Τετάρτη 10 Ιανουαρίου 2018
Tutorial: Assessment and Analysis of Polysyllables in Young Children
Purpose
Polysyllables, words of 3 or more syllables, represent almost 30% of words used in American English. The purpose of this tutorial is to support speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') assessment and analysis of polysyllables, extending the focus of published assessment tools that focus on sampling and analyzing children's segmental accuracy and/or the presence of phonological error patterns.
Method
This tutorial will guide SLPs through a review of 53 research papers that have explored the use of polysyllables in assessment, including the sampling and analysis procedures used in different research studies. The tutorial will also introduce two new tools to analyze and interpret polysyllable speech samples: the Word-Level Analysis of Polysyllables (WAP; Masso, 2016b) and the Framework of Polysyllable Maturity (Framework; Masso, 2016a).
Results
Connected speech and single-word sampling tasks were used across the 53 studies to elicit polysyllables, and a number of analysis methods were reported, including measures of segmental accuracy and measures of structural and suprasegmental accuracy. The WAP and the Framework extend SLPs' depth of analysis of polysyllables.
Conclusion
SLPs need a range of clinical tools to support the assessment and analysis of polysyllables. A case study comparing different speech analysis methods demonstrates the clinical value in utilizing the WAP and the Framework to interpret children's polysyllable productions in addition to traditional methods of speech sampling and analysis.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2liNzA7
via IFTTT
The Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository: Design and Project Overview
Purpose
The purpose of the Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository (LSL-DR) was to address a critical need for a systemwide outcome data–monitoring program for the development of listening and spoken language skills in highly specialized educational programs for children with hearing loss highlighted in Goal 3b of the 2007 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing position statement supplement.
Method
The LSL-DR is a multicenter, international data repository for recording and tracking the demographics and longitudinal outcomes achieved by children who have hearing loss who are enrolled in private, specialized programs focused on supporting listening and spoken language development. Since 2010, annual speech-language-hearing outcomes have been prospectively obtained by qualified clinicians and teachers across 48 programs in 4 countries.
Results
The LSL-DR has been successfully implemented, bringing together the data collection efforts of these programs to create a large and diverse data repository of 5,748 children with hearing loss.
Conclusion
Due to the size and diversity of the population, the range of assessments entered, and the demographic information collected, the LSL-DR will provide an unparalleled opportunity to examine the factors that influence the development of listening in spoken language in this population.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPEeYn
via IFTTT
Percent Grammatical Responses as a General Outcome Measure: Initial Validity
Purpose
This report investigated the validity of using percent grammatical responses (PGR) as a measure for assessing grammaticality. To establish construct validity, we computed the correlation of PGR with another measure of grammar skills and with an unrelated skill area. To establish concurrent validity for PGR, we computed the correlation of PGR with a previously validated measure of grammaticality, percent grammatical utterances (PGU), and examined the extent to which PGR and PGU agreed upon pass/fail decisions for children.
Method
Participants included 79 3-year-olds from mostly middle socioeconomic status homes. Language samples were elicited by asking children to describe 15 pictures in response to 4 questions per picture. To calculate PGU, children's responses to all 4 questions were segmented into communication units, and each communication unit was evaluated for grammatical errors. To calculate PGR, the entire response to just the first question was evaluated for grammatical errors.
Results
PGR scores significantly correlated with a standardized test of grammar (r = .70), but not with a measure of vocabulary (i.e., type–token ratio; r = .11). In addition, PGR scores were significantly correlated with PGU scores (r = .88). Agreement between PGR and PGU was 92% for pass decisions and 94% for fail decisions.
Conclusions
The current study establishes the construct validity of PGR as a measure of grammar and supports the use of PGR as a measure to assess grammaticality.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPDWk8
via IFTTT
Diagnostic Accuracy of Traditional Measures of Phonological Ability for Bilingual Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
Purpose
Bilingual children whose phonological skills are evaluated using measures designed for monolingual English speakers are at risk for misdiagnosis of speech sound disorders (De Lamo White & Jin, 2011).
Method
Forty-four children participated in this study: 15 typically developing monolingual English speakers, 7 monolingual English speakers with phonological disorders, 14 typically developing bilingual Spanish–English speakers, and 8 bilingual children with phonological disorders. Children's single-word speech productions were examined on Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised (Shriberg, Austin, Lewis, McSweeny, & Wilson, 1997a) and accuracy of early-, middle-, and late-developing sounds (Shriberg, 1993) in English. Consonant accuracy in English was compared between monolinguals and bilinguals with and without speech sound disorders. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to observe diagnostic accuracy of the measures examined.
Results
Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised was found to be a good indicator of phonological ability in both monolingual and bilingual English-speaking children at the age of 5;0. No significant differences were found between language groups on any of the measures examined.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that traditional measures of phonological ability for monolinguals could provide good diagnostic accuracy for bilingual children at the age of 5;0 years. These findings are preliminary, and children younger than 5;0 years should be examined for risk of misdiagnosis.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qR20Bp
via IFTTT
Exemplar Variability Facilitates Retention of Word Learning by Children With Specific Language Impairment
Purpose
Variability in the input plays an important role in language learning. The current study examined the role of object variability for new word learning by preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI).
Method
Eighteen 4- and 5-year-old children with SLI were taught 8 new words in 3 short activities over the course of 3 sessions. Half of the children saw 3 identical objects corresponding to each new word during training (No Variability group); the other half of the children saw 3 different objects corresponding to each new word during training (High Variability group). Children completed vocabulary learning tests for objects seen during training and for new within-category objects that were never seen during training as a test of category generalization. Learning was assessed the day after each training activity, and retention was assessed 3 weeks after the last training session.
Results
There were no group differences on trained or generalization items immediately following training sessions. However, children in the High Variability group demonstrated significantly better retention 3 weeks after experimental training.
Conclusion
These findings demonstrate that object variability facilitates retention of new word learning by children with SLI.
Supplemental Material
http://ift.tt/2hwPDGPfrom #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV99AS
via IFTTT
Selecting Treatments and Monitoring Outcomes: The Circle of Evidence-Based Practice and Client-Centered Care in Treating a Preschool Child Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of the present clinical forum is to compare how 2 clinicians might select among therapy options for a preschool-aged child who presents with stuttering close to onset.
Method
I discuss approaches to full evaluation of the child's profile, advisement of evidence-based practice options open to the family, the need for monitoring of the child's response, and selection of other approaches, if the child appears nonresponsive to the 1st-line approach.
Results
Although some researchers and clinicians appear to favor endorsement of a single recommended treatment for early stuttering, I do not find this approach helpful or consistent with newer mandates for patient-centered care. I am also most comfortable recommending RESTART demands and capacities model as the 1st treatment approach, with parent consent, because its mechanism of action appears transparent and well-documented.
Conclusions
There are numerous well-supported intervention options for treating preschool children who stutter. No single therapy can possibly work for all clients. I discuss available options that I feel have sufficient evidence-based support for use with young children who stutter. I emphasize the need to consider more, not fewer, acceptable therapy options for children who do not respond positively to a selected treatment approach within a reasonable time frame.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5Aus
via IFTTT
Best Practice for Developmental Stuttering: Balancing Evidence and Expertise
Purpose
Best practice for developmental stuttering remains a topic of debate. In the clinical forum following this introduction, four fluency experts balance the evidence and expertise to describe their approach to assessment and treatment.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2moX5Dd
via IFTTT
Evidence, Goals, and Outcomes in Stuttering Treatment: Applications With an Adolescent Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of this clinical focus article is to summarize 1 possible process that a clinician might follow in designing and conducting a treatment program with John, a 14-year-old male individual who stutters.
Method
The available research evidence, practitioner experience, and consideration of individual preferences are combined to address goals, treatment procedures, and outcomes for John.
Conclusions
The stuttering treatment research literature includes multiple well-designed reviews and individual studies that have shown the effectiveness of prolonged speech (and smooth speech and related variations) for improving stuttered speech and for improving social, emotional, cognitive, and related variables in adolescents who stutter. Based on that evidence, and incorporating the additional elements of practitioner experience and client preferences, this clinical focus article suggests that John would be likely to benefit from a treatment program based on prolonged speech. The basic structure of 1 possible such program is also described, with an emphasis on the goals and outcomes that John could be expected to achieve.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV94NA
via IFTTT
Which Preschool Children With Specific Language Impairment Receive Language Intervention?
Purpose
Potential biases in service provision for preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) were explored.
Method
In Study 1, children with SLI receiving treatment (SLI-T) and those with SLI not receiving treatment (SLI-NT) were compared on demographic characteristics and developmental abilities. Study 2 recruited children with articulation disorders receiving treatment (ARTIC-T) to determine if knowing service provision status influenced the results of Study 1.
Results
In Study 1, the SLI-T group was rated by teachers as having poorer executive functioning than children in the SLIT-NT group, and the SLI-T group also came from families whose mothers had more education. These 2 variables alone predicted SLI-T and SLI-NT group membership with 84% accuracy. In Study 2, the ARTIC-T group were perceived as having comparable executive functioning to the SLI-NT group and better than the SLI-T group, indicating that teachers' knowledge of service provision did not influence their ratings of children's executive functioning.
Discussion
Preschool children with SLI, whose mothers have higher education levels and whose teachers perceive them as having poorer executive functioning, are more likely to receive intervention. Recognizing service delivery biases is critical for improving early provision of intervention for this population.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mqmjkx
via IFTTT
Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment for Adolescents: A Case Study
Purpose
This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter.
Method
Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment and treatment strategies and approaches are discussed.
Results
Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model can help guide clinicians through the assessment and treatment process to ensure that all areas of stuttering are considered.
Conclusion
Comprehensive assessment and treatment helps clinicians address all relevant elements of a stuttering disorder, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing speech disruptions.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV8X4C
via IFTTT
Conceptual Scoring and Classification Accuracy of Vocabulary Testing in Bilingual Children
Purpose
This study examined the effects of single-language and conceptual scoring on the vocabulary performance of bilingual children with and without specific language impairment. We assessed classification accuracy across 3 scoring methods.
Method
Participants included Spanish–English bilingual children (N = 247) aged 5;1 (years;months) to 11;1 with and without specific language impairment. Children completed the English and bilingual versions of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test–Third Edition (Brownell, 2000a, 2001). Six scores, 2 representing monolingual scores in English and Spanish and 4 conceptual scores, were derived. The conceptual scores included within-test conceptual scores, which credited language responses in the other language during test administration, and across-test conceptual scores, which we compiled by examining responses across independent administrations of the test in each language.
Results
Across-test conceptual scoring resulted in the highest scores and better overall classification, sensitivity, and specificity than within-test conceptual scoring. Both were superior to monolingual scoring; however, none of the methods achieved minimum standards of 80% accuracy in sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusions
Results suggest that bilingual children are not always able to readily access their other language in confrontation naming tasks. Priming or inhibition may play a role in test performance. Across-test conceptual scoring yielded the highest classification accuracy but did not meet minimum standards.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2y8Tyff
via IFTTT
Stuttering in Preschool Children: Direct Versus Indirect Treatment
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss the controversial topic of stuttering in preschool children and how to evaluate the options for treatment, emphasizing the role of external research evidence.
Method
A hypothetical but realistic case study of a 3-year-old boy who stutters is described. Two contrasting approaches to treatment are presented, the Lidcombe Program (LP) and the demands and capacities model (DCM). Studies published in peer-reviewed research journals that have examined the effectiveness of each approach are summarized and critiqued.
Results
The review indicates that the LP is the preferred treatment approach for stuttering in preschool children and that it offers the best opportunity for rapid success.
Conclusion
The LP should be carried out by knowledgeable, experienced, and flexible speech-language pathologists who are able to accommodate the individual needs and differences of every child and family.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5zGU
via IFTTT
Tutorial: Assessment and Analysis of Polysyllables in Young Children
Purpose
Polysyllables, words of 3 or more syllables, represent almost 30% of words used in American English. The purpose of this tutorial is to support speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') assessment and analysis of polysyllables, extending the focus of published assessment tools that focus on sampling and analyzing children's segmental accuracy and/or the presence of phonological error patterns.
Method
This tutorial will guide SLPs through a review of 53 research papers that have explored the use of polysyllables in assessment, including the sampling and analysis procedures used in different research studies. The tutorial will also introduce two new tools to analyze and interpret polysyllable speech samples: the Word-Level Analysis of Polysyllables (WAP; Masso, 2016b) and the Framework of Polysyllable Maturity (Framework; Masso, 2016a).
Results
Connected speech and single-word sampling tasks were used across the 53 studies to elicit polysyllables, and a number of analysis methods were reported, including measures of segmental accuracy and measures of structural and suprasegmental accuracy. The WAP and the Framework extend SLPs' depth of analysis of polysyllables.
Conclusion
SLPs need a range of clinical tools to support the assessment and analysis of polysyllables. A case study comparing different speech analysis methods demonstrates the clinical value in utilizing the WAP and the Framework to interpret children's polysyllable productions in addition to traditional methods of speech sampling and analysis.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2liNzA7
via IFTTT
The Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository: Design and Project Overview
Purpose
The purpose of the Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository (LSL-DR) was to address a critical need for a systemwide outcome data–monitoring program for the development of listening and spoken language skills in highly specialized educational programs for children with hearing loss highlighted in Goal 3b of the 2007 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing position statement supplement.
Method
The LSL-DR is a multicenter, international data repository for recording and tracking the demographics and longitudinal outcomes achieved by children who have hearing loss who are enrolled in private, specialized programs focused on supporting listening and spoken language development. Since 2010, annual speech-language-hearing outcomes have been prospectively obtained by qualified clinicians and teachers across 48 programs in 4 countries.
Results
The LSL-DR has been successfully implemented, bringing together the data collection efforts of these programs to create a large and diverse data repository of 5,748 children with hearing loss.
Conclusion
Due to the size and diversity of the population, the range of assessments entered, and the demographic information collected, the LSL-DR will provide an unparalleled opportunity to examine the factors that influence the development of listening in spoken language in this population.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPEeYn
via IFTTT
Percent Grammatical Responses as a General Outcome Measure: Initial Validity
Purpose
This report investigated the validity of using percent grammatical responses (PGR) as a measure for assessing grammaticality. To establish construct validity, we computed the correlation of PGR with another measure of grammar skills and with an unrelated skill area. To establish concurrent validity for PGR, we computed the correlation of PGR with a previously validated measure of grammaticality, percent grammatical utterances (PGU), and examined the extent to which PGR and PGU agreed upon pass/fail decisions for children.
Method
Participants included 79 3-year-olds from mostly middle socioeconomic status homes. Language samples were elicited by asking children to describe 15 pictures in response to 4 questions per picture. To calculate PGU, children's responses to all 4 questions were segmented into communication units, and each communication unit was evaluated for grammatical errors. To calculate PGR, the entire response to just the first question was evaluated for grammatical errors.
Results
PGR scores significantly correlated with a standardized test of grammar (r = .70), but not with a measure of vocabulary (i.e., type–token ratio; r = .11). In addition, PGR scores were significantly correlated with PGU scores (r = .88). Agreement between PGR and PGU was 92% for pass decisions and 94% for fail decisions.
Conclusions
The current study establishes the construct validity of PGR as a measure of grammar and supports the use of PGR as a measure to assess grammaticality.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPDWk8
via IFTTT
Diagnostic Accuracy of Traditional Measures of Phonological Ability for Bilingual Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
Purpose
Bilingual children whose phonological skills are evaluated using measures designed for monolingual English speakers are at risk for misdiagnosis of speech sound disorders (De Lamo White & Jin, 2011).
Method
Forty-four children participated in this study: 15 typically developing monolingual English speakers, 7 monolingual English speakers with phonological disorders, 14 typically developing bilingual Spanish–English speakers, and 8 bilingual children with phonological disorders. Children's single-word speech productions were examined on Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised (Shriberg, Austin, Lewis, McSweeny, & Wilson, 1997a) and accuracy of early-, middle-, and late-developing sounds (Shriberg, 1993) in English. Consonant accuracy in English was compared between monolinguals and bilinguals with and without speech sound disorders. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to observe diagnostic accuracy of the measures examined.
Results
Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised was found to be a good indicator of phonological ability in both monolingual and bilingual English-speaking children at the age of 5;0. No significant differences were found between language groups on any of the measures examined.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that traditional measures of phonological ability for monolinguals could provide good diagnostic accuracy for bilingual children at the age of 5;0 years. These findings are preliminary, and children younger than 5;0 years should be examined for risk of misdiagnosis.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qR20Bp
via IFTTT
Exemplar Variability Facilitates Retention of Word Learning by Children With Specific Language Impairment
Purpose
Variability in the input plays an important role in language learning. The current study examined the role of object variability for new word learning by preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI).
Method
Eighteen 4- and 5-year-old children with SLI were taught 8 new words in 3 short activities over the course of 3 sessions. Half of the children saw 3 identical objects corresponding to each new word during training (No Variability group); the other half of the children saw 3 different objects corresponding to each new word during training (High Variability group). Children completed vocabulary learning tests for objects seen during training and for new within-category objects that were never seen during training as a test of category generalization. Learning was assessed the day after each training activity, and retention was assessed 3 weeks after the last training session.
Results
There were no group differences on trained or generalization items immediately following training sessions. However, children in the High Variability group demonstrated significantly better retention 3 weeks after experimental training.
Conclusion
These findings demonstrate that object variability facilitates retention of new word learning by children with SLI.
Supplemental Material
http://ift.tt/2hwPDGPfrom #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV99AS
via IFTTT
Selecting Treatments and Monitoring Outcomes: The Circle of Evidence-Based Practice and Client-Centered Care in Treating a Preschool Child Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of the present clinical forum is to compare how 2 clinicians might select among therapy options for a preschool-aged child who presents with stuttering close to onset.
Method
I discuss approaches to full evaluation of the child's profile, advisement of evidence-based practice options open to the family, the need for monitoring of the child's response, and selection of other approaches, if the child appears nonresponsive to the 1st-line approach.
Results
Although some researchers and clinicians appear to favor endorsement of a single recommended treatment for early stuttering, I do not find this approach helpful or consistent with newer mandates for patient-centered care. I am also most comfortable recommending RESTART demands and capacities model as the 1st treatment approach, with parent consent, because its mechanism of action appears transparent and well-documented.
Conclusions
There are numerous well-supported intervention options for treating preschool children who stutter. No single therapy can possibly work for all clients. I discuss available options that I feel have sufficient evidence-based support for use with young children who stutter. I emphasize the need to consider more, not fewer, acceptable therapy options for children who do not respond positively to a selected treatment approach within a reasonable time frame.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5Aus
via IFTTT
Best Practice for Developmental Stuttering: Balancing Evidence and Expertise
Purpose
Best practice for developmental stuttering remains a topic of debate. In the clinical forum following this introduction, four fluency experts balance the evidence and expertise to describe their approach to assessment and treatment.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2moX5Dd
via IFTTT
Evidence, Goals, and Outcomes in Stuttering Treatment: Applications With an Adolescent Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of this clinical focus article is to summarize 1 possible process that a clinician might follow in designing and conducting a treatment program with John, a 14-year-old male individual who stutters.
Method
The available research evidence, practitioner experience, and consideration of individual preferences are combined to address goals, treatment procedures, and outcomes for John.
Conclusions
The stuttering treatment research literature includes multiple well-designed reviews and individual studies that have shown the effectiveness of prolonged speech (and smooth speech and related variations) for improving stuttered speech and for improving social, emotional, cognitive, and related variables in adolescents who stutter. Based on that evidence, and incorporating the additional elements of practitioner experience and client preferences, this clinical focus article suggests that John would be likely to benefit from a treatment program based on prolonged speech. The basic structure of 1 possible such program is also described, with an emphasis on the goals and outcomes that John could be expected to achieve.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV94NA
via IFTTT
Which Preschool Children With Specific Language Impairment Receive Language Intervention?
Purpose
Potential biases in service provision for preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) were explored.
Method
In Study 1, children with SLI receiving treatment (SLI-T) and those with SLI not receiving treatment (SLI-NT) were compared on demographic characteristics and developmental abilities. Study 2 recruited children with articulation disorders receiving treatment (ARTIC-T) to determine if knowing service provision status influenced the results of Study 1.
Results
In Study 1, the SLI-T group was rated by teachers as having poorer executive functioning than children in the SLIT-NT group, and the SLI-T group also came from families whose mothers had more education. These 2 variables alone predicted SLI-T and SLI-NT group membership with 84% accuracy. In Study 2, the ARTIC-T group were perceived as having comparable executive functioning to the SLI-NT group and better than the SLI-T group, indicating that teachers' knowledge of service provision did not influence their ratings of children's executive functioning.
Discussion
Preschool children with SLI, whose mothers have higher education levels and whose teachers perceive them as having poorer executive functioning, are more likely to receive intervention. Recognizing service delivery biases is critical for improving early provision of intervention for this population.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mqmjkx
via IFTTT
Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment for Adolescents: A Case Study
Purpose
This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter.
Method
Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment and treatment strategies and approaches are discussed.
Results
Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model can help guide clinicians through the assessment and treatment process to ensure that all areas of stuttering are considered.
Conclusion
Comprehensive assessment and treatment helps clinicians address all relevant elements of a stuttering disorder, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing speech disruptions.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV8X4C
via IFTTT
Conceptual Scoring and Classification Accuracy of Vocabulary Testing in Bilingual Children
Purpose
This study examined the effects of single-language and conceptual scoring on the vocabulary performance of bilingual children with and without specific language impairment. We assessed classification accuracy across 3 scoring methods.
Method
Participants included Spanish–English bilingual children (N = 247) aged 5;1 (years;months) to 11;1 with and without specific language impairment. Children completed the English and bilingual versions of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test–Third Edition (Brownell, 2000a, 2001). Six scores, 2 representing monolingual scores in English and Spanish and 4 conceptual scores, were derived. The conceptual scores included within-test conceptual scores, which credited language responses in the other language during test administration, and across-test conceptual scores, which we compiled by examining responses across independent administrations of the test in each language.
Results
Across-test conceptual scoring resulted in the highest scores and better overall classification, sensitivity, and specificity than within-test conceptual scoring. Both were superior to monolingual scoring; however, none of the methods achieved minimum standards of 80% accuracy in sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusions
Results suggest that bilingual children are not always able to readily access their other language in confrontation naming tasks. Priming or inhibition may play a role in test performance. Across-test conceptual scoring yielded the highest classification accuracy but did not meet minimum standards.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2y8Tyff
via IFTTT
Stuttering in Preschool Children: Direct Versus Indirect Treatment
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss the controversial topic of stuttering in preschool children and how to evaluate the options for treatment, emphasizing the role of external research evidence.
Method
A hypothetical but realistic case study of a 3-year-old boy who stutters is described. Two contrasting approaches to treatment are presented, the Lidcombe Program (LP) and the demands and capacities model (DCM). Studies published in peer-reviewed research journals that have examined the effectiveness of each approach are summarized and critiqued.
Results
The review indicates that the LP is the preferred treatment approach for stuttering in preschool children and that it offers the best opportunity for rapid success.
Conclusion
The LP should be carried out by knowledgeable, experienced, and flexible speech-language pathologists who are able to accommodate the individual needs and differences of every child and family.from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5zGU
via IFTTT
Tutorial: Assessment and Analysis of Polysyllables in Young Children
Purpose
Polysyllables, words of 3 or more syllables, represent almost 30% of words used in American English. The purpose of this tutorial is to support speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') assessment and analysis of polysyllables, extending the focus of published assessment tools that focus on sampling and analyzing children's segmental accuracy and/or the presence of phonological error patterns.
Method
This tutorial will guide SLPs through a review of 53 research papers that have explored the use of polysyllables in assessment, including the sampling and analysis procedures used in different research studies. The tutorial will also introduce two new tools to analyze and interpret polysyllable speech samples: the Word-Level Analysis of Polysyllables (WAP; Masso, 2016b) and the Framework of Polysyllable Maturity (Framework; Masso, 2016a).
Results
Connected speech and single-word sampling tasks were used across the 53 studies to elicit polysyllables, and a number of analysis methods were reported, including measures of segmental accuracy and measures of structural and suprasegmental accuracy. The WAP and the Framework extend SLPs' depth of analysis of polysyllables.
Conclusion
SLPs need a range of clinical tools to support the assessment and analysis of polysyllables. A case study comparing different speech analysis methods demonstrates the clinical value in utilizing the WAP and the Framework to interpret children's polysyllable productions in addition to traditional methods of speech sampling and analysis.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2liNzA7
via IFTTT
The Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository: Design and Project Overview
Purpose
The purpose of the Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository (LSL-DR) was to address a critical need for a systemwide outcome data–monitoring program for the development of listening and spoken language skills in highly specialized educational programs for children with hearing loss highlighted in Goal 3b of the 2007 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing position statement supplement.
Method
The LSL-DR is a multicenter, international data repository for recording and tracking the demographics and longitudinal outcomes achieved by children who have hearing loss who are enrolled in private, specialized programs focused on supporting listening and spoken language development. Since 2010, annual speech-language-hearing outcomes have been prospectively obtained by qualified clinicians and teachers across 48 programs in 4 countries.
Results
The LSL-DR has been successfully implemented, bringing together the data collection efforts of these programs to create a large and diverse data repository of 5,748 children with hearing loss.
Conclusion
Due to the size and diversity of the population, the range of assessments entered, and the demographic information collected, the LSL-DR will provide an unparalleled opportunity to examine the factors that influence the development of listening in spoken language in this population.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPEeYn
via IFTTT
Percent Grammatical Responses as a General Outcome Measure: Initial Validity
Purpose
This report investigated the validity of using percent grammatical responses (PGR) as a measure for assessing grammaticality. To establish construct validity, we computed the correlation of PGR with another measure of grammar skills and with an unrelated skill area. To establish concurrent validity for PGR, we computed the correlation of PGR with a previously validated measure of grammaticality, percent grammatical utterances (PGU), and examined the extent to which PGR and PGU agreed upon pass/fail decisions for children.
Method
Participants included 79 3-year-olds from mostly middle socioeconomic status homes. Language samples were elicited by asking children to describe 15 pictures in response to 4 questions per picture. To calculate PGU, children's responses to all 4 questions were segmented into communication units, and each communication unit was evaluated for grammatical errors. To calculate PGR, the entire response to just the first question was evaluated for grammatical errors.
Results
PGR scores significantly correlated with a standardized test of grammar (r = .70), but not with a measure of vocabulary (i.e., type–token ratio; r = .11). In addition, PGR scores were significantly correlated with PGU scores (r = .88). Agreement between PGR and PGU was 92% for pass decisions and 94% for fail decisions.
Conclusions
The current study establishes the construct validity of PGR as a measure of grammar and supports the use of PGR as a measure to assess grammaticality.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2yPDWk8
via IFTTT
Diagnostic Accuracy of Traditional Measures of Phonological Ability for Bilingual Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
Purpose
Bilingual children whose phonological skills are evaluated using measures designed for monolingual English speakers are at risk for misdiagnosis of speech sound disorders (De Lamo White & Jin, 2011).
Method
Forty-four children participated in this study: 15 typically developing monolingual English speakers, 7 monolingual English speakers with phonological disorders, 14 typically developing bilingual Spanish–English speakers, and 8 bilingual children with phonological disorders. Children's single-word speech productions were examined on Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised (Shriberg, Austin, Lewis, McSweeny, & Wilson, 1997a) and accuracy of early-, middle-, and late-developing sounds (Shriberg, 1993) in English. Consonant accuracy in English was compared between monolinguals and bilinguals with and without speech sound disorders. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to observe diagnostic accuracy of the measures examined.
Results
Percentage Consonants Correct–Revised was found to be a good indicator of phonological ability in both monolingual and bilingual English-speaking children at the age of 5;0. No significant differences were found between language groups on any of the measures examined.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that traditional measures of phonological ability for monolinguals could provide good diagnostic accuracy for bilingual children at the age of 5;0 years. These findings are preliminary, and children younger than 5;0 years should be examined for risk of misdiagnosis.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qR20Bp
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Exemplar Variability Facilitates Retention of Word Learning by Children With Specific Language Impairment
Purpose
Variability in the input plays an important role in language learning. The current study examined the role of object variability for new word learning by preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI).
Method
Eighteen 4- and 5-year-old children with SLI were taught 8 new words in 3 short activities over the course of 3 sessions. Half of the children saw 3 identical objects corresponding to each new word during training (No Variability group); the other half of the children saw 3 different objects corresponding to each new word during training (High Variability group). Children completed vocabulary learning tests for objects seen during training and for new within-category objects that were never seen during training as a test of category generalization. Learning was assessed the day after each training activity, and retention was assessed 3 weeks after the last training session.
Results
There were no group differences on trained or generalization items immediately following training sessions. However, children in the High Variability group demonstrated significantly better retention 3 weeks after experimental training.
Conclusion
These findings demonstrate that object variability facilitates retention of new word learning by children with SLI.
Supplemental Material
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Selecting Treatments and Monitoring Outcomes: The Circle of Evidence-Based Practice and Client-Centered Care in Treating a Preschool Child Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of the present clinical forum is to compare how 2 clinicians might select among therapy options for a preschool-aged child who presents with stuttering close to onset.
Method
I discuss approaches to full evaluation of the child's profile, advisement of evidence-based practice options open to the family, the need for monitoring of the child's response, and selection of other approaches, if the child appears nonresponsive to the 1st-line approach.
Results
Although some researchers and clinicians appear to favor endorsement of a single recommended treatment for early stuttering, I do not find this approach helpful or consistent with newer mandates for patient-centered care. I am also most comfortable recommending RESTART demands and capacities model as the 1st treatment approach, with parent consent, because its mechanism of action appears transparent and well-documented.
Conclusions
There are numerous well-supported intervention options for treating preschool children who stutter. No single therapy can possibly work for all clients. I discuss available options that I feel have sufficient evidence-based support for use with young children who stutter. I emphasize the need to consider more, not fewer, acceptable therapy options for children who do not respond positively to a selected treatment approach within a reasonable time frame.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5Aus
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Best Practice for Developmental Stuttering: Balancing Evidence and Expertise
Purpose
Best practice for developmental stuttering remains a topic of debate. In the clinical forum following this introduction, four fluency experts balance the evidence and expertise to describe their approach to assessment and treatment.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2moX5Dd
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Evidence, Goals, and Outcomes in Stuttering Treatment: Applications With an Adolescent Who Stutters
Purpose
The purpose of this clinical focus article is to summarize 1 possible process that a clinician might follow in designing and conducting a treatment program with John, a 14-year-old male individual who stutters.
Method
The available research evidence, practitioner experience, and consideration of individual preferences are combined to address goals, treatment procedures, and outcomes for John.
Conclusions
The stuttering treatment research literature includes multiple well-designed reviews and individual studies that have shown the effectiveness of prolonged speech (and smooth speech and related variations) for improving stuttered speech and for improving social, emotional, cognitive, and related variables in adolescents who stutter. Based on that evidence, and incorporating the additional elements of practitioner experience and client preferences, this clinical focus article suggests that John would be likely to benefit from a treatment program based on prolonged speech. The basic structure of 1 possible such program is also described, with an emphasis on the goals and outcomes that John could be expected to achieve.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV94NA
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Which Preschool Children With Specific Language Impairment Receive Language Intervention?
Purpose
Potential biases in service provision for preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) were explored.
Method
In Study 1, children with SLI receiving treatment (SLI-T) and those with SLI not receiving treatment (SLI-NT) were compared on demographic characteristics and developmental abilities. Study 2 recruited children with articulation disorders receiving treatment (ARTIC-T) to determine if knowing service provision status influenced the results of Study 1.
Results
In Study 1, the SLI-T group was rated by teachers as having poorer executive functioning than children in the SLIT-NT group, and the SLI-T group also came from families whose mothers had more education. These 2 variables alone predicted SLI-T and SLI-NT group membership with 84% accuracy. In Study 2, the ARTIC-T group were perceived as having comparable executive functioning to the SLI-NT group and better than the SLI-T group, indicating that teachers' knowledge of service provision did not influence their ratings of children's executive functioning.
Discussion
Preschool children with SLI, whose mothers have higher education levels and whose teachers perceive them as having poorer executive functioning, are more likely to receive intervention. Recognizing service delivery biases is critical for improving early provision of intervention for this population.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2mqmjkx
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Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment for Adolescents: A Case Study
Purpose
This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter.
Method
Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment and treatment strategies and approaches are discussed.
Results
Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model can help guide clinicians through the assessment and treatment process to ensure that all areas of stuttering are considered.
Conclusion
Comprehensive assessment and treatment helps clinicians address all relevant elements of a stuttering disorder, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing speech disruptions.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qV8X4C
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Conceptual Scoring and Classification Accuracy of Vocabulary Testing in Bilingual Children
Purpose
This study examined the effects of single-language and conceptual scoring on the vocabulary performance of bilingual children with and without specific language impairment. We assessed classification accuracy across 3 scoring methods.
Method
Participants included Spanish–English bilingual children (N = 247) aged 5;1 (years;months) to 11;1 with and without specific language impairment. Children completed the English and bilingual versions of the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test–Third Edition (Brownell, 2000a, 2001). Six scores, 2 representing monolingual scores in English and Spanish and 4 conceptual scores, were derived. The conceptual scores included within-test conceptual scores, which credited language responses in the other language during test administration, and across-test conceptual scores, which we compiled by examining responses across independent administrations of the test in each language.
Results
Across-test conceptual scoring resulted in the highest scores and better overall classification, sensitivity, and specificity than within-test conceptual scoring. Both were superior to monolingual scoring; however, none of the methods achieved minimum standards of 80% accuracy in sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusions
Results suggest that bilingual children are not always able to readily access their other language in confrontation naming tasks. Priming or inhibition may play a role in test performance. Across-test conceptual scoring yielded the highest classification accuracy but did not meet minimum standards.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2y8Tyff
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Stuttering in Preschool Children: Direct Versus Indirect Treatment
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss the controversial topic of stuttering in preschool children and how to evaluate the options for treatment, emphasizing the role of external research evidence.
Method
A hypothetical but realistic case study of a 3-year-old boy who stutters is described. Two contrasting approaches to treatment are presented, the Lidcombe Program (LP) and the demands and capacities model (DCM). Studies published in peer-reviewed research journals that have examined the effectiveness of each approach are summarized and critiqued.
Results
The review indicates that the LP is the preferred treatment approach for stuttering in preschool children and that it offers the best opportunity for rapid success.
Conclusion
The LP should be carried out by knowledgeable, experienced, and flexible speech-language pathologists who are able to accommodate the individual needs and differences of every child and family.from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qU5zGU
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Relationship Between the Extent of Endolymphatic Hydrops and the Severity and Fluctuation of Audiovestibular Symptoms in Patients With Menière's Disease and MRI Evidence of Hydrops.
Relationship Between the Extent of Endolymphatic Hydrops and the Severity and Fluctuation of Audiovestibular Symptoms in Patients With Menière's Disease and MRI Evidence of Hydrops.
Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e123-e130
Authors: Jerin C, Floerke S, Maxwell R, Gürkov R
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the short-, middle-, and long-term occurrence of vertigo attacks in a large population of Menière's disease (MD) and to investigate the relationship between the extent of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) and the severity of audiovestibular symptoms.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study.
METHODS: One hundred ninety-two patients with clinically definite MD participated in this study. The degree of ELH was visualized by locally enhanced inner ear magnetic resonance imaging. The occurrence and intensity of vertigo attacks, hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness were documented in patient diaries.
RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between the extent of cochlear or vestibular hydrops and the number of definite vertigo days, neither with regard to a short-term nor with regard to a middle-term time period. There was also no correlation between the extent of ELH and the intensity or activity of the coexisting aural symptoms hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. The duration of the disease significantly correlated with the extent of both cochlear and vestibular hydrops, but not with the number of definite vertigo days.
CONCLUSION: The ELH was progressive in the long-term course of the disease in this large population of definite MD patients, but short-term and middle-term fluctuations of the symptom severity did not involve measurable variations of the ELH. Furthermore, the symptom severity did not decrease with increasing disease duration.
PMID: 29315188 [PubMed - in process]
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NLRP3-inflammasomes are triggered by age-related hearing loss in the inner ear of mice.
| Related Articles |
NLRP3-inflammasomes are triggered by age-related hearing loss in the inner ear of mice.
Am J Transl Res. 2017;9(12):5611-5618
Authors: Shi X, Qiu S, Zhuang W, Yuan N, Wang C, Zhang S, Sun T, Guo W, Gao F, Yang S, Qiao Y
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) or presbyacusis is a progressive loss of hearing sensitivity that is predominately associated with sensory or transduction neuro-cell degeneration in the peripheral and central auditory systems. Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory response were frequently found in aging cochleae. In addition, inflammasomes are likely responsible for the accumulation of ROS in immune cells, although whether they are in fact involved in the development of ARHL is unknown. In this study, Q-PCR, WB and ELASA demonstrated significantly increased levels of activated Caspase-1, interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 and even NLRP3 in the inner ears of aging mice compared to younger one. In addition, NLRP3, as a sensor protein of ROS, may contribute to inflammasome assembly and subsequent inflammation in the cochleae. In conclusion, inflammation triggered by the activation of inflammasomes in the cochleae of aging mice appears to be playing an important role in the pathological process of ARHL and may be a potential cause of presbyacusis.
PMID: 29312513 [PubMed]
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Relationship Between the Extent of Endolymphatic Hydrops and the Severity and Fluctuation of Audiovestibular Symptoms in Patients With Menière's Disease and MRI Evidence of Hydrops.
Relationship Between the Extent of Endolymphatic Hydrops and the Severity and Fluctuation of Audiovestibular Symptoms in Patients With Menière's Disease and MRI Evidence of Hydrops.
Otol Neurotol. 2018 Feb;39(2):e123-e130
Authors: Jerin C, Floerke S, Maxwell R, Gürkov R
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the short-, middle-, and long-term occurrence of vertigo attacks in a large population of Menière's disease (MD) and to investigate the relationship between the extent of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH) and the severity of audiovestibular symptoms.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study.
METHODS: One hundred ninety-two patients with clinically definite MD participated in this study. The degree of ELH was visualized by locally enhanced inner ear magnetic resonance imaging. The occurrence and intensity of vertigo attacks, hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness were documented in patient diaries.
RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between the extent of cochlear or vestibular hydrops and the number of definite vertigo days, neither with regard to a short-term nor with regard to a middle-term time period. There was also no correlation between the extent of ELH and the intensity or activity of the coexisting aural symptoms hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. The duration of the disease significantly correlated with the extent of both cochlear and vestibular hydrops, but not with the number of definite vertigo days.
CONCLUSION: The ELH was progressive in the long-term course of the disease in this large population of definite MD patients, but short-term and middle-term fluctuations of the symptom severity did not involve measurable variations of the ELH. Furthermore, the symptom severity did not decrease with increasing disease duration.
PMID: 29315188 [PubMed - in process]
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NLRP3-inflammasomes are triggered by age-related hearing loss in the inner ear of mice.
| Related Articles |
NLRP3-inflammasomes are triggered by age-related hearing loss in the inner ear of mice.
Am J Transl Res. 2017;9(12):5611-5618
Authors: Shi X, Qiu S, Zhuang W, Yuan N, Wang C, Zhang S, Sun T, Guo W, Gao F, Yang S, Qiao Y
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) or presbyacusis is a progressive loss of hearing sensitivity that is predominately associated with sensory or transduction neuro-cell degeneration in the peripheral and central auditory systems. Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory response were frequently found in aging cochleae. In addition, inflammasomes are likely responsible for the accumulation of ROS in immune cells, although whether they are in fact involved in the development of ARHL is unknown. In this study, Q-PCR, WB and ELASA demonstrated significantly increased levels of activated Caspase-1, interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 and even NLRP3 in the inner ears of aging mice compared to younger one. In addition, NLRP3, as a sensor protein of ROS, may contribute to inflammasome assembly and subsequent inflammation in the cochleae. In conclusion, inflammation triggered by the activation of inflammasomes in the cochleae of aging mice appears to be playing an important role in the pathological process of ARHL and may be a potential cause of presbyacusis.
PMID: 29312513 [PubMed]
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SIX2 gene haploinsufficiency leads to a recognizable phenotype with ptosis, frontonasal dysplasia, and conductive hearing loss.
SIX2 gene haploinsufficiency leads to a recognizable phenotype with ptosis, frontonasal dysplasia, and conductive hearing loss.
Clin Dysmorphol. 2018 Jan 08;:
Authors: Henn A, Weng H, Novak S, Rettenberger G, Gerhardinger A, Rossier E, Zirn B
Abstract
Heterozygous microdeletions of chromosome 2p21 encompassing only the SIX2 gene have been described in two families to date. The clinical phenotype comprised autosomal-dominant inherited frontonasal dysplasia with ptosis in one family. In the second family, conductive hearing loss was the major clinical feature described; however, the affected persons also had ptosis. Here, we present a large family combining all three predescribed features of SIX2 gene deletion. The phenotype in four affected family members in three generations consisted of bilateral congenital ptosis, epicanthus inversus, frontonasal dysplasia with broad nasal bridge and hypertelorism, frontal bossing and large anterior fontanel in childhood, narrow ear canals, and mild conductive hearing loss with onset in childhood. Thus, the phenotypic spectrum of SIX2 haploinsufficiency is widened. Moreover, 2p21 microdeletions with SIX2 haploinsufficiency appear to lead to a recognizable phenotype with facial features resembling blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome.
PMID: 29315086 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Hedgehog Signaling Promotes the Proliferation and Subsequent Hair Cell Formation of Progenitor Cells in the Neonatal Mouse Cochlea.
| Related Articles |
Hedgehog Signaling Promotes the Proliferation and Subsequent Hair Cell Formation of Progenitor Cells in the Neonatal Mouse Cochlea.
Front Mol Neurosci. 2017;10:426
Authors: Chen Y, Lu X, Guo L, Ni W, Zhang Y, Zhao L, Wu L, Sun S, Zhang S, Tang M, Li W, Chai R, Li H
Abstract
Hair cell (HC) loss is the major cause of permanent sensorineural hearing loss in mammals. Unlike lower vertebrates, mammalian cochlear HCs cannot regenerate spontaneously after damage, although the vestibular system does maintain limited HC regeneration capacity. Thus HC regeneration from the damaged sensory epithelium has been one of the main areas of research in the field of hearing restoration. Hedgehog signaling plays important roles during the embryonic development of the inner ear, and it is involved in progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation as well as the cell fate decision. In this study, we show that recombinant Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) protein effectively promotes sphere formation, proliferation, and differentiation of Lgr5+ progenitor cells isolated from the neonatal mouse cochlea. To further explore this, we determined the effect of Hedgehog signaling on cell proliferation and HC regeneration in cultured cochlear explant from transgenic R26-SmoM2 mice that constitutively activate Hedgehog signaling in the supporting cells of the cochlea. Without neomycin treatment, up-regulation of Hedgehog signaling did not significantly promote cell proliferation or new HC formation. However, after injury to the sensory epithelium by neomycin treatment, the over-activation of Hedgehog signaling led to significant supporting cell proliferation and HC regeneration in the cochlear epithelium explants. RNA sequencing and real-time PCR were used to compare the transcripts of the cochleae from control mice and R26-SmoM2 mice, and multiple genes involved in the proliferation and differentiation processes were identified. This study has important implications for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss by manipulating the Hedgehog signaling pathway.
PMID: 29311816 [PubMed]
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Heterozygous Pathogenic Variant in DACT1 Causes an Autosomal-Dominant Syndrome with Features Overlapping Townes-Brocks Syndrome.
  |
Related Articles |
Heterozygous Pathogenic Variant in DACT1 Causes an Autosomal-Dominant Syndrome with Features Overlapping Townes-Brocks Syndrome.
Hum Mutat. 2017 Apr;38(4):373-377
Authors: Webb BD, Metikala S, Wheeler PG, Sherpa MD, Houten SM, Horb ME, Schadt EE
Abstract
A heterozygous nonsense variant was identified in dapper, antagonist of beta-catenin, 1 (DACT1) via whole-exome sequencing in family members with imperforate anus, structural renal abnormalities, genitourinary anomalies, and/or ear anomalies. The DACT1 c.1256G>A;p.Trp419* variant segregated appropriately in the family consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. DACT1 is a member of the Wnt-signaling pathway, and mice homozygous for null alleles display multiple congenital anomalies including absent anus with blind-ending colon and genitourinary malformations. To investigate the DACT1 c.1256G>A variant, HEK293 cells were transfected with mutant DACT1 cDNA plasmid, and immunoblotting revealed stability of the DACT1 p.Trp419* protein. Overexpression of DACT1 c.1256G>A mRNA in Xenopus embryos revealed a specific gastrointestinal phenotype of enlargement of the proctodeum. Together, these findings suggest that the DACT1 c.1256G>A nonsense variant is causative of a specific genetic syndrome with features overlapping Townes-Brocks syndrome.
PMID: 28054444 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Comparisons of Visual Attention in School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers and Normative Data
Publication date: Available online 9 January 2018
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Comparisons of Visual Attention in School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers and Normative Data
Publication date: Available online 9 January 2018
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Comparisons of Visual Attention in School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers and Normative Data
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Comparisons of Visual Attention in School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers and Normative Data
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Comparisons of Visual Attention in School-Age Children with Cochlear Implants Versus Hearing Peers and Normative Data
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Michael Hoffman, Elena Tiddens, Alexandra L. Quittner
ObjectivePrevious research has found that preschoolers with hearing loss have worse visual attention and elevated rates of behavior problems when compared to typically hearing peers (Barker et al., 2009). However, little is known about these deficits in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs). We evaluated visual selective attention in school-age children with CIs and hearing peers and examined the link between visual attention and behavior problems.MethodData were drawn from the Childhood Development after Cochlear Implantation (CDaCI) study, the largest longitudinal, multi-site study of children with CIs. Visual attention was measured using d prime (d’) on a continuous performance test (The Gordon CPT), which requires participants to watch a stream of digits and hit a button after seeing a certain target (a 9 following a 1). The CPT captures the probability of a hit (pressing button for a target) vs a false alarm (pressing the button for a non-target) while accounting for chance responding. In addition, predictors of visual attention, including IQ (using Processing Speed and Perceptional Reasoning on the WISC-IV), age at implantation, gender, and device management were examined. Externalizing problems were assessed using parent-report on the BASC-2. Data were drawn from 60 months post-implantation.ResultsChildren with CIs (n = 106) showed significantly worse visual selective attention than hearing peers. The difference in d’ was driven by higher rates of false alarms. In the CI group, the Processing Speed Index on the WISC was correlated with total omissions, total commissions and d’. Within the CI group, d’ significantly predicted parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. This finding was primarily driven by elevated Hyperactivity in the CI group.ConclusionChildren with CIs continue to display deficits in visual attention when compared to their hearing peers. Despite improvements in oral language, these problems have critical implications for academic performance and social competence. Currently, cochlear implant teams do not focus on these other dimensions of development and thus, may not be positioned to address them. Assessment of attention and behavior should be incorporated into routine, annual visits soon after implant surgery, and remediation of these deficits should be included in early intervention programs.
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Erratum.
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Erratum.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):90
Authors:
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3766/jaaa.15079.].
PMID: 29309027 [PubMed - in process]
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Sound Exposure of Healthcare Professionals Working with a University Marching Band.
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Sound Exposure of Healthcare Professionals Working with a University Marching Band.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):83-89
Authors: Russell JA, Yamaguchi M
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Music-induced hearing disorders are known to result from exposure to excessive levels of music of different genres. Marching band music, with its heavy emphasis on brass and percussion, is one type that is a likely contributor to music-induced hearing disorders, although specific data on sound pressure levels of marching bands have not been widely studied. Furthermore, if marching band music does lead to music-induced hearing disorders, the musicians may not be the only individuals at risk. Support personnel such as directors, equipment managers, and performing arts healthcare providers may also be exposed to potentially damaging sound pressures. Thus, we sought to explore to what degree healthcare providers receive sound dosages above recommended limits during their work with a marching band.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the sound exposure of healthcare professionals (specifically, athletic trainers [ATs]) who provide on-site care to a large, well-known university marching band. We hypothesized that sound pressure levels to which these individuals were exposed would exceed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) daily percentage allowance.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Descriptive observational study.
STUDY SAMPLE: Eight ATs working with a well-known American university marching band volunteered to wear noise dosimeters.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: During the marching band season, ATs wore an Etymotic ER-200D dosimeter whenever working with the band at outdoor rehearsals, indoor field house rehearsals, and outdoor performances. The dosimeters recorded dose percent exposure, equivalent continuous sound levels in A-weighted decibels, and duration of exposure. For comparison, a dosimeter also was worn by an AT working in the university's performing arts medicine clinic. Participants did not alter their typical duties during any data collection sessions. Sound data were collected with the dosimeters set at the NIOSH standards of 85 dBA threshold and 3 dBA exchange rate; the NIOSH 100% daily dose is an exposure to 85 dBA over 8 h. Dose data for each session were converted to a standardized dose intensity by dividing the dose percentage by the duration of the exposure and setting the NIOSH standard as a factor of 1.0. This allowed convenient relative comparisons of dose percentages of vastly different exposure durations. Analysis of variance examined relationships of noise exposures among the venues; post hoc testing was used to assess pairwise differences.
RESULTS: As hypothesized, ATs were exposed to high sound pressure levels and dose percentages greatly exceeding those recommended by NIOSH. Higher sound levels were recorded in performance venues compared with rehearsal venues. In addition to the band music, crowd noise and public address systems contribute to high sound levels at performances.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that healthcare providers working with marching bands are exposed to dangerous levels of sound during performances. This is especially true at venues such as football stadiums, where crowd noise and public address systems add to sound pressure. A hearing conservation program, including protection, should be required for all healthcare staff who work with marching bands. Moreover, our results should inform hearing conservation practices for marching musicians, directors, and support personnel.
PMID: 29309026 [PubMed - in process]
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Listener Factors Associated with Individual Susceptibility to Reverberation.
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Listener Factors Associated with Individual Susceptibility to Reverberation.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):73-82
Authors: Reinhart PN, Souza PE
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Reverberation is a source of acoustic degradation, present to varying extents in many everyday listening environments. The presence of reverberation decreases speech intelligibility, especially for listeners with hearing impairment. There is substantial variability in how susceptible individuals with hearing impairment are to the effects of reverberation (i.e., how intelligible reverberant speech is to a listener). Relatively little is known about the listener factors which drive that susceptibility.
PURPOSE: To identify listener factors that are associated with an individual's susceptibility to reverberation. Another purpose was to investigate how these listener factors are associated with reverberant susceptibility in relation to the amount of reverberation. The listener factors investigated were degree of hearing loss, age, temporal envelope sensitivity, and working memory capacity.
RESEARCH DESIGN: This study used a correlational design to investigate the association between different listener factors and speech intelligibility with varying amounts of reverberation.
STUDY SAMPLE: Thirty-three older adults with sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Listener temporal envelope sensitivity was measured using a gap detection threshold task. Listener working memory capacity was measured using the Reading Span Test. Intelligibility of reverberant speech was measured using a set of low-context sentence materials presented at 70 dB SPL without individual frequency shaping. Sentences were presented at a range of realistic reverberation times, including no reverberation (0.0 sec), moderate reverberation (1.0 sec), and severe reverberation (4.0 sec). Stepwise linear regression analyses were conducted to model speech intelligibility using individual degree of hearing loss, age, temporal envelope sensitivity, and working memory capacity. A separate stepwise linear regression model was conducted to model listener speech intelligibility at each of the three levels of reverberation.
RESULTS: As the amount of reverberation increased, listener speech intelligibility decreased and variability in scores among individuals increased. Temporal envelope sensitivity was most closely associated with speech intelligibility in the no reverberation condition. Both listener age and degree of hearing loss were significantly associated with speech intelligibility in the moderate reverberation condition. Both listener working memory capacity and age were significantly associated with speech intelligibility in the severe reverberation condition.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that suprathreshold listener factors can be used to best predict speech intelligibility across a range of reverberant conditions. However, which listener factor(s) to consider when predicting a listener's susceptibility to reverberation depends on the amount of reverberation in an environment. Clinicians may be able to use different listener factors to identify individuals who are more susceptible to reverberation and would be more likely to have difficulty communicating in reverberant environments.
PMID: 29309025 [PubMed - in process]
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Impact of Ménière's Disease on Significant Others' Health and Lives.
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Impact of Ménière's Disease on Significant Others' Health and Lives.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):63-72
Authors: Manchaiah V, Pyykkő I, Levo H, Kentala E
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ménière's disease (MD) is a chronic and, in part, intermittent illness that poses multiple challenges for both the physical and psychological well-being of patients, as well as on those around them. The patients face psychosocial consequences, which include disruptions to life goals, employment, income, relationships, leisure activities, and daily living activities that also influence their family members and friends. However, there is a limited understanding of the impact of MD on significant others (SOs).
PURPOSE: The current study was aimed at identifying how the SOs of patients with MD respond to different aspects of the impact of the disorder on health and life (i.e., psychological aspects, activities, participation, and positive aspects).
RESEARCH DESIGN: The study employed a cross-sectional survey design.
STUDY SAMPLE: The study sample was 186 SOs of patients with MD who were recruited through Finnish Ménière's Federation.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Participants completed a 25-item structured questionnaire focusing on different aspects of the impact of the disorder on health and life, and also provided some demographic information. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson's correlation, and K-means cluster analysis techniques.
RESULTS: Examination of response patterns suggests that the disorder had, on average, a marginal effect on SOs' psychological aspects, activities, and participation as the SOs generally focused on complaints. Interestingly, SOs reported some positive consequences as a result of their partners' condition. The results show a limited association between SOs' demographic variables and response patterns. The Pearson's correlation suggested a strong association between the subscales psychological aspects, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Also, a weak negative correlation was observed among positive aspects and participation restrictions. The cluster analysis resulted in three clusters, namely, (1) "nonengaged," (2) "supportive," and (3) "concerned."
CONCLUSIONS: The current study results identify that the SOs' reaction to patients' condition varies and this may be from coping with victimization. Although the impact of MD on SOs is limited, some of the SOs may have more severe consequences and may require rehabilitation. The information gathered about SOs' coping and adjustment in this study can also help while developing management and/or rehabilitation plan for people with MD.
PMID: 29309024 [PubMed - in process]
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A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Approaches to Auditory Rehabilitation for Blast-Exposed Veterans with Normal or Near-Normal Hearing Who Report Hearing Problems in Difficult Listening Situations.
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A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Approaches to Auditory Rehabilitation for Blast-Exposed Veterans with Normal or Near-Normal Hearing Who Report Hearing Problems in Difficult Listening Situations.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):44-62
Authors: Saunders GH, Frederick MT, Arnold ML, Silverman SC, Chisolm TH, Myers PJ
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Blast exposure is a major source of injury among Service members in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Many of these blast-exposed veterans report hearing-related problems such as difficulties understanding speech in noise and rapid speech, and following instructions and long conversations that are disproportionate to their measured peripheral hearing sensitivity. Evidence is mounting that these complaints result from damage to the central auditory processing system.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of audiological rehabilitative interventions for blast-exposed veterans with normal or near-normal peripheral hearing and functional hearing difficulties.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial with four intervention arms.
STUDY SAMPLE: Ninety-nine blast-exposed veterans with normal or near-normal peripheral hearing who reported functional hearing difficulties.
INTERVENTION: Four interventions were compared: compensatory communication strategies (CCS) education, CCS and use of a personal frequency modulation system (FM + CCS), CCS and use of an auditory training program (AT + CCS), and use of all three interventions combined (FM + AT + CCS).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All participants tested before, and immediately following an 8-week intervention period. The primary outcome measures upon which the study was powered assessed speech understanding in noise and self-reported psychosocial impacts of the intervention. In addition, auditory temporal processing, auditory working memory, allocation of attention, and hearing and cognitive self-report outcomes were assessed.
RESULTS: Use of FM + CCS resulted in significant benefit for speech understanding in noise and self-reported hearing benefits, and FM + AT + CCS provided more self-reported cognitive benefits than FM + CCS, AT + CCS, or CCS. Further, individuals liked and reported using the FM system, but there was poor adherence to and high attrition among individuals assigned to receive AT.
CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that a FM system (or remote microphone via Bluetooth system) is an effective intervention for blast-exposed veterans with normal or near-normal hearing and functional hearing difficulties and should be routinely considered as an intervention approach for this population when possible.
PMID: 29309023 [PubMed - in process]
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Evaluation of a Stereo Music Preprocessing Scheme for Cochlear Implant Users.
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Evaluation of a Stereo Music Preprocessing Scheme for Cochlear Implant Users.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):35-43
Authors: Buyens W, van Dijk B, Moonen M, Wouters J
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although for most cochlear implant (CI) users good speech understanding is reached (at least in quiet environments), the perception and the appraisal of music are generally unsatisfactory.
PURPOSE: The improvement in music appraisal was evaluated in CI participants by using a stereo music preprocessing scheme implemented on a take-home device, in a comfortable listening environment. The preprocessing allowed adjusting the balance among vocals/bass/drums and other instruments, and was evaluated for different genres of music. The correlation between the preferred settings and the participants' speech and pitch detection performance was investigated.
RESEARCH DESIGN: During the initial visit preceding the take-home test, the participants' speech-in-noise perception and pitch detection performance were measured, and a questionnaire about their music involvement was completed. The take-home device was provided, including the stereo music preprocessing scheme and seven playlists with six songs each. The participants were asked to adjust the balance by means of a turning wheel to make the music sound most enjoyable, and to repeat this three times for all songs.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twelve postlingually deafened CI users participated in the study.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The data were collected by means of a take-home device, which preserved all the preferred settings for the different songs. Statistical analysis was done with a Friedman test (with post hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank test) to check the effect of "Genre." The correlations were investigated with Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients.
RESULTS: All participants preferred a balance significantly different from the original balance. Differences across participants were observed which could not be explained by perceptual abilities. An effect of "Genre" was found, showing significantly smaller preferred deviation from the original balance for Golden Oldies compared to the other genres.
CONCLUSIONS: The stereo music preprocessing scheme showed an improvement in music appraisal with complex music and hence might be a good tool for music listening, training, or rehabilitation for CI users.
PMID: 29309022 [PubMed - in process]
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Clinical Application and Psychometric Properties of a Norwegian Questionnaire for the Self-Assessment of Communication in Quiet and Adverse Conditions Using Two Revised APHAB Subscales.
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Clinical Application and Psychometric Properties of a Norwegian Questionnaire for the Self-Assessment of Communication in Quiet and Adverse Conditions Using Two Revised APHAB Subscales.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):25-34
Authors: Heggdal POL, Nordvik Ø, Brännström J, Vassbotn F, Aarstad AK, Aarstad HJ
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Difficulty in following and understanding conversation in different daily life situations is a common complaint among persons with hearing loss. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no published validated Norwegian questionnaire available that allows for a self-assessment of unaided communication ability in a population with hearing loss.
PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to investigate a questionnaire for the self-assessment of communication ability, examine the psychometric properties of this questionnaire, and explore how demographic variables such as degree of hearing loss, age, and sex influence response patterns.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A questionnaire based on the subscales of the Norwegian translation of the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit was applied to a group of hearing aid users and normal-hearing controls.
STUDY SAMPLE: A total of 108 patients with bilateral hearing loss, and 101 controls with self-reported normal hearing.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The psychometric properties were evaluated. Associations and differences between outcome scores and descriptive variables were examined. A regression analysis was performed to investigate whether descriptive variables could predict outcome.
RESULTS: The measures of reliability suggest that the questionnaire has satisfactory psychometric properties, with the outcome of the questionnaire correlating to hearing loss severity, thus indicating that the concurrent validity of the questionnaire is good.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the proposed questionnaire is a valid measure of self-assessed communication ability in both quiet and adverse listening conditions in participants with and without hearing loss.
PMID: 29309021 [PubMed - in process]
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Quantification of Head Acceleration during Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises.
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Quantification of Head Acceleration during Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Jan;29(1):15-24
Authors: Hogan AE, Spindel JH, Gray LC
Abstract
PURPOSE: Vestibular rehabilitation exercises have been proven to reduce symptoms and diminish the risk of falls in those with dizziness and balance impairments. The first purpose of this study is to investigate a new method of measuring head movements during habituation vestibular rehabilitation exercises. The second is to explore the relationship between head acceleration measurements during select traditional vestibular rehabilitation exercises and the variables of age, dizziness, and poor balance confidence.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study, in a university setting.
STUDY SAMPLE: Fifty-two participants, ranging in age from 20 to 96 yr. All were volunteers, with the majority (34) reporting no history of dizziness or balance confidence.
DATA COLLECTION: Head accelerations were calculated from linear and angular displacements as measured by magnetometry.
RESULTS: Head accelerations decreased with increasing age, dizziness, and low balance confidence during four habituation exercises.
CONCLUSIONS: Head acceleration varies as a function of age, dizziness, and low balance confidence during head movement-based vestibular and balance rehabilitation therapy (habituation) exercises. The magnetometry measurement method used could be applied across the course of treatment to establish predictive measures based on change in acceleration over time. More diverse participant sampling is needed to create normative data.
PMID: 29309020 [PubMed - in process]
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