bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-Time Analysis of Speech Fluency
Authors: Yaruss J. Scott
Published: August 2014

Many authors have suggested that it is possible for clinicians to collect basic data regarding their client's speech fluency on-line, or in real time, while the client is speaking. Unfortunately, the literature contains relatively little in the way of detailed instructions on exactly how such data should be collected. This article provides specific instructions for real-time collection of information about the frequency and types of speech disfluencies produced by individuals who stutter. The paper also outlines procedures for training students and clinicians to use this technique reliably and accurately and proposes tolerance limits for determining whether frequency counts are sufficiently reliable for clinical use.
Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening
Authors: Mencher George T. , Davis Adrian C. , DeVoe Shirley J. , Beresford Dee , Bamford John M.
Published: August 2014

After a brief review of the history of newborn hearing screening including the Downs behavioral testing procedure, the Crib-o-gram and similar devices, and the use of auropalpebral reflex and otoacoustic emissions, there is a discussion of key issues that need to be resolved before universal hearing screening is introduced. Included are questions regarding the target population(s) of screening programs, well baby versus NICU screening, dealing with false-positives and the effects on parent-child relationships, and finally, the availability of resources for screening and follow-up. The results of a recent study in the United Kingdom that assessed the current state of audiology services and found there is a difference between existing standards and what is actually being done in practice, are presented and considered in terms of current trends in the United States to move ahead with universal screening without a solid database of information regarding the preparedness of clinical centers to deal with the need for services that will result from the initiation of universal programs. Caution is urged.
The Effect of Repetition Requests on the Intensity of Talkers’ Speech
Authors: Martin Brett A. , Ross Mark
Published: August 2014

The effects of two requests for repetition by aided listeners on talker intensity were compared. On average, the simple repetition request "What did you say?" was as effective as the statement "I have a hearing loss, what did you say?" However, the effect of the second statement was more consistent across talkers. In addition to increasing intensity, several talkers used additional strategies to enhance the reception of their message. The data suggest that use of repetition requests by persons with hearing loss is effective, and support the notion that informing the talker that hearing loss is present may be beneficial.
SIG 4 Perspectives Vol. 22, No. 2, November 2012
Authors: Beilby Janet M. , Byrnes Michelle L. , Yaruss J. Scott
Published: August 2014

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SIG 4 Perspectives Vol. 23, No. 1, May 2013
Authors: Donaher Joseph
Published: August 2014

Sorry, this activity is no longer available for CEUs. Visit the SIG 4 page on the
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to see available CE activities.

Use the CE questions PDF here as study questions to guide your Perspectives reading.
A Technique for Teaching the Laryngectomized to Trap Air for the Production of Esophageal Speech
Authors: Gateley Gardner
Published: August 2014

A four-step procedure for injecting air into the esophagus is described. The method involves opening the mouth wide, closing the lips with little or no elevation of the mandible, puckering the lips, and then bringing the teeth together. If the sequence is properly executed and air has not escaped through the labial or velar seals, air is forced in the esophagus and is available for the production of an esophageal tone.
When are Speech Sounds Learned?
Authors: Sander Eric K.
Published: August 2014

The age at which specific consonant articulations emerge differs greatly among children. Widely quoted age tables represent upper age limits rather than average performance, and stress-sound mastery in all word positions as opposed to customary usage. A new graphic way of summarizing information about age in relation to consonant development is proposed.
Behavior Therapy and Psychoanalysis in the Treatment of a Severe Chronic Stutterer
Authors: Fried Christopher
Published: August 2014

A college student with a lifelong speech blockage so severe that he could not be treated by psychotherapy based on dialogue was able, after 42 sessions of systematic desensitization, to speak fluently. As soon as his speech permitted, while therapy was still in progress, a diagnostic study was undertaken. The results suggested that cognitive activity, attitudes, and behavior directly related to the symptom were consistent with psycholanalytic hypotheses on the personality dynamics of stutterers. Yet although the symptom appeared to be an integral part of a widely ramified personality disturbance, it could be removed without any attempt being made to alter other aspects of personality function. The implications of these paradoxical findings are discussed, with emphasis on stuttering, but also as they relate to understanding and treating neurosis generally.
Auditory Disorder Following Bilateral Temporal Lobe Insult: Report of a Case
Authors: Jerger James , Lovering Larry , Wertz Max
Published: August 2014

Audiologic data are presented for a patient with bilateral temporal lobe damage. Neuropathology examination of the brain at autopsy confirmed site of lesion. Audiologic results on this patient are contrasted to results obtained in 1969 by Jerger et al. on another patient with presumed bilateral lesions of the temporal lobe. The two patients showed striking similarities. Both experienced transient aphasia but no hearing problems after the first (left-sided) episode. Both reported severe hearing loss after the second (right-sided) episode. In both cases, the presumed sensitivity loss had essentially recovered within three months of the second episode. Both showed marked inability to recognize either single words or sentences. This profound deficit did not improve significantly, even under ideal listening conditions, in either patient during the period of study. In contrast to the striking similarities between the two patients, there was one significant difference. Whereas the 1969 patient could not localize sounds in space, the present patient’s sound localization ability was unimpaired. This finding seemed related to an interaural imbalance in the relation between loudness and signal duration. The 1969 patient had such an imbalance and could not localize effectively. The present patient did not have an imbalance and localized accurately. This finding indicates that impairment in sound localization is not an invariable concomitant of temporal lobe disease.
Management of Disfluent Speech Through Self-Recording Procedures
Authors: La Croix Zane E.
Published: August 2014

Data summarizing the course of treatment for one adolescent male stutterer and one adult male stutterer are presented in case study form. The premise upon which these treatment programs were based suggests that self-recording of behaviors deemed undesirable may tend to diminish the behaviors. Although the treatment programs were relatively short, they produced marked reductions in percentage of disfluency.
Dismissal Criteria in Voice Therapy
Authors: Boone Daniel R.
Published: August 2014

Five criteria are developed for systematizing the results of voice remediation for hyperfunctional voice disorders. These dismissal criteria are laryngeal improvement, voice improvement, the patient’s feeling of improvement, no improvement, and the patient’s termination of therapy. Application of the criteria to 73 patients who received voice therapy are studied relative to dimensions of the patient’s improvement or lack of improvement.
A Study of Factors Related to Prognosis for Individual Aphasic Patients
Authors: Keenan Joseph S. , Brassell Esther G.
Published: August 2014

The clinical records of 39 aphasic patients were reviewed in order to identify and correlate factors noted in the initial examination with the patients' progress in communicative performance. Three nonlanguage variables (age, general health, and regularity of employment) and language variables (listening performance, talking performance, reading performance, writing performance, motor speech impairment, and speech stimulability) were studied. The results suggested that a high rate of prognostic accuracy may be attained through the application of some simple clinical observations concerning the patients' speech performance.
Reliability of Monosyllabic Discrimination Tests in White Noise for Differentiating Among Hearing Aids
Authors: Beattie Randall C. , Edgerton Bradly J.
Published: August 2014

In spite of criticism, monosyllabic discrimination tests are widely employed for hearing aid selection. The current study was designed to investigate the following questions: (1) How reliable is aided speech discrimination of monosyllables in a background of white noise? (2) Can differences among hearing aids be reliably demonstrated by measuring intelligibility of monosyllables in a background of white noise? and (3) Do hearing aids interact with hearing loss? Twenty subjects with mild-moderate sensorineural hearing losses participated in two experimental sessions. Four hearing aids were evaluated using the NU-6 monosyllables in a background of white noise (s/n = +20 dB). Since the standard deviation of the test-retest differences was 6%, differences between aids were not considered significant unless they exceeded 12%. An interaction between subjects and hearing aids was found; that is, the best aid for one person was not the best for all. Measuring monosyllabic word intelligibility in a background of white noise does not reliably identify a single best aid. However, one or more inferior aids were consistently eliminated in 80% of the subjects.
An Earmold for the Geriatric Patient
Authors: Navarro Marvin R.
Published: August 2014

This article describes a rehabilitation innovation for the elderly hearing-impaired patient. To minimize the problem of lack of fine finger dexterity in the elderly, an earmold was designed with a small handle. A brief description of the design is provided. A case study describes the usefulness of this earmold.
Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) with Young Down’s Syndrome Children
Authors: Greenberg Douglas B. , Wilson Wesley R. , Moore John M. , Thompson Gary
Published: August 2014

Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) was investigated with 41 Down’s syndrome subjects between the ages of six months and six years. The VRA procedure involved monitoring a head-turn response to a complex noise signal presented in a sound field with an ascending presentation paradigm and reinforced by a complex visual reinforcer. Twenty-four of the infants and young children also were evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) to allow for an analysis of the efficacy of VRA as a function of developmental age. Results were as follows: (1) 28 (68%) of the infants and young children initially oriented towards the source of the auditory stimulus, (2) only a few of the subjects who did not initially orient could be taught to respond, (3) of the children who initially oriented or were taught to respond, thresholds were obtained on a large number (81%) in one visit, and (4) a systematic relationship was demonstrated between consistency of subject response using the VRA technique and BSID Mental Age Equivalent with 10 months being the critical age for determining the potential success of the procedure. In addition, the results implied a higher incidence of hearing loss in the Down’s syndrome subjects than found in the normal pediatric population.
Effects of Four Noise Competitors on the California Consonant Test
Authors: Danhauer Jeffrey L. , Leppler Jonathan G.
Published: August 2014

Thirty-five normal-hearing listeners' speech discrimination scores were obtained for the California Consonant Test (CCT) in four noise competitors: (1) a four-talker complex (FT), (2) a nine-talker complex developed at Bowling Green State University (BGMTN), (3) cocktail party noise (CPN), and (4) white noise (WN). Five listeners received the CCT stimuli mixed ipsilaterally with each of the competing noises at one of seven different signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns). Articulation functions were plotted for each noise competitor. Statistical analysis revealed that the noise types produced few differences on the CCT scores over most of the S/Ns tested, but that noise competitors similar to peripheral maskers (CPN and WN) had less effect on the scores at more severe levels than competitors more similar to perceptual maskers (FT and BGMTN). Results suggest that the CCT should be sufficiently difficult even without the presence of a noise competitor for normal-hearing listeners in many audiologic testing situations. Levels that should approximate CCT maximum discrimination (D-Max) scores for normal listeners are suggested for use when clinic time does not permit the establishment of articulation functions. The clinician should determine the S/N of the CCT tape itself before establishing listening levels.
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Stuttering Treatment
Authors: Andrews Gavin , Guitar Barry , Howie Pauline
Published: August 2014

Despite the many reports of stuttering treatment, there is little consensus either on the long term effectiveness of treatment or on which treatments are the most effective. The literature was searched for treatment outcome studies that reported sufficient data to allow a meta-analysis to be conducted. Forty-two studies covering the treatment of a total of 756 stutterers were located. In these studies the typical client was a 25-year-old severe stutterer who received 80 hours of symptom reduction treatment. Most studies used reliable measures of both stuttering and attitude to assess improvement some six months after treatment had ended.

Treatment effects were calculated from 116 pre- and posttreatment pairs of measures. Average effect size was 1.3, which indicates that alter treatment the groups of stutterers experienced a 1.3 standard deviation improvement in their pretreatment scores. Clearly, stuttering treatments can be beneficial, and the benefits appear comparable to other treatments in the health sciences. Prolonged speech and gentle onset techniques evidenced better gains in the short term and long term than either attitude or airflow techniques. These four seem preferable to any of the other reported treatments and were certainly better than no treatment.
Psychological Considerations in Vocal Rehabilitation
Authors: Brodnitz Friedrich S.
Published: August 2014

The study of the human voice in phoniatric laboratories has added greatly to our knowledge of the physiology and pathology of vocal function. In dealing with voice patients, it must be supplemented by a consideration of all the psychological factors that determine vocal behavior and the relationship between patient and clinician. This discussion deals with the psychological reaction to voice, vocal dynamics, and approaches to therapy. Success in vocal rehabilitation depends on constant attention to these considerations.
Transfer of Verbal Responses across Instructional Settings by Autistic-Type Children
Authors: Handleman Jan Sheldon
Published: August 2014

This investigation assessed the generalization of verbal behavior by autistic-type children across different settings. Six youngsters who learned responses to common questions under two different training conditions at school were probed to determine transfer of learning to a novel instructional environment. Four children demonstrated only low rates of generalization to a novel environment regardless of the type of training. The other two children generalized most responses across settings irrespective of the original training conditions.
Discourse Devices Used by Language Disordered Children
Authors: Van Kleeck Anne , Frankel Terri Lee
Published: August 2014

Language-disordered children's use of two devices through which utterances are related to ongoing discourse, focus and substitution operations, were observed. Focus operations merely repeat, while substitutions repeat part but also alter a previous utterance in some way. Previous research with normal-language children shows that the predominant device a child uses changes developmentally, with focus operations more frequently used early and substitution operations emphasized late. The use of these devices was observed in the spontaneous conversations of three language-disordered children. Two were at a lower linguistic level (MLU's of 1.8 and 2.2) than the third (MLU 3.2). A developmental trend reflecting that of the normally developing children emerged. These results indicate that language-disordered children are not qualitatively different from normally developing children in their ability to use these particular devices for learning to participate in conversations.
Analysis and Remediation of Aphasia in the U.S.S.R
Authors: Hatfield Frances M.
Published: August 2014

This paper surveys the contribution of A.R. Luria to aphasiology, emphasizing the unique extent to which he integrated theory and therapeutic practice. The influence exerted by two prominent Russian figures, Pavlov and Vygotskii, is discussed. Luria's view of the primary defects underlying the main forms of aphasia is summarised; this is followed by a brief account of his application of certain notions of structural linguistics, including Jakobson's interpretations of the breakdown of language following brain damage. Examples are given of the wide range of simple tests included in Luria's neuropsychological investigations. The factual part of the article culminates in some examples of his methods of restoring higher cortical functions, in particular, verbal skills. The summary criticizes certain aspects of Luria's analysis as being too mechanistic and simplistic, and cites criticisms of details from other workers, but considers many of his insights and the total coherence of his view of cortical functioning and cortical disturbance to be still of the utmost importance for clinicians undertaking aphasia therapy. The need for therapists everywhere to develop language rehabilitation with as systematic a basis as Luria's is stressed.
Cognition and Language Development in Autism
Authors: Wetherby Amy Miller , Gaines Barbara H.
Published: August 2014

A nonverbal assessment procedure was designed to characterize cognition using a Piagetian framework. Six autistic children, five echolalic and one nonverbal, ranging in age from 4:8 to 15:2, participated in this study. Cognitive and language performance was assessed using a developmental stage model. All six children evidenced competence beyond sensorimotor Stage VI, and demonstrated cognitive functioning between the periods of early preoperational and concrete operations. For five of the six children, the stage of cognitive development exceeded that of language development. The application of a developmental model of assessment purposes and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.
Diadochokinetic Syllable Rate and Regularity in Normal and in Spastic and Ataxic Dysarthric Subjects
Authors: Portnoy Robert A. , Aronson Arnold E.
Published: August 2014

Rate and regularity of diadochokinetic syllable repetitions of /pΛ/, /tΛ/, and /kΛ/ in 30 normal subjects, 30 subjects with spastic dysarthria, and 30 subjects with ataxic dysarthria were measured by computer. Normal subjects had rates (syllables per second) of 6.4, 6.1, and 5.7; spastic dysarthric subjects, 4.6, 4.2, and 3.5; and ataxic dysarthric subjects, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.4 for /pΛ/, /tΛ/, and /kΛ/, respectively. Spastic and ataxic subjects were significantly slower and more variable than normal subjects and ataxic subjects were significantly more variable than spastic subjects. The significantly slower than normal rate of repetition in the ataxic subjects and the significantly more variable than normal rhythm of repetition in the spastic subjects were unexpected findings and are in contrast with results from perceptually based investigations of dysarthria. The study demonstrates that slowness of syllable repetition is not restricted to spastic dysarthria and that dysrhythmia of syllable repetition is not restricted to ataxic dysarthria, thus suggesting the need for additional quantitative measurements of acoustic features on which certain notions about the dysarthrias are currently based.
Performance of New Hearing Aids Using the ANSI S3.22–1976 Standard
Authors: Townsend Thomas H. , Olsen Clifford C.
Published: August 2014

One hundred new hearing aids were tested to determine their compliance with ANSI S3.22–1976 specifications. Thirty-four models representing eight manufacturers were included. Estimates of the test equipment's accuracy were utilized as required by the standard to correct the tolerances permitted for the 11 measurements made. Results revealed that 68% of the instruments tested met all specifications, when the accuracy of the test apparatus was accounted for, while 11% fewer hearing aids passed all tests when it was excluded. No greater than a 10% difference was found in the performance of various types of aids, such as automatic gain control, directional, linear, or nondirectional.
Patterns of Auditory Processing and Articulation Deficits in Academically Deficient Juvenile Delinquents
Authors: Zinkus Peter W. , Gottlieb Marvin I.
Published: August 2014

Auditory processing deficits and articulation disorders were studied in a group of male juvenile delinquents. Significant auditory processing deficits were frequently observed and were significantly related to underachievement in reading, spelling, and arithmetic. In addition, articulation disorders were present in over 60% of the delinquent subjects. The results are interpreted to indicate that the evaluation of speech capabilities and auditory processing skills should be an integral part of treatment programs for delinquent populations. The importance of early intervention through identification and treatment of speech and language disorders in the early school period is supported.
A Longitudinal Study of the Development of Stop Consonant Production in Normal and Down's Syndrome Children
Authors: Smith Bruce L. , Stoel-Gammon Carol
Published: August 2014

In order to compare phonological development in normal and Down's syndrome children, longitudinal observations were made of four normal children from 18 to 36 months of age and five Down's syndrome children from 3 to 6 years of age. Singleton stops and stop clusters were analyzed to determine if the Down's syndrome children evidenced phonological processes and other sound patterns similar to those of the normal children. Although quite similar patterns were observed for the two groups, the Down's syndrome children showed considerable delay in comparison to the normally developing children.
Effects of Two Antecedent Conditions on Vocalization Frequency of Severely Retarded Children
Authors: Halle James W. , Hunt Frances M. , Bjorenson Janet E.
Published: August 2014

Rather than concentrating exclusively on consequences in early vocal instruction, the manipulation of antecedent conditions has been recommended. Few empirical data have been collected on the effect of different antecedent events. Therefore, a series of three experiments was conducted with three severely retarded children to investigate the vocalization-producing potential of two antecedent conditions: adult talk, a commonly cited antecedent, and adult silence. The conditions were evaluated using a modified alternating treatments design. In Experiment 1, 5 min of continuous adult talk was alternated with 5 min of adult silence; the results indicated that adult silence occasioned more vocalizations than did adult talk. In Experiment 2, a mixed (alternating 30- s periods of silence and talk) condition was compared to a silence condition; again the results indicated a higher frequency of vocalization during the silence condition. In Experiment 3, a modified talk (a question or comment presented every 10 s) condition was compared to a silence condition; the results indicated that the two conditions occasioned similar vocalization frequencies for two children, and the questions/comments condition occasioned more vocalizations for one child. In addition to studying optimal conditions for adult talk, the present investigation provides a methodology for deriving empirical data on the effects of differing antecedent conditions on vocalization frequencies.
Lexical Imitation and Acquisition in Language-Impaired Children
Authors: Schwartz Richard G. , Leonard Laurence B.
Published: August 2014

This investigation examined the influence of unsolicited lexical imitation on the comprehension and on the production of novel words by language-impaired children. Subjects were 13 children (2:8–3:1) exhibiting specific language impairment who were presented with 16 unfamiliar words referring to unfamiliar objects or actions over 10 experimental sessions. Unsolicited imitations appeared to facilitate subsequent production of these words on a posttest. This effect was greatest when these words were also produced spontaneously prior to the posttest. Words that were produced imitatively and spontaneously also appeared more frequently in spontaneous usage than words that were only produced spontaneously. No relationship between such imitations and comprehension was observed. These findings suggest that unsolicited imitations benefit children's lexical acquisition primarily by providing them with additional opportunities to produce words that are in the process of being established in their expressive lexicons.
Effects of Personally Relevant Language Materials on the Performance of Severely Aphasic Individuals
Authors: Wallace Gloriajean L. , Canter Gerald J.
Published: August 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not severely aphasic adults perform better with personally relevant language materials than with otherwise similar nonpersonal language materials. The subjects for this study were 24 severely aphasic individuals. Subjects responded to personally relevant and nonpersonal materials in four language tasks: auditory comprehension, speech repetition, naming, and reading comprehension. Subjects showed significantly better performance on personally relevant items than on nonpersonal items. This was true for each of the four tasks.
Speech Disorders among College Freshmen
Authors: Culton Gerald L.
Published: August 2014

This report provides data collected over a 13-year period on communicative disorders among college freshmen. The students were examined for existing speech disorders and questioned about recovery from previous disorders, with and without treatment. At examination, 2.42% exhibited articulation, voice, or fluency disorders; whereas an additional 2.34%, no longer exhibiting problems, reported recovery from previous disorders. Articulation therapy was reportedly effective in recovery (46%), whereas therapy for fluency disorders was less effective (24%) than spontaneous recovery (35%). Although voice disorders were evident at examination, self-perception of previous voice problems was almost nonexistent. The data, compared with those from other reports, confirm that direct examination produces prevalence rates higher than those found via informant interview methods.
The Labeling Problem in Aphasia
Authors: Holland Audrey L. , Fromm Davida , Swindell Carol S.
Published: August 2014

Twenty-five "experts" on neurogenic motor speech disorders participated in a tutorial exercise. Each was given information on M, a patient who had communication difficulties as the result of stroke, and asked to complete a questionnaire about his problem. The information included a detailed case description, an audiotape of M's speech obtained at 4, 9, 13, and 17 days post-stroke, and test results from the Western Aphasia Battery, the Token Test, and a battery for apraxia of speech. The experts were in excellent agreement on M's primary problem, although it was called by seven different names. The experts were in poor agreement on his secondary problem(s), e.g., the presence and type of aphasia and dysarthria. The results suggest that labeling is difficult, even for "experts." Furthermore, the practicing clinician needs to be sensitive to the likelihood of more than one coexisting problem.
A Clinical Appraisal of the Pragmatic Aspects of Language
Authors: Prutting Carol A. , Kittchner Diane M.
Published: August 2014

A descriptive taxonomy, the pragmatic protocol, was developed for this study. The protocol consists of 30 pragmatic parameters of language. The purpose of the study was to test the utility of the tool to evaluate a range of pragmatic aspects of language in a sample of conversational speech fiom subjects in six groups. Among the disordered subjects, four distinct profiles emerged that separated the diagnostic groups. Individual differences in the way pragmatic deficits were distributed within a diagnostic category were also identified. The authors stress that the assessment of pragmatics should encompass a range of parameters that includes aspects of linguistic structure as well as those aspects of communication that have to do with principles governing language use. We offer our data as an early look at the way in which pragmatic deficits stratify across disordered populations.
A Descending Lot-Bekesy Screening Test for Functional Hearing Loss
Authors: Chaiklin Joseph B.
Published: August 2014

This study investigated the screening efficiency of a descending version of Hattler's Lengthened Off-time (LOT) Bekesy test. The Descending LOT (DELOT) test was administered to 24 subjects who presented unequivocal audiometric evidence of functional hearing loss during clinical examinations and 30 subjects with no audiometric evidence of functional loss. The DELOT format substantially increased screening sensitivity: 29.2% more functional group subjects and 42.2% more functional group ears were identified correctly relative to LOT test identifications. There was one marginally positive DELOT outcome involving one ear in the nonfunctional group. The high sensitivity of the DELOT test was clearly a function of significantly larger intertrace gaps caused by the DELOT trace. The mean intertrace gap for the DELOT test was more than 10 dB greater than the gap for the LOT test.
Effects of a Pragmatic Teaching Strategy for Requesting Information by Communication Board Users
Authors: Angelo Dianne H. , Goldstein Howard
Published: August 2014

The effects of a pragmatic teaching strategy on 4 nonspeaking children's abilities to initiate requests for information (i.e., who, what, and where) using manual communication boards were investigated. A teaching strategy based on milieu teaching and time-delay procedures was developed and embedded in naturally structured communication tasks to evoke information requests. Results indicated that information requests using the communication board occurred only after the pragmatic teaching strategy was applied sequentially to the three request types during the experimental condition. This effect was demonstrated repeatedly across the 4 subjects. Although generalization across request types was not demonstrated, substantial generalization was found across partners and environments. A social validation measure confirmed the treatment effectiveness. Independent raters perceived significant differences when viewing before- and after-training videotapes on 7 of 10 communication variables for all subjects.
Comprehension of Social-Action Games in Prelinguistic Children
Authors: Platt Janelle , Coggins Truman E.
Published: August 2014

We currently lack a systematic approach to examine the emergence of social-action games during the prelinguistic period of development. Although social-action games have been identified as being an important part of prelinguistic development, a systematic approach to examine their emergence has been lacking. Further, research has yet to analyze how contextual variables affect a child's comprehension and participation during these action routines. Results of the present study document changes in the development of social-action games in 29 normally developing subjects from 9 to 15 months and support a developmental hierarchy of social-action game participation. The results also reflect the effect of adult structure on the subject's level of performance and reveal a significant relationship between adult contextual support and child performance. The implications of the findings are summarized.
Nonverbal Indicants of Comprehension Monitoring in Language-Disordered Children
Authors: Skarakis-Doyle Elizabeth , MacLellan Nancy , Mullin Kathleen
Published: August 2014

This study investigated normal and language-disordered (LD) children's patterns of nonverbal behavior in response to messages varying in degree of ambiguity. Each LD child was matched to two normally developing children: one for comprehension level (LM) and the other for chronological age (CM). All children participated in a videotaped ambiguity detection task. Nonverbal behaviors that were produced between the time the message was completed and the examiner's acknowledgment of the response were scored for type of behavior exhibited including eye contact, hand behavior, body movement, and smile. Results demonstrated that all subjects increased their nonverbal behavior (e.g., eye contact) from unambiguous to ambiguous message conditions, suggesting awareness of the differences in these message types at a rudimentary level. Most often nonverbal indication was the only signal of ambiguity detection exhibited by the LD children and their LM peers. Only the CM children concurrently indicated awareness through more direct means (i.e., verbalization and pointing to all possible referents) in a consistent and accurate manner. The finding that LD children did differentiate inadequate from adequate messages in a rudimentary manner suggests that clinicians might promote the intentionality of these preintentional nonverbal behaviors as a possible intervention strategy.
The Relationship between Communication Problems and Psychological Difficulties in Persons with Profound Acquired Hearing Loss
Authors: Knutson John F. , Lansing Charissa R.
Published: August 2014

Communication strategies, accommodations to deafness, and perceptions of the communication environment by profoundly deaf subjects were correlated with indices of psychosocial adjustment to determine whether accommodations to deafness could play a role in the presence of psychological difficulties among deaf persons. Persons with postlingually acquired profound deafness were administered the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI) and several standardized tests of psychological functioning and adjustment. Inadequate communication strategies and poor accommodations to deafness reported on the CPHI were associated with depression, social introversion, loneliness, and social anxiety. Limited communication performance at home and with friends was related to both social introversion and the experience of loneliness; perceived attitudes and behaviors of others correlated with depression as well as loneliness. In general, the pattern of correlations obtained suggests that specific communication strategies and accommodations to deafness, rather than deafness per se, may contribute to the presence of some psychological difficulties in individuals.
Intelligibility of Synthetic Speech for Normal-Hearing and Hearing-Impaired Listeners
Authors: Kangas Kathleen A. , Allen George D.
Published: August 2014

This study examined the perceived intelligibility of synthetic speech. Participants were adults aged 49–69, one group with normal hearing and one group with acquired sensorineural hearing impairment. Word lists were presented in two speech types: DECtalk (a high-quality speech synthesizer) and a natural male speaker. Results revealed differences between groups, with normal-hearing listeners scoring higher than hearing-impaired listeners, and between speech types, with higher scores for natural speech than for synthesized speech. There was no significant interaction of hearing level and speech type.
Middle Ear Activity During Speech in Normal Speakers and Stutterers
Authors: Shearer William M. , Simmons F. Blair
Published: August 2014

Middle ear muscle activity of five normal speakers and five stutterers was recorded during speech production by means of the Zwislocki acoustic impedance bridge. Acoustic impedance change preceded initiation of a speech sound by 65 to 100 milliseconds or at least coincided with speech output. No differences were found between stutterers and normal speakers in terms of the time interval between middle ear muscle activity and speech output.
Some Effects of Bone-Conducted Masking
Authors: Schoeny Zahrl G. , Goetzinger Cornelius P. , Knox Albert W.
Published: August 2014

Twenty subjects with normal hearing and 20 subjects with sensori-neural hearing loss were examined relative to the effects of wide- and narrow-band white noise delivered by bone conduction at the forehead; differences between thresholds with interrupted- and continuous-tone presentation under the conditions of quiet, wide-band noise, narrow-band noise; the difference between threshold shifts at 1 000 and 2 000 cps when the SAL masking technique is used; and differences between SAL and conventional bone-conduction thresholds at 1 000 or 2 000 cps.

Narrow-band noise produced less shift than wide-band noise under all conditions Differences between interrupted- and continuous-tone presentation yielded better thresholds. Shifts at 1 000 cps and 2 000 cps were significantly different, with the shift at 1 000 cps being greater.
The Effect of Context on Aural Perception of Words
Authors: Traul Gail Nygaard , Black John W.
Published: August 2014

Fifty words were recorded five times by five speakers. The five recordings represented five amounts and kinds of “context” (word in isolation, word said twice, word followed by a warning against making a common error, word in second-order, and word in third-order approximation to language). Listening panels heard the recordings and from their responses measures of word intelligibility and disparity, represented as information, were computed. The disparities among the responses decreased progressively from one condition to another in the order enumerated above; similarly, intelligibility increased, with the exception that no advantage resulted from saying a word twice.
Efficacy of Speech Therapy with Educable Mentally Retarded Children
Authors: Wilson Frank B.
Published: August 2014

A two-phase study was conducted to evaluate the articulatory abilities of 777 educable mentally retarded children between the ages of 6 to 16 years in a public school setting. In Phase I, an analysis of articulation acquisition by mental age was computed. The children were then divided into speech-deviant and normal groups, and the articulatory skills of the speech deviant group were analyzed. Substitution and omission errors tended to decrease with increasing mental age, but distortion errors increased.

Phase II was an attempt to evaluate the effect of articulation therapy on sound error reduction over a three-year period. The speech-deviant group was subdivided into three groups: Experimental, Placebo, and Control. Differences in sound error reduction among the three groups were not significant.
Intraoral Pressure and Rate of Flow During Speech
Authors: Subtelny Joanne D. , Worth Joseph H. , Sakuda Mamoru
Published: August 2014

Instrumentation and procedures are described for simultaneous recording and study of sound, oral and nasal pressure, and oral and nasal airflow during speech. The pressure and flow instruments were developed to minimize interference with articulatory movements and sound propagation. Amplitude and duration measures of intraoral pressures for 30 normal speakers are reported as a function of: subject grouping (age and sex), phoneme classification, articulatory position, and phonetic context. Measures of oral pressure, rate of oral flow, and sound power associated with stress and increased vocal effort (loudness) are included to illustrate graphically the interrelationships between oral pressure and flow parameters, and the effect of differences in vocal effort upon both values. Further investigations using the type of instrumentation described are recommended to gain simultaneous and faithful recording of both pressure and flow parameters, thus permitting independent and interdependent analyses to facilitate understanding of the physical bases of speech.
Effects of Pure Tone Synchronous and Delayed Auditory Feedback on Keytapping Performance to a Programmed Visual Stimulus
Authors: Karlovich Raymond S. , Graham James T.
Published: August 2014

Thirty-two female subjects tapped on a felt-padded key to a programmed repetitive flashing visual signal under various conditions of pure tone SAF and DAF. Two SLs of sound, 20 dB and 60 dB, and seven conditions of auditory feedback were employed (two SAF and five DAF conditions). Data were obtained concerning the relationships among tapping rates, delay times, and SLs of auditory signals.
Physical and Psychological Correlates of Speaker Recognition
Authors: Holmgren Gary L.
Published: August 2014

Twenty listeners rated 10 speakers from the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory’s (AFCRL) speaker library, using a 12-item rating form developed from Osgood’s (1957) semantic differential rating form techniques. Physical characteristics of the same speakers' voices also were measured. The results revealed that speakers can be reliably differentiated on the basis of (1) listener judgments alone, (2) listener judgments combined with physical voice measures, and (3) physical voice measures alone. Speakers' voice characteristics, as determined by listeners' judgments alone, can be accounted for by two basic factors which account for over 90% of the variance. Factor analysis of both judged and actual physical voice measures led to a 5-factor solution accounting for more than 90% of the total variance.
Some Possible Effects of the Delay of Early Treatment of Deafness
Authors: Elliott Lois L. , Armbruster Virginia B.
Published: August 2014

Questionnaire responses by parents of children enrolled in a school for the deaf indicated that those children who have additional learning problems superposed on their severe hearing impairment had been diagnosed as hearing-impaired, had been fitted with hearing aids, and had begun an educational program at a later age than the other children. These same children had more often been labeled “aphasic.” The difference in hearing levels between the groups of children was not enough to account for the considerable differences in early experiences. These data are interpreted as suggesting the hypothesis that sensory deprivation in hearing-impaired children resulting from delayed educational procedures and delayed sound amplification may produce an additional learning handicap which is only partly reversible by later therapeutic procedures.
Acquisition of /v/ in “Words” as a Function of the Consistency of /v/ Errors
Authors: Baer William P. , Winitz Harris
Published: August 2014

This study sought evidence of a relationship between inconsistency of misarticulation and speech sound learning. The /v/ sound was selected as the test response. Twenty-seven subjects were assigned to three groups of nine each on the basis of their consistency of /v/ sound errors. The groups were designated as those with (a) no or minimal number of /v/ errors, (b) moderate number of /v/ errors, and (c) close to maximal number of /v/ errors. All subjects were instructed to learn two consecutive matching-to-sample learning tasks. The test stimuli were /viy∫/ and /vowm/ and all correct imitations were reinforced. For both test stimuli the minimal-error group performed superiorly to the moderate and maximal-error groups, and the latter groups did not differ. However, a reliable trial effect was evident only for the /viy∫/ syllable. Inconsistency did not seem to be highly correlated with speech sound learning.
Effects of Ear Preference and Order Bias on the Reception of Verbal Materials
Authors: Wilson Richard H. , Dirks Donald D. , Carterette Edward C.
Published: August 2014

This experiment investigated Inglis' hypothesis that dichotic verbal material presented to the right ear is produced correctly more often than the stimuli presented to the left ear because individuals respond initially to the material at the right ear and thus are subject to greater trace decay on that presented to the left ear. Two types of dichotic materials (digits and nonsense syllables) were used. The digits and nonsense syllables were presented in quiet and also in a background of white noise. Different groups of 24 young adult subjects were used in four basic experiments. The subjects in each experiment were tested under the following conditions: (1) no bias; (2) right bias (instructed to respond to right ear presentations initially), and (3) left bias (instructed to respond to left ear presentations initially). Results of the no bias conditions suggest a tendency for more correct responses from right ear than from left ear presentations (even though order of response was divided almost equally between the ears). However the superiority is only a modest statistical one. When instructional bias was imposed, the results always favored the ear of the instructed bias.
Some Possible Effects of the Delay of Early Treatment of Deafness: A Second Look
Authors: Elliott Lois L. , Vegely Ann B.
Published: August 2014

Children in a state-supported school for the deaf, although identified as hearing-impaired at an early age, were generally not enrolled in a special school and did not wear an aid until the age of five years or older. Previously demonstrated benefits of early use of sound amplification and educational procedures appear not to be demonstrated for children starting this late.
Release from Masking as a Means of Studying Hair Cell Function
Authors: Carterette Edward C.
Published: August 2014

If mutual inhibition exists among the neural elements of the auditory pathway, then tonal contours should be enchanced by analogy with the mechanisms of Mach bands in vision. Experimental evidence is presented for enhancement or sharpening of contours by means of direct masking of pure tones by narrow-band noise. These results suggested that sharply defined regions of loss of hair cells in sharply delimited regions of the basilar membrane ought to be associated with gains in hearing level due to release from inhibition. Support for this notion was found in both the experimental and clinical literature.
Binaural Hearing of Speech for Aided and Unaided Conditions
Authors: Dirks Donald D. , Wilson Richard A.
Published: August 2014

Differences in speech intelligibility and identification between binaural, monaural near ear, and monaural far ear conditions were studied in sound field conditions. Scores from listeners with normal hearing and with sensorineural losses were evalated in sound field conditions (unaided) and under conditions of hearing aid amplification (aided). For both conditions listeners with sensorineural hearing loss obtained a binaural advantage similar to that found for normal listeners. The binaural advantage could be demonstrated only when the primary and/or competing signal sources were located at an azimuth which resulted in interaural time differences for at least one of the signals. When the signals arrived simultaneously at the ears from the same loudspeaker, no binaural advantage was obtained. Differences in intelligibility and identification scores between monaural near ear and far ear conditions (6.0 dB) were almost twice as large as those found between binaural listening and monaural near ear listening (3.3 dB).