Thesis (MAud)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Speech audiometry for diagnostic purposes is widely used by audiologists around the world, but its application is starting to shift more towards rehabilitative purposes for people with hearing impairment. This has created the need for the development of appropriate test materials, including speech-in-noise tests, in the first language of the person undergoing rehabilitation. This document describes a study entailing the first phase in the development of an Afrikaans sentence perception test in noise based on the City University of New York (CUNY) topic-related sentences (Boothroyd, Hanin & Hnath, 1985). The test is called Sinslyste in Afrikaans vir Volwassenes in Lawaai [Sentence lists in Afrikaans for Adults in Noise] (SAV-L). Twenty-seven sentence lists containing 12 sentences each were compiled and evaluated by eight speakers of Afrikaans for their naturalness before they were recorded together with three-talker babble as masking noise. The recorded material was then presented to six groups of ten participants each (with the exception of nine participants in one of the rounds) and adjusted in intensity to improve inter-list reliability. Two scorers were used at intervals to determine inter-rater reliability. Test conditions were also replicated after an interval of six months or more to establish test-retest reliability. In a last round of testing, the test was administered at the intended presentation level to assess the appropriateness of the chosen level. Through adjustment of list intensities, inter-list reliability was improved to a 13.87% variance between list scores. Test-retest reliability showed a bias with an intra-class correlation agreement of 0.859. This was thought to be due to participants’ improved familiarity with the clinical environment over time, however longer term measures of test-retest reliability remains to be done. Inter-rater reliability was very high with an intra-class agreement of 0.999. The intended test level of 50dBHL with a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of +5dB, was found to be an acceptable fixed SNR. The test can be used in its current form for assessment of amplification candidacy as well as monitoring of progress during rehabilitation. Further research is indicated for the establishment of the sensitivity of the test. It is concluded that just as a clinician is expected to select the most suitable diagnostic test based on the patient’s history, signs and symptoms, so should the audiologist be expected to select the most appropriate rehabilitative measure based on the patient’s communication needs and established treatment goals. The SAV-L is a valuable contribution to the pool of speech perception tests available as rehabilitative measures, and is specifically suitable for adults with well-developed spoken language. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Spraakoudiometrie vir diagnostiese doeleindes word algemeen gebruik deur oudioloë regoor die wêreld, maar die toepassing daarvan is besig om te skuif na rehabilitasie van mense met gehoorgestremdheid. Die behoefte vir die ontwikkeling van geskikte toetsmateriaal, insluitend spraak-in-geraastoetse, in die eerste taal van die persoon wat rehabilitasie ondergaan, het dus begin ontwikkel. Hierdie dokument beskryf ‘n studie wat die eerste fase van die ontwikkeling van a Afrikaanse spraakpersepsietoets in geraas behels. Dit is gebaseer op die City University of New York (CUNY) onderwerp-verwante sinne (Boothroyd, Hanin & Hnath, 1985). Die ontwikkelde toets is benoem Sinslyste in Afrikaans vir Volwassenes in Lawaai (SAV-L). Sewe-en-twintig sinslyste met twaalf sinne per lys is saamgestel en geëvalueer deur ag Afrikaans-sprekende persone om hulle natuurlikheid te bepaal voordat dit opgeneem is tesame met drie-spreker babbel as maskeringsgeraas. Die opgeneemde materiaal is aan ses groepe van tien deelnemers elk aangebied (met die uitsondering van slegs nege deelnemers in een van die rondtes) en aangepas in intensiteit om inter-lys betroubaarheid to verbeter. Twee tellers is van tyd tot tyd gebruik om inter-beoordelaar betroubaarheid te bepaal. Toetskondisies was ook ná ‘n periode van ses maande gereplikeer om toets-hertoets betroubaarheid to bepaal. In ‘n laaste rondte van toetsing was die toets geadministreer teen die beoogde toetsvlak om die geskiktheid van hierdie toetsvlak te bepaal. Inter-lys betroubaarheid is verbeter na ‘n 13.87% variase tussen sinslystellings deur die aanpassing van die intensiteite van die lyste. Toets-hertoets betroubaarheid het ‘n voorkeur met ‘n intra-klas korrelasie ooreenstemming van 0.859 getoon. Hierdie voorkeur was vermoedelik weens die deelnemers se toenemende bekendheid met die kliniese omgewing, alhoewel langer termyn metings nog gedoen moet word om hierdie tendens verder te ondersoek. Inter-beoordelaar betroubaarheid was goed met ‘n intra-klas korrelasie van 0.999. Die beoogde toetsvlak van 50dBGP met ‘n sein-tot-ruis ratio van +5dB is as ‘n geskikte ratio bevind. Die huidige vorm van die toets kan gebruik word vir die evaluasie van kandidaatskap van klankversterking sowel as monitering van vordering tydens rehabilitasie. Verdere navorsing is aangedui vir die bepaling van die toets se sensitiwiteit. Daar is afgelei dat net soos daar van ‘n klinikus verwag word om die mees geskikte diagnostiese toets te kies gebaseer op die pasiënt se geskiedenis, tekens en simptome, net so moet daar van die die oudioloog verwag word om die mees geskikte rehabilitasiemeting te selekteer, gebaseer op die pasiënt se kommunikasiebehoeftes en vasgestelde behandelingsdoelwitte. Die SAV-L is ‘n waardevolle hulpmiddel in die versameling spraakpersepsietoetse wat beskikbaar is vir rehabilitasiemetings en is spesifiek geskik vir volwassenes met goed-ontwikkelde gesproke taal.

<p>Språket är i ständig förändring vilket innebär att språkligt material med tiden föråldras och blir inaktuellt. Vid talaudiometrisk testning av barn är det viktigt att testmaterialet innefattar ord som är välkända för barn eftersom förståelsen för materialet kan inverka på mätresultatet. Det talaudiometriska test som idag används för barn bygger på ordmaterial som ursprungligen insamlats under 1930-talet. Föreliggande studie är en del av ett större projekt och inleder arbetet med att utarbeta ett nytt talaudiometriskt material för barn.</p><p>Syftet med föreliggande studie var att beräkna och jämföra ordfrekvens och antal ordformer utifrån inspelade samtal mellan de deltagande barnen i åldersgrupperna 5-8 år (Grupp 1) respektive 9-12 år (Grupp 2). Totalt 79 barn mellan 5 och 12 år deltog i studien. Inspelningar av barns samtal med varandra gjordes på förskolor och fritidshem i Linköpings tätort och cirka 300 minuter inspelat material analyserades. Barnens yttranden transkriberades ortografiskt och de ord som användes i samtalen grupperades för att därefter delas in i sex olika kategorier. Frekvensberäkning av ord per åldersgrupp utfördes och de båda åldersgruppernas totala volym av ordformer räknades ut.</p><p>Resultaten visade att ordfrekvensen var högre i Grupp 2 än i Grupp 1. I Grupp 2 förekom också ett större antal ordformer än i Grupp 1. Hos båda åldersgrupperna var Substantiv den mest använda kategorin avseende antal ordformer, dock var det stor skillnad mellan Grupp 1 och Grupp 2 gällande vilka ordformer som användes.</p><p>Resultaten diskuteras utifrån de åldersrelaterade skillnaderna mellan grupperna, olika sätt att beräkna ordfrekvens samt i relation till förändringar i svenska språket över tid.</p>

Språket är i ständig förändring vilket innebär att språkligt material med tiden föråldras och blir inaktuellt. Vid talaudiometrisk testning av barn är det viktigt att testmaterialet innefattar ord som är välkända för barn eftersom förståelsen för materialet kan inverka på mätresultatet. Det talaudiometriska test som idag används för barn bygger på ordmaterial som ursprungligen insamlats under 1930-talet. Föreliggande studie är en del av ett större projekt och inleder arbetet med att utarbeta ett nytt talaudiometriskt material för barn. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att beräkna och jämföra ordfrekvens och antal ordformer utifrån inspelade samtal mellan de deltagande barnen i åldersgrupperna 5-8 år (Grupp 1) respektive 9-12 år (Grupp 2). Totalt 79 barn mellan 5 och 12 år deltog i studien. Inspelningar av barns samtal med varandra gjordes på förskolor och fritidshem i Linköpings tätort och cirka 300 minuter inspelat material analyserades. Barnens yttranden transkriberades ortografiskt och de ord som användes i samtalen grupperades för att därefter delas in i sex olika kategorier. Frekvensberäkning av ord per åldersgrupp utfördes och de båda åldersgruppernas totala volym av ordformer räknades ut. Resultaten visade att ordfrekvensen var högre i Grupp 2 än i Grupp 1. I Grupp 2 förekom också ett större antal ordformer än i Grupp 1. Hos båda åldersgrupperna var Substantiv den mest använda kategorin avseende antal ordformer, dock var det stor skillnad mellan Grupp 1 och Grupp 2 gällande vilka ordformer som användes. Resultaten diskuteras utifrån de åldersrelaterade skillnaderna mellan grupperna, olika sätt att beräkna ordfrekvens samt i relation till förändringar i svenska språket över tid.

Professional research project (Au.D.)--University of South Florida, 2001. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 146 pages. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: A student manual of audiological procedures with accompanying laboratory assignments does not presently exist at the University of South Florida (USF). In the first year of the four year Au.D. program at USF, students are enrolled in Audiology Laboratory Clinic I, II, and III, in consecutive semesters. Groups of four to six students meet weekly for a 3-1/2 hour clinical laboratory session to receive training in test instruction, test procedures, test application, and test interpretation. The purpose of the first year Audiology laboratory clinic sessions is to prepare the student for clinical experience in year two of the Au.D program at USF. In preparation for these laboratory sessions, it was discovered that materials related to test procedures are currently scattered throughout a variety of texts, journals, manuals, educational software, videos, and web sites. No one source contains all the needed information on any given test procedure. / ABSTRACT: In addition, specific procedures outlined in documents [American Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)] are not consistently used by the different sources. Thus, there is no standard procedural manual containing laboratory assignments that lead to the development of appropriate clinical testing skills by a first year Au.D student. A standard test procedural manual for pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and immittance testing, with assignments, was developed to assist in the cultivation of the students testing skills. The manual contains test history, purposes, procedures, scoring guidelines, interpretations, and limitations for each test. Laboratory assignments include practice exercises using a computer simulator, classmates, and volunteers. Each assignment is accompanied by discussion questions to enhance and augment student understanding. / ABSTRACT: A reference list is available to obtain further information on each topic area. This manual will be made available to the first year Au.D student as well as to the advanced Au.D student who would benefit from an all-inclusive, updateable source providing the best possible clinical procedures. The final product will be available for a fee in a notebook type format to allow for the inclusion of additional topics and updates as the standards of practice in Audiology change. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Ο σκοπός αυτής της μελέτης ήταν η ανάπτυξη μιας «ομιλητικής δοκιμασίας χαμηλού πλεονασμού» για την αξιολόγηση της κεντρικής ακουστικής επεξεργασίας σε παιδιά πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης τα οποία παρουσιάζουν μαθησιακές δυσκολίες. Η ανάγκη επιβεβαίωσης της ακεραιότητας του περιφερικού ακουστικού συστήματος πριν την εφαρμογή της κεντρικής δοκιμασίας, οδήγησε στην ανάπτυξη δύο ακόμη δοκιμασιών ομιλητικής ακοομετρίας. Η πρώτη ήταν για τη μέτρηση του «ουδού αναγνώρισης ομιλίας» και η δεύτερη για το «σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας». Σαράντα λέξεις επιλέχθηκαν ως το τελικό υλικό της πρώτης δοκιμασίας και δύο φωνημικά ισόρροπες λίστες των πενήντα λέξεων για τη δεύτερη δοκιμασία. Από τη στατιστική ανάλυση για τη συσχέτιση του ποσοστού αναγνώρισης ομιλίας ανάμεσα στις 2 λίστες, δεν προέκυψε στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά σε καμία στάθμη παρουσίασης του σήματος ομιλίας. Για την δοκιμασία της κεντρικής ακουστικής επεξεργασίας, οι δύο φωνημικά ισόρροπες λίστες τροποποιήθηκαν ψηφιακά χρησιμοποιώντας φίλτρο χαμηλής διέλευσης συχνοτήτων με συχνότητες αποκοπής στα 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 και 2000 Hz με ρυθμό αποκοπής φίλτρου 18 dB/οκτάβα. Οι λίστες λέξεων διέλευσης χαμηλών συχνοτήτων που προέκυψαν εφαρμόστηκαν σε 180 παιδιά σχολικής ηλικίας σε στάθμη 40 dBSL αναφορικά με τον ουδό αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του κάθε παιδιού. Αρχικά μετρήθηκε ο ουδός αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του κάθε παιδιού. Για τη μέτρηση του σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας παρουσιάστηκε μία λίστα σε ένταση 40 dBSL και η άλλη λίστα σε 80 dBSL. Ο ουδός αναγνώρισης ομιλίας κάθε παιδιού ήταν +6 dBHL από το μέσο όρο ουδών ακοής του, και κανένα παιδί δεν παρουσίασε σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας μικρότερο από 92%. Επίσης, κανένα παιδί δεν παρουσίασε σημαντική μείωση στο σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του, στην ένταση των 80 dBSL. Ενενήντα παιδιά (52 αγόρια και 38 κορίτσια, ΜΟ=8.93, ΤΑ=1.68) χωρίς μαθησιακή διαταραχή αποτέλεσαν την πρώτη ομάδα και τα υπόλοιπα 90 (48 αγόρια και 42 κορίτσια, ΜΟ=9.04, ΤΑ=1.59) με μαθησιακή διαταραχή. Η στατιστική ανάλυση από την σύγκριση του ποσοστιαίου μέσου αριθμού λέξεων, που αναγνωρίστηκαν από τα παιδιά με μαθησιακή διαταραχή και παιδιά χωρίς μαθησιακή διαταραχή, προέκυψε στατιστικά πάρα πολύ σημαντική για τις περισσότερες συχνότητες αποκοπής φίλτρου με τη μέγιστη διαφορά να προκύπτει για το φίλτρο αποκοπής συχνοτήτων των 1000 Hz. Τα ίδια αποτελέσματα προέκυψαν και από τη σύγκριση μεταξύ των υποομάδων. Συμπερασματικά, αυτή η μελέτη κατέληξε στην ανάπτυξη τριών ομιλητικών δοκιμασιών. / The aim of this study was the development of a monaural low-redundancy speech test for assessment of the “auditory closure” process in school aged children that present learning disability and characteristics of a central auditory processing disorder. The need to determine the integrity of the peripheral hearing mechanism before testing for central auditory function, served for the development of two additional speech audiometry tests for children, due to their absence in Modern Greek language. The first was for the speech recognition threshold (SRT) and the second for the word recognition score (WRS) test. Four criteria were utilized for the development of SRT materials and eight for the WRS test. Forty trisyllabic words with thresholds within one standard deviation of the mean SRT and mean rate of growth in intelligibility were selected for the final SRT material. For the WRS test, two phonemically balanced fifty-word lists were developed. Statistical analysis between the two lists revealed no statistical significant differences on all presentation levels. In order to develop the behavioral test of CAPD, the two WRS lists were digitally modified utilizing low-pass filter with cutoff frequencies of 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 και 2000 and rejection rate of 18dB/octave. Initially, the SRT was determined for every child. For WRS testing, one list was presented at 40 dBSL and the second at 80 dBSL to rule out 8th nerve pathology. The SRT was within +6 dBHL from the pure tone average and no child presented WRS less than 92%. Additionally, no child presented significant reduction of WRS at 80 dBSL. The low-pass filtered lists were tested on 180 school aged children at 40 dBSL. Ninety children (52 boys and 38 girls, Μ=8.93, SD=1.68) without learning disability and 90 children (52 boys and 38 girls, Μ=9.04, SD=1.59) with learning disability and CAPD behavior characteristics were served as the subjects of the two groups. Statistical analysis of the mean WRSs between the two groups and subgroups revealed a signicant difference for most cutoff frequencies with the highest difference for the 1000 Hz filter. In conclusion, this study resulted in the production of three speech audiometry tests for school aged children. These tests serve a variety of clinical functions.

Rationale: Audiology student training in New Zealand faces many difficulties with a limited number of qualified instructors and suitable external placements. With a continued shortage of audiologists in New Zealand, new methods of training need to be introduced and implemented. One solution is through the use of realistic, computer-based virtual patient simulators (VPS). HIT Lab New Zealand in conjunction with the University of Canterbury has designed a VPS for New Zealand audiology students. A speech audiometry component is to be developed based on best practice recommendations, and needs to be validated. Method: Two studies, one with 18 Master of Audiology (“expert”) and another with 18 (“novice”) undergraduate students, were evenly divided into simulator and non-simulator user groups. Simulator users had to complete 5 virtual patient cases in addition to the non-simulator users’ requirement to refer to provided lecture notes and speech audiometry protocols. Novice students were assessed on declarative, procedural and retained knowledge of speech audiometry; expert students were additionally assessed on training transfer. The intervention period was set at two weeks, and the retention assessment at four weeks post-intervention.   Results: Expert students who used the simulator significantly improved their training transfer skills. No significant differences were found between and within groups for declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Training transfer and procedural knowledge were retained for both groups, but only non-simulator users retained declarative knowledge. Novice students who used the simulator significantly increased their declarative knowledge. Both groups’ procedural knowledge significantly regressed post-intervention. Declarative and procedural knowledge were retained for both groups. Implications: Simulator use appears to accelerate learning outcomes otherwise achievable through traditional learning methods, and does depend on the users’ existing knowledge base. Regular use may be necessary to retain desired learning outcomes. Improvements (e.g., more detailed feedback systems) are to be incorporated into the simulator, and sole reliance on the simulator for learning is not recommended. Future research into more holistic aspects of virtual patient use within the field of audiology and allied health care is warranted.

Speech audiometry is considered an essential tool in the assessment of hearing, not only to validate pure tone measurements, but also to indicate speech perception as a critical communicative function. The use of sentence material in the assessment of speech perception has great value as it simulates – more closely than single words – the type of speech stimuli that listeners are confronted with on a daily basis. In South Africa, speech recognition (reception and discrimination) abilities are most commonly assessed through the use of single words, presented by monitored live voice, a practice sternly criticized in the literature. Furthermore, speech recognition is commonly evaluated in an ideal (quiet) listening environment. This method gives an incomplete impression of a patient’s auditory performance, since everyday listening situations are often characterised by the presence of background noise that influences comprehension of speech. The present study was therefore launched with the aim to develop a reliable measure of speech recognition in noise using Afrikaans sentence material. The development of the test was conducted in three phases. The first phase entailed the compilation of culturally valid, pre-recorded Afrikaans sentence material. During the second phase the uniformity of the recorded sentence collection was improved by determining the intelligibility of each sentence in the presence of noise and eliminating sentences that were not of equivalent difficulty in this regard. The objective of the third phase was to arrange the sentence material into lists using two different methods of list compilation. The first method involved grouping sentences together based solely on their intelligibility in noise (as assessed in the previous phase). The second method was the well-documented method of compiling phonetically balanced lists. The inter-list reliability of both sets of lists was evaluated in both normal hearing listeners and listeners with a simulated high frequency hearing loss. The results provided valuable information on the process of developing a test of speech recognition in noise, especially in terms of options for list compilation. Findings indicated that lists compiled according to intelligibility in noise showed a higher degree of equivalence than phonetically balanced lists when applied to normally hearing listeners. However, when applied to listeners with a simulated loss, phonetically balanced lists displayed greater equivalence. The developed test provides a means of assessing speech recognition in noise in Afrikaans, and shows potential for application in the assessment of hearing impaired populations, individuals with auditory processing difficulties, and the paediatric population. In addition, the methodology described for the development of the test could provide a valuable guideline for future researchers looking to develop similar tests in other languages. / Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / MCommunication Pathology / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and equate Cantonese 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 Standard Cantonese 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. The psychometric function slopes for the 28 selected words, at 50% threshold, ranged from 10.3 %/dB to 19.6 %/dB (M = 14.5 %/dB) for the male talker and from 10.3 %/dB to 22.7 %/dB (M = 14.9 %/dB) for the female talker. To decrease the variability among the words the intensities were digitally adjusted to match the mean subject PTA (4.5 dB HL). The resulting lists included mean slopes from 20 to 80% with of a range of 8.9 %/dB to 16.9 %/dB (M = 12.6 %/dB) for the male talker and a range of 8.9 %/dB to 19.7 %/dB (M = 12.9 %/dB) for the female talker. Digital recordings of the psychometrically equivalent trisyllabic words are available on compact disc.