2024 Volume 65 Issue 2 Pages 61-76
Background: The field of communication sciences and disorders has only become formalized into an independent scientific and clinical discipline since the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP) was founded by Emil Froeschels in 1924.
Purpose: We summarize the key developments in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP) in Bulgaria and Japan over time, emphasizing the influence of the IALP on the development of logopedics* in these countries.
Method: A historical approach is used, including biographical, ethnographic, and iconographic archive analyses and the analysis of special literature sources. The different stages of the development of SLP in Bulgaria and Japan are outlined.
Results: In both Bulgaria and Japan, the development of SLP started at the beginning of the 19th century with special education for deaf people. The study of SLP in both countries started with a focus on stuttering and related fluency disorders. Bulgarian logopedics has a strong European influence, as represented by the schools in Vienna, Berlin, Praha, and Moscow. In Japan, SLP has been influenced not only by European schools of thought, but also by U.S. perspectives. In the mid-20th century, the influence of otorhinolaryngology and phoniatrics strengthened in both countries.
Conclusion: The foundation of SLP in Bulgaria and Japan was influenced by the European tradition and its development accelerated following World War II. Over recent decades, the dissemination of scientific concepts and increase in professionalism have extended to both countries following their educational, economic, cultural, and historical traditions.
