Objective: Research in the field of speech-language pathology in Iran has experienced remarkable growth since the establishment of the discipline in 1973. However, no comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the research achievements of faculty members and their international impact has been conducted to date. The present study aims to fill this gap by examining five decades of indexed articles in pediatric speech-language pathology published by Iranian faculty members, providing an overview of research trends, international publication patterns, and thematic priorities.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-retrospective study was conducted using the Scientometric Portal of the Iranian Ministry of Health. All indexed and peer-reviewed articles related to pediatric speech-language pathology published by speech-language pathology faculty members at Iranian universities of medical sciences between 1973 and 2024 were extracted. Following systematic screening of 398 articles, 380 eligible articles were analyzed based on seven main indicators: annual publication trends, clinical domains, thematic subdomains, research focus, study population or disorder, research design type, and indexing status in international databases.
Results: Scientific production in this field showed an increasing trend, with the highest publication rate observed between 2020 and 2022 (23.7% of all articles). Language comprehension and expression had the largest share (40.3%), followed by speech sound production (16.3%), semantics (11.6%), phonology (10.8%), and feeding and swallowing disorders (8.4%). Regarding target populations, studies on typically developing children (30.8%) and children with hearing impairment (21.1%) had the highest frequency. The dominant research approach was description of disorder characteristics (38.7%), while the contribution of intervention studies (17.6%), epidemiological research (2.4%), and screening studies (3%) was limited. Overall, 93.92% of articles were indexed in international databases, with Scopus providing the highest coverage at 75.8%.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that Iranian faculty members in speech-language pathology, while addressing local priorities, have maintained international publication standards and achieved significant growth in knowledge development in this field. Pediatric speech-language pathology research in Iran has now reached a stage of scientific maturity primarily built on studies of language development and hearing disorders. However, significant gaps exist in intervention research, epidemiological studies, screening, and investigation of certain clinical populations such as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, voice disorders, and learning disabilities. This analysis can serve as a roadmap for prioritizing future research and formulating scientific policies in the field of pediatric speech-language pathology in Iran.