Designed for speech-language pathologists
to quickly understand a patient’s communication profile
and guide further assessment and rehabilitation planning.
Not sure what to screen for first?
“I use my own screening methods, but I’m not always confident that they are appropriate.”
I’m not sure what aspects I should focus on when conducting a screening assessment.”
Initial evaluations require clinicians to make important decisions with limited information.
STAD was developed to provide a structured framework for identifying key communication difficulties and deciding what should be assessed next.
STAD Features
A Screening Assessment Designed for Clinical Practice
STAD consists of three assessment domains:
Language Assessment
Evaluates language abilities, including comprehension, verbal expression, repetition, and related functions.
Speech Assessment
Evaluates speech intelligibility and motor speech function.
Nonverbal Assessment
Evaluates cognitive functions related to communication beyond language abilities.
STAD is designed to efficiently capture the information that clinicians need in everyday practice.
Its effectiveness has been validated through standardized data from 222 healthy individuals and a cohort study involving 314 individuals with brain injuries acr
oss 20 institutions in Japan.
The Background Behind STAD’s Development
Transforming Clinical Challenges into an Assessment Tool
The developer of STAD, Kentaro Araki, experienced firsthand the challenges of initial evaluations and screening assessments while working as a speech-language pathologist.
” How can we accurately understand a patient’s condition during the initial clinical assessment?””
This question became the starting point for the development of STAD.
Through ongoing research and clinical practice, STAD was developed with the goal of supporting speech-language pathologists who face similar challenges in assessment.
That is the foundation upon which STAD was created.
Trusted by Speech-Language Pathologists in Clinical Practice
STAD has been evaluated through both research and clinical application and is currently used by many speech-language pathologists.
- Distributed to more than 3,600 speech-language pathologists nationwide
- Research findings presented at academic conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals
- Recipient of the Outstanding Paper Award, Japanese Association of Speech-Language-Hearing Therapists (2012)
- Recipient of the Outstanding Presentation Award, Japanese Society for Brain Function and Rehabilitation (2014)
STAD is designed with two priorities in mind:
Practical usability in clinical settings and evidence-based assessment.
We believe that both are essential for meaningful clinical practice.
Testimonials from STAD Users
Speech-Language Pathologist U
I wanted to find a way to reduce the burden on patients while gaining a faster and clearer understanding of their symptoms.
I was also looking for an efficient way to conduct screening assessments within a limited time frame.
By using STAD, I hope to continue deepening my clinical understanding through practical experience.
Speech-Language Pathologist M
During initial evaluations of new patients, assessment perspectives can sometimes vary depending on the clinician’s experience.
STAD helped me organize the key points that should be evaluated and provided a clearer framework for assessment.
Recommendations
Eiji Shimizu, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University
I hope to see continued advancement in STAD research based on scientific evidence and its further contribution to many individuals experiencing communication disorders.
Mr. Kentaro Araki has dedicated his efforts to researching a screening test for language disorders designed to assess communication abilities in individuals with brain injuries.
He completed both his master’s and doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, focusing on this field.
I look forward to the continued development of evidence-based STAD research and its contribution to improving the lives of many individuals with communication disorders.
Machiko Kozono, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Division of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Kumamoto Health Science Univer
sity
II believe that the ultimate goal of being a speech-language pathologist is closely connected to the concept of ‘Art’—a profession built upon expertise and craftsmanship.
It requires the ability to accurately identify the essence of a person’s disorder and carefully consider what kind of support is truly necessary to help that individual regain their ability to live and communicate more fully.
STAD can serve as a powerful foundation for developing the knowledge and skills required of speech-language pathologists.
Even artists who later became known as unique talents and geniuses spent their early years repeatedly practicing fundamental drawing techniques.
In the same way, speech-language pathologists must strengthen their clinical judgment by conducting evidence-based screening assessments and continuously refining their professional skills.
STAD provides an important foundation for this process.
Request the STAD Screening Forms & Manual”
If you would like to introduce STAD into your clinical practice, please refer to the information below.
STAD Screening Forms & Manual Now Available