Browsing by Author "Wilson W"

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    First-language raters’ opinions when validating word recordings for a newly developed speech reception threshold test
    (AOSIS, 2018-03-29) Panday S; Kathard H; Pillay M; Wilson W
    Background: The purpose of this study was to consider the value of adding first-language speaker ratings to the process of validating word recordings for use in a new speech reception threshold (SRT) test in audiology. Previous studies had identified 28 word recordings as being suitable for use in a new SRT test. These word recordings had been shown to satisfy the linguistic criteria of familiarity, phonetic dissimilarity and tone, and the psychometric criterion of homogeneity of audibility. Objectives: The aim of the study was to consider the value of adding first-language speakers’ ratings when validating word recordings for a new SRT test. Method: A single observation, cross-sectional design was used to collect and analyse quantitative data in this study. Eleven first-language isiZulu speakers, purposively selected, were asked to rate each of the word recordings for pitch, clarity, naturalness, speech rate and quality on a 5-point Likert scale. The percent agreement and Friedman test were used for analysis. Results: More than 20% of these 11 participants rated the three-word recordings below ‘strongly agree’ in the category of pitch or tone, and one-word recording below ‘strongly agree’ in the categories of pitch or tone, clarity or articulation and naturalness or dialect. Conclusion: The first-language speaker ratings proved to be a valuable addition to the process of selecting word recordings for use in a new SRT test. In particular, these ratings identified potentially problematic word recordings in the new SRT test that had been missed by the previously and more commonly used linguistic and psychometric selection criteria.
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    The internal and external consistency of a speech reception threshold test for isiZulu speakers with normal hearing sensitivity
    (AOSIS, 2018-06-25) Panday S; Kathard H; Pillay M; Wilson W
    Background and objectives: This study investigated reliability, particularly the internal and external consistency, of a new isiZulu speech reception threshold (SRT) test. Methods: To examine internal consistency, 21 adult isiZulu speakers with normal hearing sensitivity completed the SRT test using the first and second halves of the SRT wordlist in the same test session. To examine external consistency, a separate 23 adult isiZulu speakers with normal hearing sensitivity completed the SRT test, using the whole word list on two occasions 4 weeks apart. Consistency of SRT test scores in these test conditions was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient analyses (a measure of the consistency or reproducibility of different observations of the same quantity) and Bland and Altman analyses of agreement (a comparison of measurement error with the expected variation amongst subjects). Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient values ranged from 0.69 to 0.79, showing the isiZulu test scores were highly consistent between the test and retest conditions used in this study. Bland and Altman analyses showed that isiZulu speakers with normal hearing sensitivity can be expected to return isiZulu SRT test scores that differ by no more than 7.5 dB HL – 8.7 dB HL between original and repeat assessments. Conclusion: The isiZulu SRT test was reliable, showing high internal and external consistency, when used to assess first-language speakers of isiZulu with normal hearing sensitivity. These findings warrant continued development of the isiZulu SRT test for eventual clinical use. This development should include validating this test on first-language speakers of isiZulu with and without hearing loss.