Audiometry, Speech

Background: Speech sound disorders (SSD) refer to difficulties in perceiving, mentally representing, and/or articulating speech sounds. In 2018, the Tagalog Sentence Repetition Test (SRT) was developed due to the lack of a commercially available local assessment tool for children with suspected SSDs. The SRT had not been validated or piloted yet. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the SRT’s content validity (comprehensiveness, relevance, comprehensibility), ability to successfully elicit the target sounds, and logistical feasibility and flaws. Methodology: All procedures were conducted online. Three linguists evaluated the comprehensiveness of the sounds covered, while 31 Manila Tagalog-speaking children (7 to 21 years old) participated in pilot testing. Post-testing, the children answered a questionnaire to evaluate their familiarity with the sentences’ words (relevance) and the comprehensibility of the test instructions. Content validity was assessed by computing the Content Validity Index (CVI). To see how well the test elicits the target sounds, the number of participants who produced each sound were computed. Results: A CVI of 1.0 was obtained for all aspects of content validity. All targets were produced by almost all the participants, except for the final glottal stop (18/31, 58%). The test administration seemed feasible as participants from all age groups successfully executed the task. Conclusion Although the SRT exhibited good content validity, some sentences need to be revised to address sound production issues noted during the pilot. This new version should be re-piloted to 7 to 11-year-olds in-person and via teleconferencing. A manual should also be created to facilitate administration.
Speech Disorders ; Speech Production Measurement

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Korean phonetically balanced (PB) word list (Ham's Korean PB Word List) is currently the most commonly used word list for speech discrimination test. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency characteristics of the Ham's Korean PB word list and to compare frequency characteristics of the Ham's Korean PB word list with that of the 21st Century Sejong words, which represent characteristics of the contemporary spoken Korean language. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The 300 syllables most commonly used were collected from the words in 21st Century Sejong project. The 21st Century Sejong words were weighted according to the frequency of usage. The 21st Century Sejong words and words from the Ham's Korean PB word list were analyzed using an acoustic analysis program that has the MATLAB function. RESULTS: Syllables with frequencies above 2,000 Hz comprise 34% of the 21st Century Sejong words and 16% of the Ham's Korean PB word list. The Ham's Korean PB word list does not represent the high frequency characteristics of the contemporary spoken Korean language. The 21st Century Sejong words have more 'eu', 'i' and open syllables than the Ham's Korean PB word list. CONCLUSION: The Ham's Korean PB word list does not reflect the high frequency characteristics of the contemporary spoken Korean language included in the 21st Century Sejong words. Therefore, a new PB word list that incorporates a greater number of syllables with high frequency characteristics is required.
Acoustics* ; Audiometry, Speech ; Speech Acoustics ; Speech Discrimination Tests

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clear speech is an effective communication strategy used in difficult listening situations that draws on techniques such as accurate articulation, a slow speech rate, and the inclusion of pauses. Although too slow speech and improperly amplified spectral information can deteriorate overall speech intelligibility, certain amplitude of increments of the mid-frequency bands (1 to 3 dB) and around 50% slower speech rates of clear speech, when compared to those in conversational speech, were reported as factors that can improve speech intelligibility positively. The purpose of this study was to identify whether amplitude increments of mid-frequency areas and slower speech rates were evident in Korean clear speech as they were in English clear speech. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: To compare the acoustic characteristics of the two methods of speech production, the voices of 60 participants were recorded during conversational speech and then again during clear speech using a standardized sentence material. RESULTS: The speech rate and long-term average speech spectrum (LTASS) were analyzed and compared. Speech rates for clear speech were slower than those for conversational speech. Increased amplitudes in the mid-frequency bands were evident for the LTASS of clear speech. CONCLUSIONS: The observed differences in the acoustic characteristics between the two types of speech production suggest that Korean clear speech can be an effective communication strategy to improve speech intelligibility.
Acoustics ; Rehabilitation ; Speech Acoustics ; Speech Intelligibility ; Speech Perception ; Voice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There can be 3, 192 syllables in Korean language but the frequencies of each syllables are variable. This study was aimed to investigate the frequencies of each Korean syllable in the everyday dialogue and to compare the result with the existing Korean phonetically balanced (PB) word list, which can provide the basic data for the standardization of Korean PB word list. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Using 33 materials (total 537, 245 syllables) collected from TV drama (MBC Best Theater), the author calculated the frequencies of each Korean syllables composed of initial consonant and vowel and compared with existing PB word list by computer program. RESULTS: Each syllable appeared in the different frequency pattern. The 138 of 399 syllables represented the 95% of everyday dialogue. CONCLUSION: This study showed that established PB word list was made relatively well but needs somewhat modification to reflect the actual frequencies of syllable in colloquialism.
Audiometry, Speech ; Drama ; Speech Discrimination Tests

Audiometry, Speech ; Congresses as Topic

Objective: To investigate by means of videostoboscopy the characteristics of the neoglottis after total laryngectomy with primary or secondary voice reconstruction using a non-prosthetic tracheoesophageal fistula technique. Methods: Design: Cross-Sectional Study Setting: Tertiary Public Hospital Subjects: Twenty alaryngeal patients Results: Videostroboscopy enabled evaluation of the neoglottis in all but two patients with a pectoralis major myocutaneous flap reconstruction of the pharyngoesophageal segment. Pooling of saliva was present in the cranial neoglottic opening in all subjects, but obscured visualization in these two. A circular neoglottic shape was most commonly seen. Vibration of the neoglottis was noted in 90% of all alaryngeal patients and was associated with a regular mucosal wave. Pharyngoesophageal vibration was noted in two thirds of patients. It was associated with a strong mucosal wave, regular vibration and a longer open phase. Conclusion: Videostroboscopy confirmed that neoglottic vibration accompanies sound production while pharyngoesophageal vibration may reinforce and enhance voice production in alaryngeal patients with non-prosthetic TE voice reconstruction.
LARYNX SPEECH ; ALARYNGEAL

No abstract available.
Laryngectomy* ; Speech, Esophageal*

“Following the child’s lead” and “collaborative consultation with parents” are solidly grounded in the best practice of early language intervention. However, the success of these two practices are based on assumptions that they are valued by families and that they can be feasibly implemented by the attending speech-language pathologist (SLP). Such assumptions can be unjustified in cultures that value the use of “adult-guided instructions” over following the child’s lead and when the work setting of the SLP does not readily accommodate those practices. This article takes the form of a position paper. Through review of the literature, the paper (1) identifies the research-cultural practice gap in early language intervention in Malaysia; (2) positions the two research-informed practices – following the child’s lead and collaborative consultation with parents, on the continuum of intrusiveness in early language intervention; and (3) proposes the techniques of Milieu Teaching as an approach to bridge the research-cultural practice gap in Malaysia.
Speech-Language Pathology

The Indian ethnic group remains underrepresented despite the continued advancement in the field of speech and language therapy (SLT) in Malaysia. This study aims to investigate the perception of Malaysian Indian Pre-university students towards a career in the health sciences and specifically for the SLT profession. This was a cross-sectional study that employed convinience sampling method to recruit participants. A total of 110 Indian pre-university students from urban cities of Kuala Lumpur and Johor were recruited. The findings showed majority of the respondents (>90%) placed importance on a career that provided “high salary,” “job stability,” and “career’s social standing in the community.” Almost all respondents recognize the medical, pharmacy and nursing profesion compared to only <3% who were familiar with the occupational therapy, audiology and SLT profession. Respondents perceived the SLT profession as “suited for females,” “interesting” and provided “opportunities to meet people.” None of the respondents perceived SLT as a profession that “suited for males,” “high salary” and “a scientic course.” Only 5% of respondents would consider a career in SLT. Findings from this study can be used to increase awareness and to change inaccurate perceptions regarding health science profession especially SLT amongst the Indian ethnicity.
Language Therapy ; Speech Therapy