Speech audiometry is an important aspect of audiological testing. One aspect of speech audiometry is the measurement of an individual's speech reception threshold (SRT). Materials needed to measure the SRT are available in many languages; however, recorded materials for the Mongolian Language are not widely available. The purpose of this study was to develop a list of psychometrically equivalent words for evaluating the hearing abilities of native Mongolian speaking individuals. A set of 90 commonly used bisyllabic Mongolian words were digitally recorded by a male and female talker of Mongolian and then evaluated by 20 native Mongolian listeners. A final list of 28 words with relatively steep psychometric function slopes were selected and digitally adjusted to reduce intensity threshold variability among words. Digital recordings of the 28 psychometrically equivalent bisyllabic words are available on compact disc to facilitate SRT testing of native Mongolian speakers.

The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and equate Spanish trisyllabic words which could then be used in the measurement of the speech reception threshold. A selection of 90 frequently utilized trisyllabic words were selected and then digitally recorded by male and female talkers of Spanish and presented to 20 subjects with normal hearing beginning at 6 dB below their pure-tone average (PTA) and ascending in 2 dB increments until one of the following criteria had been met: (a) the participant responded correctly to 100% of the test items, or (b) the presentation level reached 16 dB HL. Using logistic regression, psychometric functions were calculated for each word. Twenty-eight trisyllabic words with the steepest psychometric function slopes were selected. To decrease the variability among the words the intensities were digitally adjusted to match the mean subject PTA (5.83 dB HL). The resulting lists included mean slopes at 50% threshold which ranged from 7.3 %/dB to 12.7 %/dB (M = 10.1) for the male talker recording and from 7.1 %/dB to 12.8 %/dB (M = 8.7) for the female talker. Digital recordings of the 28 final psychometrically equivalent trisyllabic words are available on compact disc.

Speech reception threshold testing by bone conduction is very useful in diagnostic audiometry. However, there are little data regarding the CID W-1 spondee word lists used with the Radioear B-71 and B-72 and Pracitronic KH 70 bone conduction vibrators at higher presentation levels for testing hearing impaired clients. Data are needed in order that results of speech reception thresholds using the CID W-1 word lists via these three bone conduction vibrators at higher intensity levels can be used confidently in the clinic. More data are available for speech reception thresholds using the CID W-1 word lists via earphones. This study compared speech intelligibility presented via bone conduction at higher intensity levels to that presented via earphone at higher intensity levels. Twelve normal hearing adults, with thresholds artificially elevated by binaural speech noise masking to simulate a hearing impairment, were used as subjects. Recorded CID W-1 spondee word lists were presented via four transducers: Radioear B-71, Radioear B-72, and Pracitronic KR 70 bone vibrators, and a TDH-39 earphone. Investigation of each bone conduction vibrator was accomplished by using forehead placement and using binaural speech noise masking via earphones. Investigation of the earphone was accomplished by simultaneously presenting binaural speech stimuli and speech noise masking. Spondees from the CID W-1 word lists were presented to the subject via a transducer. A bracketing technique was used to estimate the speech reception threshold. Using the intensity level of the predetermined SRT as 0 dB, each list was presented at one of the following levels: +4, +2, O, -2, -4, and -6. Performance-intensity functions, the percentage of correctly identified spondees as a function of presentation level, were obtained for each transducer. The percentage of spondees correctly identified increased with the stimulus level for all transducers. Using linear regression, the line of best fit was calculated for each subject's data under each transducer condition. A one way analysis of variance indicated that there was a significant difference in the slopes of the performance-intensity functions of the transducers. A follow-up test for the one way analysis of variance indicated that there was a signficant difference between the TDH-39 earphone and each of the bone conduction vibrators. There were no significant differences among the bone conduction vibrators. Results of the study suggested that CID W-1 word lists and the 50 percent criterion may be inappropriate for use with these bone conduction vibrators at higher intensity levels. Given that there was a preponderance of data points below 50 percent for the bone vibrators, a criterion of less than 50 percent might be more appropriate. Because presentation levels might be elevated for sensorineural hearing impaired listeners, their SRT performances could be affected. Consequently, the results of speech reception threshold testing via bone conduction at higher intensity levels should be interpreted with caution in clinics.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the CID Everyday sentences, with competing cafeteria noise, as a measure of the real life receptive communication difficulty experienced by subjects with hearing loss limited to frequencies above 2000 Hz. In order to establish normative data the speech discrimination test w~s given to 38 normal hearing subjects (aged 19-46). Second, the discrimination test was given to 12 hearing impaired subjects (29-64), who also completed a self-assessment questionnaire, the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA). The results were analyzed to determine: (a) if there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the normal hearing and the hearing impaired subjects, and (b) if there was a significant correlation between the hearing impaired subjects' scores on the discrimination test and those obtained on the HHIA. The investigation revealed that a statistically significant difference (p=0.04) existed between the mean scores of the two subject groups on the discrimination test. The hearing impaired subjects averaged about 9% below the normal hearing subjects. Although there was a weak to moderate correlation between the hearing impaired subjects' scores on the discrimination test and their scores on the HHIA, it was not statistically significant. It was concluded that, with further research, the CID Everyday sentences, with competing cafeteria noise, have potential merit as a speech discrimination procedure to quantify the hearing handicap produced by a high frequency hearing loss.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of increased intensity on the bone conducted speech discrimination ability of normal listeners utilizing standard audiological equipment. The NU-6 word lists were utilized to test the bone conducted speech discrimination skills of ten normal hearing subjects, 21 to 30 years of age, on standard clinical equipment. Both the hearing levels (dB HL) and the sensation levels (dB SL) of the test administration were considered. In general, it was recommended that 100 dB Hl is the most appropriate dial setting for the administration of bone conducted speech discrimination tests even though comparable speech discrimination scores may be obtained with a 95 dB HL dial setting. This study indicates that the most appropriate sensation levels for the administration of bone conducted speech discrimination tests are 55 and 60 dB SL. Most normal listeners can be expected to achieve a 55 dB sensation level at the limits of the speech audiometer (100 dB HL). Additionally, it was found that when bone conducted speech discrimination tests are administered at levels of less than 55 dB SL, the results may be compromised by variances that occurred in this normal hearing sample. Therefore, the clinical audiologist should accept bone conducted speech discrimination results as valid only when the scores obtained at 40, 45 and 50 dB sensation levels are within the limits of clinical normality (90% or better). Recommendations for further research are discussed.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the performance-intensity function for spondees delivered via bone conduction (using the Radioear E-72 and Pracitronic KH-70) differed from the performance-intensity function for air conduction (using TDH-39 earphones). A secondary consideration addressed in this study was the comparison of the discrimination scores using the three transducers. Performance-intensity functions for spondee thresholds were calculated on 12 normal hearing subjects using two bone conduction vibrators, the Radioear B-72 and Pracitronic KH-70, and TDH-39 earphones. Results indicated that there was no significant difference between the performance-intensity function of speech via bone conduction as compared to speech via air conduction. Also, there was no difference between the Radioear b-72 and Pracitronic KH-70 bone conduction vibrators. Discrimination scores also gave similar results between transducers. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the use of speech tests, such as the speech reception threshold and discrimination tests, which were originally designed for use via air conduction can safely be used for bone conduction.

Speech reception threshold (SRT) tools have been developed to assist in the evaluation of hearing. This study was performed to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and equate Taiwan Mandarin trisyllabic words which can be used to measure the SRT. Eighty-nine commonly used trisyllabic words were chosen and digitally recorded by native male and female speakers. The words were then presented to 20 normally hearing subjects at 14 intensity levels (-10 to 16 dB HL) with 2 dB increments. Psychometric function slopes were calculated using logistic regression. Twenty-eight words with steep psychometric function were selected and digitally adjusted to match the mean subject pure-tone average (5.0 dB HL). A list of 28 trisyllabic words which were relatively homogeneous in audibility and slope were developed. The mean slopes for the 28 selected male and female trisyllabic Taiwan Madarin words were 11.3 %/dB (male talker) and 11.7 %/dB (female talker), respectively. Digital recordings of the psychometrically equivalent trisyllabic words are available on compact disc.

Speech recognition thresholds are used for several clinical purposes, so it is important that they be accurate reflections of hearing ability. Variations in the acoustic signal may artificially decrease threshold scores, and such variations can result from being tested in a second dialect. Thirty-two native Mandarin-speaking subjects (sixteen from mainland China and sixteen from Taiwan) participated in speech recognition threshold testing in both dialects to see whether using non-native dialect test materials resulted in a significantly lower score. In addition, tests were scored by two interpreters, one from each dialect, to see whether the scorer's dialect resulted in a significantly different score. Talker dialect was found to be statistically significant, while scorer dialect was not. Factors explaining these findings, as well as clinical implications, are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Tongan bisyllabic word lists for use in measurement of word recognition testing. Commonly used bisyllabic words were digitally recorded by male and female native talkers of Tongan. The psychometric performance of the words was measured at ten intensity levels (- 5 to 40 dB HL) in 5 dB increments by 20 listeners with normal hearing acuity. The 200 words with the highest rate of listener identification were included in four relatively psychometrically equivalent word lists of 50 words each and eight half-lists of 25 words each. Using logistic regression, the mean psychometric slope across the created word lists at 50% intelligibility was found to be 6.3%/dB for materials created from the male talker recordings and 6.2%/dB for the female talker recordings. To increase auditory homogeneity of the word recognition lists, the intensity of words in each list was digitally adjusted so that the threshold of each list was equal to the midpoint between the mean thresholds of the male and female half-lists. Digital recordings of the psychometrically equivalent word recognition lists are available on compact disc.

Hearing can be evaluated through the presentation of tones or speech. Speech audiometry determines an individual's speech recognition threshold and word recognition score. Traditionally these materials were developed using familiar, frequently used, monosyllabic words. Currently, there are various types of word recognition materials including those which use word lists, short half-lists, and materials which use sentences level stimuli with competing noise. Word recognition materials were first developed in Standard American English; today, materials are now readily available in many other languages. When possible, word recognition materials are developed digitally to standardize their presentation. Currently, no recorded word recognition materials are commercially available for native speakers of Samoan. Bisyllablic words were chosen, rated, recorded, and prepared for subject testing. All subjects were native speakers of Samoan with adequate hearing, meeting required standards for audiological research. Results indicated that no significant differences were found among bisyllabic word lists or half-lists developed in the current study. Subject word recognition performance and psychometric function slopes were comparable to the results of other related studies. All materials were recorded onto CD and made commercially available. It is hoped that this resource will aid trained professionals in the diagnosis and remediation of hearing loss in Samoan-speaking individuals.