A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Current Clinical Practices in Setting Mastery Criteria

Purpose: Little is known about the mastery criteria that school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) select when writing therapeutic goals. This survey study aimed to document the criteria used, determine how data are collected by school-based SLPs, and examine the underlying reasons for the criteria used. Method: This mixed-methods survey study recruited school-based SLPs in the United States via social media and e-mail to complete an online questionnaire of up to 16 items examining mastery criteria, data collection practices, and underlying rationales. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and open-ended responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: One hundred twenty-five school-based SLPs completed the survey. The majority of respondents reported that they used a mastery criterion of 80% accuracy across three sessions. The most frequently cited reason was the belief that their chosen criteria would promote generalization and long-term retention. Trial-by-trial continuous data collection was the most common data collection method. Conclusions: Findings revealed a reliance on familiar mastery thresholds, despite emerging evidence supporting higher accuracy thresholds to promote skill maintenance and generalization. Some practices align with evidence, while others point to a need for better integration of empirical evidence into clinical decision making. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.32677956