The aim of this project was to study the phenomenology of auditory hallucinations in Indians. The sample investigated consisted of thirty adult Indian males domiciled in the Durban area, attending neuroclinics, who had been diagnosed as having suffered from a psychosis and who had experienced auditory hallucinations. The patients were examined by the author and in addition relevant data was extracted from their case files. This included religion, previous diagnosis, age at onset of illness and present age, mother tongue, language of daily usage, language of hallucinations, source of hallucinations, comprehensibi1ity of hallucinations, content of hallucinations, patient's initial reaction to hallucinations, time when hallucinations were experienced, media of transmission, direction of voices and whether the patient had consulted a traditional healer. The findings were that a significant majority of patients: 1) described their hallucinations as being voices coming from supernatural beings (84%). 2) did not attribute their hallucinations to being voices belonging to their deceased ancestors (88%). 3) did not attribute their hallucinations to voices which were being relayed by technical transmitting apparatuses (88%) . 4) diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia initially, found their hallucinations to be distressful (89%) whereas 80% of the patients diagnosed as suffering from manic depressive psychosis found their hallucinations to be pleasant. 5) did not ascribe their hallucinations to animals (100%). 6) had visited a traditional healer (100%). Hallucinations were generally thought by the majority of patients to have occurred as a result of being possessed by spirits and that the possession had occurred following some "evil" done to them by enemies, rivals, or other persons who wanted the patient to come to harm. Their belief in spirits was derived both from religion and from folk-lore. Its connection with auditory hallucinations arose from the notion that evil spirits can invade human beings causing abnormal behaviour and also symptoms of mental illness including auditory hallucinations. All the patients had visited traditional healers presumably to exorcise the spirits that had possessed them. The Durban Indian community has been reported to be a deculturing community with many of its members adopting Western cultural attitudes and values. The following factors (religion, language grouping, and beliefs derived from folk-lore), specific to Indian culture, appear to have an important influence in shaping some aspects of the phenomenology of auditory hallucinations of psychotic Indian males. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1985.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the perceived level of ability (self-efficacy) differed from actual performance ability for individuals with cerebral vascular accidents (CVA's). Patients were assessed for perception and actual ability level on Activities of Daily Living (ADL's) and Balance skills at admission and at discharge from an inpatient CVA rehabilitation program. Thirty patients with unilateral brain lesions (15 right and 15 left) constituted the study group. ANOVA and repeated measures were used in this quasi-experimental, quantitative study to examine data. All three research hypotheses were tested at an alpha level of .05 for significance. The first and third research hypotheses were supported: CVA patients' self-efficacy scores on ADL's and Balance Skills were significantly different from actual performance scores at time of admission to a CVA rehabilitation program; and the self-efficacy scores were significantly closer to actual performance scores for ADL skills at discharge. The improved accuracy in perception of Balance Skills was not supported by comparison of scores between admission and discharge measurements. The second hypothesis that right hemisphere CVA lesion patients self-efficacy and actual performance scores would be significantly different compared to the scores of patients with left hemisphere CVA lesions was not supported. A ttest for paired samples was also performed on the ADL scores data to investigate three-way significance for the third hypothesis. The patients studied successfully completed the prescribed therapeutic activities in a CVA rehabilitation program and were able to predict with significantly improved accuracy, performance ability on ADL skills at discharge. / School of Nursing

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Aug. 18, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 212-219). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed April 4, 2007). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-166).

Dichotic tests evaluate binaural integration through simultaneous presentation of different stimuli to each ear of a listener who has normal hearing sensitivity in both ears. Dichotic listening deficits may lead to problems with language, communication, reading, or academic performance. If accurately identified, dichotic deficits may be treatable with listening training or managed with accommodation. However, it is not clear which of several commercially-available dichotic test recordings are best for audiologists to use when assessing binaural integration in children. Literature review revealed limited evidence of reliability, accuracy, usefulness, or value for dichotic tests applied to children. Of 11 dichotic tests identified, five reported some evidence of test-retest reliability. Correlation between results on repeated administration was moderate to good (r=0.59 to 0.92). Evidence of accuracy was identified for 5 tests but was not generalizable due to significant limitations in study design. No evidence was found to either support or dispute claims of usefulness or value. Since reliability is a necessary prerequisite for good test performance, we sought to directly compare test-retest reliability for three dichotic measures: SCAN-3 Competing Words (CW), Musiek's Double Dichotic Digits (DD-M), and Bergen Dichotic Listening Test with Consonant-Vowel Syllables (CV-B). Sixty English-speaking children, 7-14 years old with normal hearing, had a single study-visit during which each test was administered twice. Changes on retest were compared to binomial model predictions, summarized by within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and compared among tests. Correlates of variance were explored. All 3 tests had reliability within bounds predicted by binomial model. Forty-item scores were more reliable (Sw=5%) than those based on 20-30 items (Sw=6-8%). No associations between participant characteristics and reliability were found. CW and DD-M were evaluated for evidence of agreement and decision consistency. Although participants were rank ordered similarly by right ear (ρ = 0.58), left ear (ρ = 0.51) and total (ρ = 0.73) scores, the tests did not agree on ranking by inter-aural asymmetry (ρ =0.18). CW and DD-M did not agree on direction of ear advantage (κ = 0.01, p = 0.93) and had poor agreement on which children displayed dichotic deficits (κ = 0.22, p < 0.01). DD identified significantly more participants with deficits (n=18) than CW (n=3) (p < 0.001). Although dichotic procedures show moderate reliability, their precision is limited. Assessment of their accuracy is limited by the absence of a widely-accepted gold standard reference test, but two commonly used tests failed to agree on which children had deficits. The data do not yet support routine clinical use of dichotic tests of binaural integration with children. Additional research is needed to determine if there are any conditions under which dichotic procedures demonstrate usefulness or value.

Introdução: A literatura revela que há uma possível relação entre processamento auditivo e as disfonias no que se refere principalmente a parâmetros acústicos da voz (frequência, intensidade e duração). Desta forma, um paciente que apresenta dificuldades auditivas para analisar e discriminar um desses parâmetros, provavelmente também apresente dificuldade para reproduzi-los vocalmente, o que justificaria a não evolução do processo terapêutico. Na clínica vocal, a avaliação da reprodução tonal vocal poderia auxiliar a identificação de dificuldades do paciente disfônico que pudessem estar relacionadas com alterações do processamento auditivo, contribuindo com o diagnóstico fonoaudiológico diferencial. Objetivo: Comparar o desempenho de mulheres disfônicas e sem alterações vocais em testes de processamento auditivo e teste de reprodução tonal vocal e correlacionar os testes de processamento auditivo utilizados com o teste de reprodução tonal vocal. Metodologia: Participaram do estudo 40 mulheres, na faixa etária de 18 a 44 anos, sendo subdivididas em dois grupos: Grupo Disfônico (20 Disfônicas) e Grupo Não Disfônico (20 Não Disfônicas). Após a assinatura do Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido, as participantes do estudo passaram por entrevista, avaliação audiológica, otorrinolaringológica, vocal (registro da voz; avaliação da reprodução tonal vocal por meio da fonetografia) e avaliação do processamento auditivo - por meio dos testes de Padrão de Frequência (TPF) e Padrão de Duração (TPD) sonora, teste de Fala Comprimida-monossílabos e dissílabos (TFC-mono/TFC-di) e teste Dicótico Não Verbal (TDNV). A análise estatística foi realizada por meio dos seguintes testes: Mann-Whitney, Teste exato de Fisher e Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Houve diferença estatisticamente significante na comparação do desempenho de disfônicas e não disfônicas nos testes TPF e TFC-monossílabos e no teste de reprodução tonal vocal, no qual as não disfônicas obtiveram melhor desempenho. Houve correlação positiva entre o TPF, TPD, TFC (monossílabos e dissílabos) com o teste de reprodução tonal vocal. Conclusões: Mulheres disfônicas apresentam alterações em algumas habilidades do processamento auditivo, como: discriminação de padrões de som relacionados à frequência sonora e habilidade de fechamento auditivo, revelando relação importante entre produção vocal e comprometimento de funções auditivas centrais. Essas alterações revelam a necessidade de um diagnóstico mais abrangente frente às disfonias, considerando-se o processamento auditivo. Mulheres disfônicas apresentaram desempenho inferior às mulheres não disfônicas na primeira tentativa e no total de tentativas do Teste de Reprodução Tonal Vocal. Desta forma, o fonoaudiólogo deve considerar na terapia vocal a importância da apresentação/repetição de pistas auditivas para facilitar a execução de alguns exercícios vocais, e favorecer um bom desempenho e o avanço na terapia de mulheres disfônicas. Quanto melhor o desempenho nos testes de processamento auditivo, melhor o desempenho de reprodução tonal vocal de disfônicas e não disfônicas. O teste de reprodução tonal vocal pode auxiliar fonoaudiólogos e preparadores vocais na verificação de possíveis dificuldades de percepção auditiva em mulheres disfônicas. / Introduction: The literature reveals a possible relationship between auditory processing and dysphonia particularly with regard to acoustic voice parameters (frequency, intensity and duration). Therefore, a patient who has hearing difficulties to analyze and discriminate one of these parameters, probably also present difficulty to reproduce them vocally, which could explain the lack of progress of the therapeutic process. In vocal practice, the evaluation of vocal tonal reproduction could help to identify dysphonic patient difficulties that could be related to auditory processing disorders, contributing to the speech differential diagnosis. Aim: To compare the performance of dysphonic women without vocal alterations in auditory processing tests and vocal tonal reproduction test and correlate the auditory processing tests used with the vocal tonal reproduction test. Methodology: The study included 40 women, aged 18-44 years, divided into two groups: Group Dysphonic (20 dysphonic) and Group not Dysphonic (20 not dysphonic). After signing the Free Informed Consent Form, the study participants underwent an interview, audiological evaluation, otorhinolaryngological, Vocal (voice record, assessment of vocal tonal reproduction through phonetography) and auditory processing evaluation - through sonorous test of Pitch Pattern Sequence (PPS) and Duration Pattern Sequence (DPS), Time-Compressed Speech test- monosyllabic and disyllabic lists (TCS- mono/TCS-di) and Non-Verbal Dichotic Test (NVDT). Statistical analysis was performed using the following tests: Mann-Whitney test, Fisher exact test and Spearman correlation. Results: There were significant differences in the comparison of performance of dysphonic and not dysphonic in PPS test and TCS-monosyllables test and vocal tonal reproduction test, in which the non-dysphonic performed better. There was a positive correlation between the PPS, DPS, TCS (monosyllabic and disyllabic) with the vocal tonal reproduction test. Conclusions: Women dysphonic present alterations in some auditory processing abilities, such as: discrimination of sound patterns related to sound frequency and auditory closure skill, revealing important relationship between vocal production and commitment of central auditory function. These alterations reveal the need for a more comprehensive diagnostic front to dysphonia, considering the auditory processing. Dysphonic women presented lower performance than non-dysphonic women on the first try and the total attempts reproduction Tonal Vocal Test. Thus, the speech pathologist should consider in voice therapy the importance of presentation/repeat auditory cues to facilitate the implementation of some vocal exercises, and encourage good performance and progress in the dysphonic women therapy. The better the performance in auditory processing tests, better the performance of vocal tonal reproduction of dysphonic and not dysphonic. The vocal tonal reproduction test can aid speech and vocal trainers to check possible difficulties in auditory perception in dysphonic women.

INTRODUÇÃO: Baseado na hipótese de que os transtornos de leitura possam ser causados por uma alteração no processamento temporal auditivo (PTA), programas de treinamento auditivo computadorizados são utilizados como método de reabilitação em crianças com dislexia. Apesar disso, há controvérsias sobre a influência deste tipo de tratamento nas habilidades de leitura. OBJETIVOS: Desenvolver um programa de treinamento auditivo computadorizado, aplicar e analisar a sua eficácia em crianças com dislexia, por meio da comparação dos desempenhos obtidos em testes de leitura, consciência fonológica e PTA, aplicados antes e após a utilização do programa. MÉTODO: o software desenvolvido apresentou dois jogos contendo estímulos não-verbais e verbais (fala expandida). O treinamento foi conduzido na casa de cada participante durante dois meses, sendo cinco vezes por semana. A eficácia foi analisada por meio de dois estudos. No primeiro, os desempenhos do grupo experimental (treinado) em testes de leitura, consciência fonológica e PTA, aplicados pré e pós-treinamento, foram comparados com o desempenho do grupo controle (não treinado), nos mesmos testes, aplicados no mesmo período. Ambos os grupos foram formados por crianças com dislexia e idades entre 7 e 14 anos, sendo 12 do grupo experimental e 28 do grupo controle. No estudo 2, o desempenho do grupo experimental (18 crianças com dislexia) nos mesmos testes citados no estudo 1, foram comparados em três momentos: dois meses antes do início do treinamento, no início e no final do treinamento. RESULTADOS: No estudo 1, houve melhora significante do grupo experimental, se comparado ao controle, em relação ao desempenho em uma das habilidades de consciência fonológica (Tarefas Silábicas; p=0,044) e em uma das habilidades de PTA (Padrão de Freqüência; 7 a 10 anos de idade p<0,001, 11 a 14 anos de idade p=0,018). No estudo 2, houve melhora significante do grupo experimental, se comparado ao controle, em relação ao desempenho em uma das habilidades de leitura (Leitura de Texto; p<0,001), em uma das habilidades de consciência fonológica (Tarefas Fonêmicas; p<0,001), e em ambas habilidades de PTA (Padrão de Freqüência p<0,001 e Duração p=0,010). CONCLUSÃO: o software mostrou-se eficaz para o treinamento temporal auditivo do grupo, o qual pôde ser comprovado por meio da melhora pós-treinamento, em relação a esta habilidade, na maioria das situações analisadas. Os desempenhos encontrados pós-treinamento, em relação às provas de leitura e consciência fonológica, questionam a hipótese que relaciona o PTA e a leitura, já que a melhora esteve presente apenas para algumas habilidades de leitura e consciência fonológica. / INTRODUCTION: Based on the hypothesis that reading disorders can be caused by an alteration of the temporal auditory processing (TAP), computadorized auditory training programs are used as a rehabilitation method in children with dyslexia. However, there are some controversies about the influence of this kind of treatment in reading abilities. AIM: to develop and administer a computadorized auditory training program as also as analyze its efficacy in children with dyslexia; through a comparison of the performances obtained in reading, in phonological awareness and in TAP tests conducted before and after the use of the program. METHODS: the software developed presented two games with non-verbal and verbal (expanded speech) stimuli. Training was conducted in each participants home during two months, five times a week. Efficacy was analyzed through two studies. In the first one the performance of the experimental group (trained) in reading, phonological awareness and TAP tests, pre and post-training, was compared with the performance of the control group (non trained) for the same tests conducted in the same period. Both groups were constituted by children with dyslexia with age range between 7 and 14 years old, being 12 of the experimental group and 28 of the control group. In study 2, the performance of the experimental group (18 children with dyslexia) in the same tests conducted in study 1 was compared in three circumstances: Two months before the beginning of treatment, at the beginning of treatment and at the end of treatment. RESULTS: In study 1 there was significant improvement of the experimental group compared to the control group in relation to the performance of one phonological awareness ability (Syllabic Tasks; p=0.044) and in one TAP ability (Frequency pattern; 7 to 10 years old: p<0.001; 11 to 14 years old: p=0.018). In study 2 there was significant improvement of the experimental group, if compared to the control group, in one reading ability (Text Reading; p<0.001), one phonological awareness ability (Phonemic Tasks; p<0.001) and in both TAP abilities (Frequency pattern; p<0.001 and Duration; p=0.010). CONCLUSION: the software showed its efficacy for the auditory temporal training of the group, which was proved by the post-training improvement in this ability for the majority of the situations analyzed. Post-training performances regarding reading and phonological awareness tests put in question the hypothesis that relates TAP and reading, as far as improvement was only showed for some reading and phonological awareness abilities.

Introdução: A literatura revela que há uma possível relação entre processamento auditivo e as disfonias no que se refere principalmente a parâmetros acústicos da voz (frequência, intensidade e duração). Desta forma, um paciente que apresenta dificuldades auditivas para analisar e discriminar um desses parâmetros, provavelmente também apresente dificuldade para reproduzi-los vocalmente, o que justificaria a não evolução do processo terapêutico. Na clínica vocal, a avaliação da reprodução tonal vocal poderia auxiliar a identificação de dificuldades do paciente disfônico que pudessem estar relacionadas com alterações do processamento auditivo, contribuindo com o diagnóstico fonoaudiológico diferencial. Objetivo: Comparar o desempenho de mulheres disfônicas e sem alterações vocais em testes de processamento auditivo e teste de reprodução tonal vocal e correlacionar os testes de processamento auditivo utilizados com o teste de reprodução tonal vocal. Metodologia: Participaram do estudo 40 mulheres, na faixa etária de 18 a 44 anos, sendo subdivididas em dois grupos: Grupo Disfônico (20 Disfônicas) e Grupo Não Disfônico (20 Não Disfônicas). Após a assinatura do Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido, as participantes do estudo passaram por entrevista, avaliação audiológica, otorrinolaringológica, vocal (registro da voz; avaliação da reprodução tonal vocal por meio da fonetografia) e avaliação do processamento auditivo - por meio dos testes de Padrão de Frequência (TPF) e Padrão de Duração (TPD) sonora, teste de Fala Comprimida-monossílabos e dissílabos (TFC-mono/TFC-di) e teste Dicótico Não Verbal (TDNV). A análise estatística foi realizada por meio dos seguintes testes: Mann-Whitney, Teste exato de Fisher e Correlação de Spearman. Resultados: Houve diferença estatisticamente significante na comparação do desempenho de disfônicas e não disfônicas nos testes TPF e TFC-monossílabos e no teste de reprodução tonal vocal, no qual as não disfônicas obtiveram melhor desempenho. Houve correlação positiva entre o TPF, TPD, TFC (monossílabos e dissílabos) com o teste de reprodução tonal vocal. Conclusões: Mulheres disfônicas apresentam alterações em algumas habilidades do processamento auditivo, como: discriminação de padrões de som relacionados à frequência sonora e habilidade de fechamento auditivo, revelando relação importante entre produção vocal e comprometimento de funções auditivas centrais. Essas alterações revelam a necessidade de um diagnóstico mais abrangente frente às disfonias, considerando-se o processamento auditivo. Mulheres disfônicas apresentaram desempenho inferior às mulheres não disfônicas na primeira tentativa e no total de tentativas do Teste de Reprodução Tonal Vocal. Desta forma, o fonoaudiólogo deve considerar na terapia vocal a importância da apresentação/repetição de pistas auditivas para facilitar a execução de alguns exercícios vocais, e favorecer um bom desempenho e o avanço na terapia de mulheres disfônicas. Quanto melhor o desempenho nos testes de processamento auditivo, melhor o desempenho de reprodução tonal vocal de disfônicas e não disfônicas. O teste de reprodução tonal vocal pode auxiliar fonoaudiólogos e preparadores vocais na verificação de possíveis dificuldades de percepção auditiva em mulheres disfônicas. / Introduction: The literature reveals a possible relationship between auditory processing and dysphonia particularly with regard to acoustic voice parameters (frequency, intensity and duration). Therefore, a patient who has hearing difficulties to analyze and discriminate one of these parameters, probably also present difficulty to reproduce them vocally, which could explain the lack of progress of the therapeutic process. In vocal practice, the evaluation of vocal tonal reproduction could help to identify dysphonic patient difficulties that could be related to auditory processing disorders, contributing to the speech differential diagnosis. Aim: To compare the performance of dysphonic women without vocal alterations in auditory processing tests and vocal tonal reproduction test and correlate the auditory processing tests used with the vocal tonal reproduction test. Methodology: The study included 40 women, aged 18-44 years, divided into two groups: Group Dysphonic (20 dysphonic) and Group not Dysphonic (20 not dysphonic). After signing the Free Informed Consent Form, the study participants underwent an interview, audiological evaluation, otorhinolaryngological, Vocal (voice record, assessment of vocal tonal reproduction through phonetography) and auditory processing evaluation - through sonorous test of Pitch Pattern Sequence (PPS) and Duration Pattern Sequence (DPS), Time-Compressed Speech test- monosyllabic and disyllabic lists (TCS- mono/TCS-di) and Non-Verbal Dichotic Test (NVDT). Statistical analysis was performed using the following tests: Mann-Whitney test, Fisher exact test and Spearman correlation. Results: There were significant differences in the comparison of performance of dysphonic and not dysphonic in PPS test and TCS-monosyllables test and vocal tonal reproduction test, in which the non-dysphonic performed better. There was a positive correlation between the PPS, DPS, TCS (monosyllabic and disyllabic) with the vocal tonal reproduction test. Conclusions: Women dysphonic present alterations in some auditory processing abilities, such as: discrimination of sound patterns related to sound frequency and auditory closure skill, revealing important relationship between vocal production and commitment of central auditory function. These alterations reveal the need for a more comprehensive diagnostic front to dysphonia, considering the auditory processing. Dysphonic women presented lower performance than non-dysphonic women on the first try and the total attempts reproduction Tonal Vocal Test. Thus, the speech pathologist should consider in voice therapy the importance of presentation/repeat auditory cues to facilitate the implementation of some vocal exercises, and encourage good performance and progress in the dysphonic women therapy. The better the performance in auditory processing tests, better the performance of vocal tonal reproduction of dysphonic and not dysphonic. The vocal tonal reproduction test can aid speech and vocal trainers to check possible difficulties in auditory perception in dysphonic women.

Not available / text

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-51). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR19659