing Association convention.

Muñoz, M.L. and Marquardt, T. (2001). “Picture naming and verification in aphasic and neurologically normal bilingual speakers of Spanish and English: Implications for assessment of bilingual aphasia.” Poster session presented at the Clinical Aphasiology Conference.

Muñoz, M.L. and Marquardt, T. (2001). “Picture naming and verification in aphasic and neurologically normal bilingual speakers of Spanish and English.” Technical session presented at the Research Symposium on Multicultural Issues in Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Muñoz, M.L., Qualls, C.D., and Harris, J. (2001). “Clinical application of research in neurogenic communication disorders in multicultural populations.” American Speech-Language Hearing Association convention.

chuele, C.M., Bacon, S., Gillam, R., Iglesias, A., Hadley, P., Jakielsky, K., Evans, J., and Muñoz, M.L. (2001). "Thinking about a PhD? An information session for prospective doctoral students. American Speech-Language Hearing Association convention."

CONTACT DETAILS

Maria L. Muñoz, Ph.D.
Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology
The University of Tennessee
578 S. Stadium Hall
Knoxville, TN  37996-0740                                                 

Phone: (865) 974-4802
Fax: (865) 974-1539

Email:  mmunoz2@utk.edu

Neurogenic Language Disorders, Cognition, and Bilingualism Laboratory
 

• Script Training involves the learning and use of practiced scripts for improving functional communication in individuals with non-fluent aphasia. We utilize single-subject experimental designs to explore treatment outcomes following script training. To date, we have observed that participants use the scripts functionally (e.g. to initiate conversation in a bar, ask questions about church, tell about their stroke) in a variety of contexts. Additionally, we have also observed overall improvement in language unrelated to the scripts taught as indicated by change on a variety of pre-treatment and post-treatment measures. The research is focused on understanding the extent to which the learning of practiced scripts improves functional communication, and the mechanisms underlying the general language improvement.

• We have developed, and are conducting outcomes research on, a theoretically based treatment for aphasic perseveration. We have designed a treatment that works to reduce the time required to deactivate the perseveration and increase the activation of target word. To date, outcomes have shown a marked decrease in perseveration for trained items. We are adjusting the protocol to maximize generalization of outcomes.

Lab Description

We are housed in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology in room 435 of S. Stadium Hall. The lab is utilized to conduct assessment and treatment sessions and process and analyze data. We utilize a variety of software and hardware systems to allow for the recording, transcribing, and analysis of linguistic responses. The lab is designed to allow for direct patient contact within a comfortable setting.

Equipment

1 Dell desktop
1 Dell laptop
Transcriber
Digital Video Recorder
Color Printer

Software

SPSS
Systematic Analysis of Language Transcription (SALT)
StatView