State of the Practice of Team Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate engagement in collaborative research (team science) and perceptions of related knowledge and skills to inform personnel preparation and workforce development efforts. Method: A questionnaire was used to solicit information about the team science-related experiences of 220 doctoral students, faculty, and research scientists in speech-pathology and audiology. Additionally, the questionnaire surveyed participants' perceptions of readiness, benefits, and challenges to team science. Results: Results demonstrated low percentages of respondents had received training in collaborative research (17%), and those with training were more likely to engage in cross-disciplinary collaborative research. Group differences were found with female researchers reporting lower psychological safety than male researchers. The most frequently cited advantages of team science included diverse perspectives, collective expertise, innovative ideas, and productivity. Conversely, common challenges included time constraints, finding collaborators, and differing expectations. Implications: Because this study yielded group difference in psychological safety between groups that differed in gender and position, results suggest additional efforts may be necessary to ensure that imbalances in the power structure of members are not allowed to dissuade members from actively contributing to team activities. Additional training opportunities in team science could support the degree to which professionals in communication science and disorders engage in collaborative research. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha. 15506034

Automated summary

This study investigated engagement in team science among 220 doctoral students, faculty, and research scientists in speech-pathology and audiology, finding that training in collaborative research positively impacted cross-disciplinary engagement, yet female researchers reported lower psychological safety. Advantages of team science included diverse perspectives, innovative ideas, and productivity, while challenges included time constraints and finding collaborators.