Public Awareness Levels About The Profession of Speech-Language Therapists in Turkey

Purpose: The foundations of the language and speech therapy profession were laid with the foundation of The Education, Research and Application Center for Language and Speech Disorders (D？LKOM) in 1999. In later years, the number of speech and language therapists (SLT) in our country has increased rapidly. However, it can be said that the people who need therapy, the knowledge of the SLT profession and the possibilities to reach therapists are not enough. This study is a descriptive study which aims to reveal the level of awareness of individuals in society about language and speech therapy profession. Method: A 31-item questionnaire was used to determine the awareness level of the participants. Living in various cities of Turkey, in the 18-70+ age range, 86 men and 138 women participated in the study. Their answers were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical methods. Results: The level of awareness varies according to age, gender and education level. In general, the recognition of the language and speech therapy profession is not high. Conclusion: In the sample group, it is seen that recognition of SLTs is not high but, it is not a completely unknown profession. It was determined that it was perceived as a profession group mainly working with children and young people, dealing mainly with problems such as stuttering and speech los