Digitized Honors Theses (2002-2017)

Date of Award

5-2014

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Degree Name

BS

Department

Biological Science

Faculty Mentor

Ishara Ramkissoon, Ph.D.

Advisor(s)

Elizabeth Adams, Ph.D., Julio Turrens, Ph.D., Michael Doran, Ph.D., Brenda Beverly, Ph.D.

Abstract

A key component of speech audiometry, the Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) uses bisyllabic word stimuli produced with equal stress on each syllable (spondees) to assist in diagnosing hearing loss. Clinically, SRT is verified by Pure-Tone Average (PTA), a calculated measure from pure-tone hearing thresholds at three frequencies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a Digit SRT (dSRT) test was as effective as pediatric word spondees (wSRT) in determining SRT in children who are non-native speakers of English (NNE) compared to native English (NE) speaking children. The experimental group participants (NNE) were 13 children, 11 males and 2 females aged between 4-15 years with several native languages other than English. The control group participants were monolingual NE, 8 males and 2 females, aged 6-9 years. All children completed speech, language, and I cognitive screening prior to inclusion in the study. Each child completed audiological testing of each ear, including otoscopy, tympanometry, pure-tone audiometry, SRT measured with digit stimuli, and SRT measured with typical pediatric spondees. Statistical analysis using ANOVA revealed no significant difference between digits and pediatric spondee words in determining speech threshold for NNE children. There was a significant difference between PTA and dSRT in the control group. Correlation analyses revealed that all hearing threshold tests were highly and significantly correlated with each other among NNE children but in control participants, only dSRT and wSRT were highly correlated. Regression analyses revealed significant predictors among the NNE experimental group for all tests but only one! significant result (dSRT and wSRT) in the NE control group, with overall good predictubility of both SRT tests by the PTA. Current findings support the dSRT test as vulid and rdiabk to determine hearing threshold for speech stimuli in NNE pediatric population.

Comments

© 2014 Surabhi Vinod ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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