Speech recognition threshold (SRT) is an important clinical measure that validates the pure-tone average (PTA), assists in diagnosis and prognosis of hearing and hearing impairment, and helps identify non-organic hearing impairment. Few published, recorded, and standardized materials exist in languages other than English, which results in audiologists testing individuals using materials developed in a non-native language. Research shows that this is problematic, as certain criterion for SRT testing are not met. Thus, performance may reflect test-language deficiency rather than hearing impairment. Currently, there are no known published materials for use in measuring the SRT in individuals whose native language is Tongan. The purpose of this project was to record and develop psychometrically equivalent words in Tongan for measuring the SRT. This study identified 28 trisyllabic words that were relatively homogenous in relation to audibility and psychometric function slope. The intensity of these 28 words was adjusted to equate 50% threshold performance for each word with the mean PTA (5.92 dB HL) for the twenty normally hearing participants. These materials were digitally recorded onto compact disc for distribution and use for SRT testing in Tongan.

No description available.

The speech recognition threshold (SRT) is an important measure, as it validates the pure-tone average (PTA), assists in the diagnosis and prognosis of hearing impairments, and aids in the identification of non-organic hearing impairments. Research has shown that in order for SRT testing to yield valid and reliable measures, testing needs to be performed in the patient's native language. There are currently no published materials for SRT testing in the Samoan language. As a result, audiologists are testing patients with English materials or other materials not of the patient's native language. Results produced from this manner of testing are confounded by the patient's vocabulary knowledge and may reflect a language deficit rather than a hearing loss. The present study is aimed at developing SRT materials for native speakers of Samoan to enable valid and reliable measures of SRT for the Samoan speaking population. This study selected 28 trisyllabic Samoan words that were found to be relatively homogeneous in regard to audibility and psychometric function slope. Data were gathered on 20 normal hearing native speakers of Samoan and the intensity of each selected word was adjusted to make the 50% performance threshold of each word equal to the mean PTA of the 20 research participants (5.33 dB HL). The final edited words were digitally recorded onto compact disc to allow for distribution and use for SRT testing in Samoan.

In addition to the use of pure-tones for testing hearing, speech signals are highly valuable diagnostic tools for identifying and evaluating hearing impairment. Speech audiometry involves the implementation of such signals in the measurement of hearing acuity. One aspect of speech audiometry involves assessment of the speech recognition threshold (SRT) which evaluates an individual's ability to hear and understand speech. While live speech has been used in the past to assess SRT, recorded materials are preferred and have been shown to be advantageous over live speech. High-quality digitally recorded speech audiometry materials have been available in English for some time, but assessment of individuals using speech materials from a language that they do not speak natively has been shown to be both inadequate and inaccurate. Speech audiometry materials have recently become available in many languages. Currently, however, there are no known published recordings for assessment of SRT in the Tagalog language. The goal of this study was to develop psychometrically equivalent speech audiometry materials for measuring speech recognition threshold in Tagalog. During this study Tagalog words were initially recorded by a native speaker selected for accent and vocal quality. The words were reduced down to 90 words to be evaluated in the study. Each of the 90 trisyllabic words were evaluated at 2 dB increments from -10 to 16 dB HL by 20 native Tagalog speakers, all having normal hearing. Based on the results, 34 trisyllabic Tagalog words were selected based on their familiarity to native listeners, relative homogeneity with regards to audibility and psychometric function slope. Each word was then adjusted to make the 50% performance threshold equal to the mean PTA of the 20 research participants (4.3 dB HL). The final edited words were then digitally recorded onto compact disc for distribution and for use in assessing SRT in native Tagalog speakers worldwide.