Rebecca Alper, PhD
Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Biography
PhD, University of Iowa
Contact Information
Waisman Center
1500 Highland Avenue
Room 543A
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 890-2259
rebecca.alper@wisc.edu
Language, Literacy, and Learning Lab
Research Statement
Dr. Alper’s research focuses on understanding and improving language and academic outcomes for children who are at-risk as a result of learning environment, communication disorder status, or both. This work includes clinical behavioral assessment research, as well as research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinician and caregiver-mediated early language and literacy interventions. Additionally, Dr. Alper is interested in research methodology and data analysis for speech-language research.
Selected Publications
Alper, R. M., & Eulau, K. (2025). Applying Principles of Trauma-Informed Caregiver Coaching in Early Language Intervention. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 1–14. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_LSHSS-24-00136
Alper, R. M., Masek, L. R., Luo, R., Kaiser, A., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2025). Beyond Socioeconomic Status: A Strengths-Focused Structural Equation Modeling Study of Collaboration-Focused Parenting Beliefs, Interaction Quality, and Language Outcomes. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 1–18. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00430
O’Fallon, M. K., Alper, R. M., Beiting, M., & Luo, R. (2022). Assessing shared reading in families at risk: Does quantity predict quality?. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(5), 2108–2122. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00013
Beiting, M., Alper, R. M., Luo, R., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2022). Keep the ball rolling: Sustained multiturn conversational episodes are associated with child language ability. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(5), 2186–2194. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-21-00333
Alper, R. M., Beiting, M., Luo, R., Jaen, J., Peel, M., Levi, O., Robinson, C., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2021). Change the Things You Can: Modifiable Parent Characteristics Predict High-Quality Early Language Interaction Within Socioeconomic Status. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 64(6), 1992–2004. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_JSLHR-20-00412
Alper, R. M., Hurtig, R. R., & McGregor, K. K. (2020). The role of maternal psychosocial perceptions in parent-training programs: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of child language, 47(2), 358–381. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000919000138
Hurtig, R. R., Alper, R. M., Bryant, K. N. T., Davidson, K. R., & Bilskemper, C. (2019). Improving Patient Safety and Patient-Provider Communication. Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groups, 4(5), 1017–1027. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_persp-19-00134
Luo, R., Alper, R. M., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Mogul, M., Chen, Y., Masek, L. R., Paterson, S., Pace, A., Adamson, L. B., Bakeman, R., Golinkoff, R. M., & Owen, M. T. (2019). Community-Based, Caregiver-Implemented Early Language Intervention in High-Risk Families: Lessons Learned. Progress in community health partnerships : research, education, and action, 13(3), 283–291. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2019.0056
Hurtig, R. R., Alper, R. M., & Berkowitz, B. (2018). The cost of not addressing the communication barriers faced by hospitalized patients. Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groups, 3(12), 99–112. https://doi.org/10.1044/persp3.SIG12.99
McGregor, K. K., & Alper, R. M. (2015). Sleep Disorders as a Risk to Language Learning and Use. EBP briefs, 10(1), 1–21.
Alper, R., Fu, X., Erickson-Levendoski, E., Zheng, W., & Sivasankar, M. (2011). Acute stress to excised vocal fold epithelium from reactive oxygen species. The Laryngoscope, 121(10), 2180–2184. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.22157