Introdução: Um alto índice de concordância no julgamento perceptivo da hipernasalidade entre diferentes avaliadores é difícil de ser alcançado, devido à subjetividade deste tipo de avaliação. O treinamento prévio dos avaliadores e a padronização dos critérios de análise pode ser uma estratégia efetiva para minimizar o efeito da subjetividade do julgamento perceptivo e aumentar a concordância entre os avaliadores. Objetivo: Investigar a influência do treinamento prévio sobre a concordância entre diferentes avaliadores no julgamento perceptivo da hipernasalidade. Material e Método: Três fonoaudiólogas experientes analisaram, individualmente, em duas etapas, 77 amostras de fala gravadas em áudio, de indivíduos com fissura de palato reparada. Na primeira etapa, as avaliadoras classificaram a hipernasalidade utilizando seus próprios critérios, em uma escala de 4 pontos: 1=ausência de hipernasalidade, 2=hipernasalidade leve, 3=moderada e 4=grave. Setenta dias após, estas avaliadoras foram submetidas a um treinamento, onde foram definidas, por consenso, as amostras de fala representativas das 4 categorias da escala, as quais foram utilizadas como modelos de referência para o julgamento da hipernasalidade na etapa seguinte. Na segunda etapa, as avaliadoras, individualmente, analisaram as mesmas amostras e julgaram a hipernasalidade em escala de 4 pontos, utilizando como critério de classificação as referências definidas no treinamento. Foram estabelecidos os índices de concordância inter e intra-avaliadores nas duas etapas utilizando-se o Coeficiente Kappa. Estes índices foram comparados estatisticamente por meio do teste Z. Resultados: Verificou-se que o coeficiente de concordância quanto ao grau de hipernasalidade obtido antes do treinamento entre as três avaliadoras foi de 0,37 (regular) e após o treinamento foi de 0,54 (moderado). A análise estatística mostrou que o índice de concordância após o treinamento foi significantemente maior do que o obtido antes do treinamento (p=0,044). A análise dos índices de concordância intra-avaliadores entre as duas etapas do estudo mostrou que, para a avaliadora 1 o índice aumentou de 0,38 (regular) para 0,61 (substancial); para a avaliadora 2, aumentou de 0,39 (regular) para 0,92 (quase perfeita) e, para a avaliadora 3, reduziu de 0,76 (substancial) para 0,50 (moderada). Diferença estatisticamente significante foi encontrada somente para a avaliadora 2 (p=0,004). Conclusão: O treinamento das avaliadoras e a definição de critérios para a classificação da hipernasalidade levaram ao aumento do índice de concordância inter e intra-avaliadores. Esses resultados reforçam a importância de se estabelecer critérios padronizados a fim de minimizar a influência de padrões internos individuais no julgamento perceptivo da fala. / Introduction: A high rate of agreement in the perceptual assessment of hypernasality is hardly achieved among different examiners, due to the subjectivity of this type of analysis. Previous training of examiners and the establishment of analysis criteria may be an effective strategy to minimize the effect of subjectivity on the perceptual assessment and increase the agreement among examiners. Objective: To investigate the influence of previous training on the agreement among different examiners in the perceptual assessment of hypernasality. Material and method: Three experienced speech therapists individually analyzed 77 audio-recorded speech samples of individuals with repaired cleft palate, in two stages. In the first stage, the examiners classified hypernasality according to their own criteria in a 4-point scale: 1=absence of hypernasality, 2=mild hypernasality, 3=moderate and 4=severe. After 70 days, the examiners were submitted to training, in which speech samples representing the four categories in the scale were defined by consensus, and were used as reference models for the assessment of hypernasality in the following stage. On the second stage, the examiners individually analyzed the same samples and classified hypernasality in a 4-point scale, using as criteria the references defined during training. The inter- and intraexaminer agreements in the two stages were calculated by the Kappa coefficient. These values were statistically compared by the Z test. Results: The agreement concerning the degree of hypernasality achieved among the three examiners was 0.37 (regular) before training and 0.54 (moderate) after training. Statistical analysis revealed that the agreement after training was significantly higher than the agreement achieved before training (p=0.044). Analysis of intraexaminer agreement between the two stages revealed that, for examiner 1, the agreement was increased from 0.38 (regular) to 0.61 (substantial); for examiner 2, it was increased from 0.39 (regular) to 0.92 (almost perfect), and for examiner 3, it was reduced from 0.76 (substantial) to 0.50 (moderate). Statistically significant difference was only observed for examiner 2 (p=0.004). Conclusion: Examiner training and the definition of criteria for classification of hypernasality increased the inter- and intraexaminer agreement. These outcomes reinforce the need to establish standardized criteria to minimize the influence of individual internal standards on the perceptual assessment of speech.

Objetivo: Verificar se a rinometria acústica, usada de rotina para avaliar a patência nasal, é capaz de identificar a deficiência no movimento velar em indivíduos com diagnóstico clínico de função velofaríngea inadequada (FVI). Modelo: Estudo clínico prospectivo Local de Execução: Hospital de Referência Especializado. Participantes: Vinte indivíduos com fissura de palato reparada e FVI residual e 18 indivíduos-controle sem fissura de palato e função velofaríngea adequada (FVA), adultos, de ambos os sexos. Variáveis analisadas: Curvas área-distância foram obtidas no repouso velar e na fala (fonema /k/), utilizando um sistema Eccovision AR, sendo o volume determinado pela integração da área sob a curva em segmento correspondente à nasofaringe. A mobilidade velar (V) foi estimada pela diferença absoluta e relativa entre o volume nasofaríngeo no repouso velar (Vr) e na fala (Vk). A eficiência da técnica em discriminar FVI e FVA foi analisada pela curva ROC. Resultados: Os valores médios (±DP) de Vr e Vk obtidos foram: 23,2±3,6cm3 e 15,9±3,8cm3, no grupo FVA, e 22,7±7,9cm3 e 20,7±7,4cm3, no grupo FVI, correspondendo a uma redução média de 7,3cm3 (31%) no grupo FVA e a uma redução significativamente menor, de 2,0cm3 (9%), no grupo FVI (p<0,05). Constatou-se que 70% dos pacientes do grupo FVI apresentaram V sugestivo de elevação velar prejudicada (inferior ao limiar de corte que maximizou, simultaneamente, a sensibilidade e a especificidade do teste), confirmando o diagnóstico clínico. Conclusão: A rinometria acústica foi capaz de identificar, com bom poder discriminatório, o comprometimento da atividade velar que caracteriza a insuficiência velofaríngea. / Objective: To determine whether acoustic rhinometry, routinely used for evaluation of nasal patency, is able to identify impairment of velar movement in individuals with clinical diagnosis of inadequate velopharyngeal function (IVF). Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Reference Craniofacial Hospital. Participants: Twenty subjects with repaired cleft palate and residual IVF and 18 noncleft controls with adequate velopharyngeal function (AVF), adults, of both sexes. Main Outcomes Measures: Area-distance curves were obtained during velar rest and speech (phoneme /k/), using an Eccovision AR system, and volume was determined by integrating the area under the curve at a segment corresponding to nasopharynx. Velar mobility (_V) was estimated by the absolute and relative difference between nasopharyngeal volume at velar rest (Vr) and speech (Vk). The efficiency of the technique to discriminate IVF and AVF was assessed by a ROC curve. Results: Mean Vk and Vr values (±SD) obtained were: 23.2±3.6cm3 and 15.9±3.8cm3 (AVF group), and 22.7±7.9cm3 and 20.7±7.4cm3 (IVF group), corresponding to an average reduction of 7.3cm3 (31%) for the AVF group and a significantly smaller reduction of 2.0cm3 (9%) for the IVF group (p<0.05). Seventy percent of the IVF patients showed a _V suggesting impaired velar elevation (below the cutoff score that maximized both the sensitivity and specificity of the test), confirming clinical diagnosis. Conclusion: Acoustic rhinometry was able to identify, with a good discriminatory power, the impairment of velar activity which characterizes velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Objetivo: Verificar se pacientes com disfunção velofaríngea marginal modificam a resistência laríngea como uma estratégia para alcançar o fechamento velofaríngeo completo. Modelo: Análise prospectiva. Local de execução: Laboratório de Fisiologia do Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais - USP (HRAC-USP). Participantes: 19 pacientes com fissura de palato operada, de ambos os sexos com idade entre 12 e 47 anos, apresentando fechamento velofaríngeo marginal (grupo M), e 19 indivíduos sem fissura (grupo C), de ambos os sexos com idade entre 14 e 35 anos. Variáveis: Resistência laríngea (R), pressão aérea intra-oral (Po) e fluxo oro-nasal (V), obtidos por meio de avaliação aerodinâmica utilizando-se o sistema PERCI-SARS, durante a produção da sílaba /pa/, com e sem a oclusão das narinas. Resultados: O valor médio de R, Po e V, no grupo com fechamento velofaríngeo marginal foi de, respectivamente, 4,8±10,8cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±1,4cmH2O, 144,8±34,0ml/s sem a oclusão das narinas (Ms); de 4,0±14,3cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±1,1cmH2O, 150,9±38,7ml/s com a oclusão das narinas (Mc) e de 9,2±13,4cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±0,8cmH2O, 133,9±50,2ml/s no grupo controle (C). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) entre os valores médios de R, Po e V dos grupos estudados. Conclusão: Esses resultados mostraram que os pacientes com fechamento velofaríngeo marginal estudados não modificaram a resistência laríngea como uma estratégia para melhorar a ressonância de fala. / Objective: To investigate whether patients with marginal velopharyngeal dysfunction modify the laryngeal resistance as a strategy to achieve complete velopharyngeal closure. Design: Prospective analysis. Setting: Laboratory of Physiology at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies - USP (HRAC-USP). Participants: 19 patients with repaired cleft palate, of both genders, aged 12 to 47 years, presenting marginal velopharyngeal closure (M group), and 19 individuals without clefts (C group), of both genders, aged 14 to 35 years. Variables: Laryngeal resistance (R), intraoral air pressure (Po) and oronasal airflow (V), obtained by aerodynamic evaluation by the PERCI-SARS system, during production of the syllable /pa/, with and without nostril occlusion. Results: The mean R, Po and V values for the group with marginal velopharyngeal closure was, respectively, 34.8±10.8cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±1.4cmH2O, 144.8±34.0ml/s without nostril occlusion (Ms); 34.0±14.3cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±1.1cmH2O, 150.9±38,7ml/s with nostril occlusion (Mc); the values observed for the control group (C) were 39.2±13,4cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±0.8cmH2O, 133.9±50.2ml/s. There was no statistically significant difference (p<0.05) among the mean R, Po and V values of the study groups. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the patients with marginal velopharyngeal closure investigated did not modify the laryngeal resistance as a strategy to improve speech resonance.

Introduction: Velopharyngeal inadequacy (VPI) may result in inappropriate oral/nasal coupling during the production of speech sounds, resulting in unwanted nasal resonance and/or nasal air emission. Orthognathic surgeries such as maxillary and/or mandibular advancements are also known to change skeletal and muscular structures resulting in changes affecting velopharyngeal closure (VPC). Although many studies have reported on the effect of maxillary advancement surgery on VPI for patients with cleft lip and palate, the effect of mandibular advancement on VPI has not been studied at length. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of temporary prosthetic mandibular advancement on velopharyngeal function. Methods: Fourteen subjects (7 males, 7 females) with no history of craniofacial abnormalities or speech disorders were recruited. The mean age was 35 years (range = 26-60). Acoustic nasalance measurements were obtained during nasal sentences and during sentences without nasal consonants in two conditions; normally, and while wearing an elastic mandibular advancement (EMA) appliance to advance the mandible by 13mm. In addition, subjects were asked to produce five repetitions of the sentence "Ten men came in when Jane left" while recordings were obtained with a videoendoscopy/phototransducer system that sensed the amount of light passing through the velopharyngeal orifice. The endoscope and fiber optic light were inserted through the subject's middle nasal meatus and positioned above the velum. The phototransducer fiber was extended through the velopharyngeal port into the upper oropharynx to detect light passing through the orifice as the velopharyngeal mechanism opened and closed. Individual subject's outcomes with and without the EMA appliance were analyzed statistically using paired t-test for Nasalance test, and one-way ANOVA/independent samples t-test for phototransducer test. Results: Nasalance did not deteriorate, but significantly decreased for the ‘nasal’ sentences after mandibular advancement, whereas changes in nasalance were not significant for the sentences containing no nasal consonants after mandibular advancement. Mandibular advancement by a 13 mm using an EMA appliance did not significantly affect VPC. Instead, large variability among subjects in response to mandibular advancement. For 7 of the 14 subjects, the extent of VPC decreased significantly (p < .05) under the advanced mandible condition compared to the normal condition (without the EMA appliance). On the other hand, 5 subjects showed significantly (p < .05) increased VPC when their mandibles were advanced. For 2 subjects, VPC was not significantly changed with the advanced mandible. Conclusions: The outcomes of this study suggested that there was no statistical evidence to support that nasality was deteriorated by a 13mm mandibular advancement, which agreed with recent studies describing velopharyngeal function and nasality after orthognathic surgeries. VPC was not affected by mandibular advancement. Responses of the nasalance and VPC to mandibular advancement were dependent on the individuals. Further investigation such as electromyography method is needed to understand how velopharyngeal function and speech respond to mandibular advancement more definitely.

This study investigated the effect of speaking rate on aerodynamic and acoustic measures of velopharyngeal (VP) function in 27 adult speakers (14 M, 13 F). The pressure-flow method (Warren & Dubois, 1964) was used to collect aerodynamic data of /m/ and /p/ segments in the word “hamper” and the utterances “Mama made some lemon jam” (MMJ) and “Buy Bobby a puppy” (BBP). A Nasometer was used to collect nasalance scores and nasalance distance for MMJ and BBP. Measures were collected under 4 speaking rate conditions (normal, fast, slow, and slowest). Results indicated that nasal airflow and VP orifice area were unaffected by speaking rate whereas intraoral pressure decreased as speaking rate slowed. Nasalance was greater for BBP at slow speaking rates and nasalance distance (MMJ – BBP) decreased at slow rates. The data was interpreted with respect to expectations set forward in the literature on normal and disordered speech motor control.

This study investigated the effect of speaking rate on aerodynamic and acoustic measures of velopharyngeal (VP) function in 27 adult speakers (14 M, 13 F). The pressure-flow method (Warren & Dubois, 1964) was used to collect aerodynamic data of /m/ and /p/ segments in the word “hamper” and the utterances “Mama made some lemon jam” (MMJ) and “Buy Bobby a puppy” (BBP). A Nasometer was used to collect nasalance scores and nasalance distance for MMJ and BBP. Measures were collected under 4 speaking rate conditions (normal, fast, slow, and slowest). Results indicated that nasal airflow and VP orifice area were unaffected by speaking rate whereas intraoral pressure decreased as speaking rate slowed. Nasalance was greater for BBP at slow speaking rates and nasalance distance (MMJ – BBP) decreased at slow rates. The data was interpreted with respect to expectations set forward in the literature on normal and disordered speech motor control.

No description available.

Objetivo: Verificar se pacientes com disfunção velofaríngea marginal modificam a resistência laríngea como uma estratégia para alcançar o fechamento velofaríngeo completo. Modelo: Análise prospectiva. Local de execução: Laboratório de Fisiologia do Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais - USP (HRAC-USP). Participantes: 19 pacientes com fissura de palato operada, de ambos os sexos com idade entre 12 e 47 anos, apresentando fechamento velofaríngeo marginal (grupo M), e 19 indivíduos sem fissura (grupo C), de ambos os sexos com idade entre 14 e 35 anos. Variáveis: Resistência laríngea (R), pressão aérea intra-oral (Po) e fluxo oro-nasal (V), obtidos por meio de avaliação aerodinâmica utilizando-se o sistema PERCI-SARS, durante a produção da sílaba /pa/, com e sem a oclusão das narinas. Resultados: O valor médio de R, Po e V, no grupo com fechamento velofaríngeo marginal foi de, respectivamente, 4,8±10,8cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±1,4cmH2O, 144,8±34,0ml/s sem a oclusão das narinas (Ms); de 4,0±14,3cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±1,1cmH2O, 150,9±38,7ml/s com a oclusão das narinas (Mc) e de 9,2±13,4cmH2O/l/seg, 4,8±0,8cmH2O, 133,9±50,2ml/s no grupo controle (C). Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p<0,05) entre os valores médios de R, Po e V dos grupos estudados. Conclusão: Esses resultados mostraram que os pacientes com fechamento velofaríngeo marginal estudados não modificaram a resistência laríngea como uma estratégia para melhorar a ressonância de fala. / Objective: To investigate whether patients with marginal velopharyngeal dysfunction modify the laryngeal resistance as a strategy to achieve complete velopharyngeal closure. Design: Prospective analysis. Setting: Laboratory of Physiology at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies - USP (HRAC-USP). Participants: 19 patients with repaired cleft palate, of both genders, aged 12 to 47 years, presenting marginal velopharyngeal closure (M group), and 19 individuals without clefts (C group), of both genders, aged 14 to 35 years. Variables: Laryngeal resistance (R), intraoral air pressure (Po) and oronasal airflow (V), obtained by aerodynamic evaluation by the PERCI-SARS system, during production of the syllable /pa/, with and without nostril occlusion. Results: The mean R, Po and V values for the group with marginal velopharyngeal closure was, respectively, 34.8±10.8cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±1.4cmH2O, 144.8±34.0ml/s without nostril occlusion (Ms); 34.0±14.3cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±1.1cmH2O, 150.9±38,7ml/s with nostril occlusion (Mc); the values observed for the control group (C) were 39.2±13,4cmH2O/l/sec, 4.8±0.8cmH2O, 133.9±50.2ml/s. There was no statistically significant difference (p<0.05) among the mean R, Po and V values of the study groups. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the patients with marginal velopharyngeal closure investigated did not modify the laryngeal resistance as a strategy to improve speech resonance.

Objetivo: Verificar se a rinometria acústica, usada de rotina para avaliar a patência nasal, é capaz de identificar a deficiência no movimento velar em indivíduos com diagnóstico clínico de função velofaríngea inadequada (FVI). Modelo: Estudo clínico prospectivo Local de Execução: Hospital de Referência Especializado. Participantes: Vinte indivíduos com fissura de palato reparada e FVI residual e 18 indivíduos-controle sem fissura de palato e função velofaríngea adequada (FVA), adultos, de ambos os sexos. Variáveis analisadas: Curvas área-distância foram obtidas no repouso velar e na fala (fonema /k/), utilizando um sistema Eccovision AR, sendo o volume determinado pela integração da área sob a curva em segmento correspondente à nasofaringe. A mobilidade velar (V) foi estimada pela diferença absoluta e relativa entre o volume nasofaríngeo no repouso velar (Vr) e na fala (Vk). A eficiência da técnica em discriminar FVI e FVA foi analisada pela curva ROC. Resultados: Os valores médios (±DP) de Vr e Vk obtidos foram: 23,2±3,6cm3 e 15,9±3,8cm3, no grupo FVA, e 22,7±7,9cm3 e 20,7±7,4cm3, no grupo FVI, correspondendo a uma redução média de 7,3cm3 (31%) no grupo FVA e a uma redução significativamente menor, de 2,0cm3 (9%), no grupo FVI (p<0,05). Constatou-se que 70% dos pacientes do grupo FVI apresentaram V sugestivo de elevação velar prejudicada (inferior ao limiar de corte que maximizou, simultaneamente, a sensibilidade e a especificidade do teste), confirmando o diagnóstico clínico. Conclusão: A rinometria acústica foi capaz de identificar, com bom poder discriminatório, o comprometimento da atividade velar que caracteriza a insuficiência velofaríngea. / Objective: To determine whether acoustic rhinometry, routinely used for evaluation of nasal patency, is able to identify impairment of velar movement in individuals with clinical diagnosis of inadequate velopharyngeal function (IVF). Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Reference Craniofacial Hospital. Participants: Twenty subjects with repaired cleft palate and residual IVF and 18 noncleft controls with adequate velopharyngeal function (AVF), adults, of both sexes. Main Outcomes Measures: Area-distance curves were obtained during velar rest and speech (phoneme /k/), using an Eccovision AR system, and volume was determined by integrating the area under the curve at a segment corresponding to nasopharynx. Velar mobility (_V) was estimated by the absolute and relative difference between nasopharyngeal volume at velar rest (Vr) and speech (Vk). The efficiency of the technique to discriminate IVF and AVF was assessed by a ROC curve. Results: Mean Vk and Vr values (±SD) obtained were: 23.2±3.6cm3 and 15.9±3.8cm3 (AVF group), and 22.7±7.9cm3 and 20.7±7.4cm3 (IVF group), corresponding to an average reduction of 7.3cm3 (31%) for the AVF group and a significantly smaller reduction of 2.0cm3 (9%) for the IVF group (p<0.05). Seventy percent of the IVF patients showed a _V suggesting impaired velar elevation (below the cutoff score that maximized both the sensitivity and specificity of the test), confirming clinical diagnosis. Conclusion: Acoustic rhinometry was able to identify, with a good discriminatory power, the impairment of velar activity which characterizes velopharyngeal insufficiency.

Introdução: Um alto índice de concordância no julgamento perceptivo da hipernasalidade entre diferentes avaliadores é difícil de ser alcançado, devido à subjetividade deste tipo de avaliação. O treinamento prévio dos avaliadores e a padronização dos critérios de análise pode ser uma estratégia efetiva para minimizar o efeito da subjetividade do julgamento perceptivo e aumentar a concordância entre os avaliadores. Objetivo: Investigar a influência do treinamento prévio sobre a concordância entre diferentes avaliadores no julgamento perceptivo da hipernasalidade. Material e Método: Três fonoaudiólogas experientes analisaram, individualmente, em duas etapas, 77 amostras de fala gravadas em áudio, de indivíduos com fissura de palato reparada. Na primeira etapa, as avaliadoras classificaram a hipernasalidade utilizando seus próprios critérios, em uma escala de 4 pontos: 1=ausência de hipernasalidade, 2=hipernasalidade leve, 3=moderada e 4=grave. Setenta dias após, estas avaliadoras foram submetidas a um treinamento, onde foram definidas, por consenso, as amostras de fala representativas das 4 categorias da escala, as quais foram utilizadas como modelos de referência para o julgamento da hipernasalidade na etapa seguinte. Na segunda etapa, as avaliadoras, individualmente, analisaram as mesmas amostras e julgaram a hipernasalidade em escala de 4 pontos, utilizando como critério de classificação as referências definidas no treinamento. Foram estabelecidos os índices de concordância inter e intra-avaliadores nas duas etapas utilizando-se o Coeficiente Kappa. Estes índices foram comparados estatisticamente por meio do teste Z. Resultados: Verificou-se que o coeficiente de concordância quanto ao grau de hipernasalidade obtido antes do treinamento entre as três avaliadoras foi de 0,37 (regular) e após o treinamento foi de 0,54 (moderado). A análise estatística mostrou que o índice de concordância após o treinamento foi significantemente maior do que o obtido antes do treinamento (p=0,044). A análise dos índices de concordância intra-avaliadores entre as duas etapas do estudo mostrou que, para a avaliadora 1 o índice aumentou de 0,38 (regular) para 0,61 (substancial); para a avaliadora 2, aumentou de 0,39 (regular) para 0,92 (quase perfeita) e, para a avaliadora 3, reduziu de 0,76 (substancial) para 0,50 (moderada). Diferença estatisticamente significante foi encontrada somente para a avaliadora 2 (p=0,004). Conclusão: O treinamento das avaliadoras e a definição de critérios para a classificação da hipernasalidade levaram ao aumento do índice de concordância inter e intra-avaliadores. Esses resultados reforçam a importância de se estabelecer critérios padronizados a fim de minimizar a influência de padrões internos individuais no julgamento perceptivo da fala. / Introduction: A high rate of agreement in the perceptual assessment of hypernasality is hardly achieved among different examiners, due to the subjectivity of this type of analysis. Previous training of examiners and the establishment of analysis criteria may be an effective strategy to minimize the effect of subjectivity on the perceptual assessment and increase the agreement among examiners. Objective: To investigate the influence of previous training on the agreement among different examiners in the perceptual assessment of hypernasality. Material and method: Three experienced speech therapists individually analyzed 77 audio-recorded speech samples of individuals with repaired cleft palate, in two stages. In the first stage, the examiners classified hypernasality according to their own criteria in a 4-point scale: 1=absence of hypernasality, 2=mild hypernasality, 3=moderate and 4=severe. After 70 days, the examiners were submitted to training, in which speech samples representing the four categories in the scale were defined by consensus, and were used as reference models for the assessment of hypernasality in the following stage. On the second stage, the examiners individually analyzed the same samples and classified hypernasality in a 4-point scale, using as criteria the references defined during training. The inter- and intraexaminer agreements in the two stages were calculated by the Kappa coefficient. These values were statistically compared by the Z test. Results: The agreement concerning the degree of hypernasality achieved among the three examiners was 0.37 (regular) before training and 0.54 (moderate) after training. Statistical analysis revealed that the agreement after training was significantly higher than the agreement achieved before training (p=0.044). Analysis of intraexaminer agreement between the two stages revealed that, for examiner 1, the agreement was increased from 0.38 (regular) to 0.61 (substantial); for examiner 2, it was increased from 0.39 (regular) to 0.92 (almost perfect), and for examiner 3, it was reduced from 0.76 (substantial) to 0.50 (moderate). Statistically significant difference was only observed for examiner 2 (p=0.004). Conclusion: Examiner training and the definition of criteria for classification of hypernasality increased the inter- and intraexaminer agreement. These outcomes reinforce the need to establish standardized criteria to minimize the influence of individual internal standards on the perceptual assessment of speech.