Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Validation Of An Integrated Pressure Level Measured Earmold Wideband Real-Ear-To-Coupler Difference Measurement, Matthew Urichuk, David Purcell, Prudence Allen, Susan Scollie

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

Objective: To validate measurement of predicted earmold wideband real-ear-to-coupler difference (wRECD) using an integrated pressure level (IPL) calibrated transducer and the incorporation of an acoustically measured tubing length correction. Design: Unilateral earmold SPL wRECD using varied hearing aid tubing length and the proposed predicted earmold IPL wRECD measurement procedure were completed on all participants and compared. Study Sample: 22 normal hearing adults with normal middle ear status were recruited. Results: There were no clinically significant differences between probe-microphone and predicted earmold IPL wRECD measurements between 500 and 2500 Hz. Above 5000 Hz, the predicted earmold IPL wRECD exceeded earmold SPL …

Development And Initial Evaluation Of The Hearing Aid Attribute And Feature Importance Evaluation (Hafie) Questionnaire, Hasan Saleh, Paula Folkeard, Selina Liao, Susan Scollie

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

Objectives: To develop and validate a novel questionnaire aimed at providing a structured, evidence-based methodology for hearing aid recommendation and selection using self-reported importance ratings for different modern hearing aid features. Design: The initial questionnaire items were created through a concept mapping approach that involved input from hearing aid users. Hearing care professional focus groups (n¼10) were conducted to assess questionnaire content and design, and to guide modifications. Validation of this initial 34-item version of the questionnaire was conducted using an anonymous online survey tool (Qualtrics). Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the dataset, using …

Loudness Matching In Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease And Hypophonia, Catherine Johnson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of the present study was to investigate speech loudness perception in 15 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (IWPD) and hypophonia (reduced speech intensity) and 15 healthy control (HC) participants. A loudness matching procedure was used to examine conditions involving speech loudness targets presented at various levels (60 to 80dB SPL). The loudness response conditions included manually controlled audio playback of external speech, self-vocalized speech, amplified self-speech, and speech projected to a distance of 2 meters. For most of the loudness matching conditions, the PD group did not demonstrate the predicted deficit in loudness matching. In some loudness matching conditions, …

Management Of Topic In The Spoken Discourse Of Persons Living With Mild Cognitive Impairment And Alzheimer’S Dementia, Sydney A. Difruscia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Analyses of elicited spoken discourse can identify mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Topic management, one feature of discourse defined as acts that maintain or terminate an established topic, can be measured via global coherence measures. Little is known, however, about whether analyses of topic management can distinguish spoken discourse performances of persons living with MCI (PLwMCI) vs. persons living with AD (PLwAD). The current study investigated whether there are differences in topic management in the spoken discourse performances of PLwMCI vs. PLwAD. Analyses were conducted on 120 transcripts of spoken sequenced story picture descriptions of PLwMCI (n=83) …

An Evaluation Of The Carl Manikin For Use In "Patient-Free" Real Ear Measurement: Consistency And Comparison To Normative Data., Paula Folkeard, Muneeb Alam, Robert Koch, Parvaneh Abbasalipour, Susan Scollie

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

OBJECTIVE: Simulation-based learning experiences provide low-risk opportunities for procedural training and practice in audiology. A series of real ear measurements (REM) were completed using Clinical Assistant for Research and Learning (CARL) manikins to determine expected responses and to compare to normative data.

DESIGN: (1) Real-ear Unaided Response (REUR) curves were measured with one CARL and each of three ear styles. (2) Test/retest reliability was evaluated by repeating each REUR. (3) Real ear to coupler difference (RECD) values for foam-tip and custom earmolds were calculated. (4) The reliability across copies of the CARL heads was evaluated by comparing REUR measurement from …

Exploring Collaboration And Evidence-Based Practice In Speech-Language Pathology, Alyssa K. Kuiack

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Evidence-based practice refers to an integration between one’s clinical expertise developed through professional development and previous experience, the most current and valid scientific evidence and the unique needs of a particular clinical setting. Recently, there has been a growing expectation of speech-language pathologists to engage in the evidence-based practice process despite awareness that real-world implementation is a complex task. Implementation strategies may be helpful in moving complicated research findings into clinical practice, but there is little research examining the practical use of these strategies. The current dissertation examines how four different implementation strategies, explored through two case studies, can be …

Families' Experiences In The Virtual Hanen More Than Words Program During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lauren Denusik, Michelle Servais, Danielle Glista, Kathryn Hatherly, Sheila Moodie, Janis Oram Cardy, Elaine Weitzman, Bj Cunningham

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic required most pediatric rehabilitation programs to shift to a virtual delivery format without the benefits of evidence to support this transition. Our study explored families' experiences participating virtually in More Than Words, a program for parents of autistic children, with the goal of generating new evidence to inform both virtual service delivery and program development.

Method: Twenty-one families who recently completed a virtual More Than Words program participated in a semistructured interview. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in NVivo using a top-down deductive approach that referenced a modified Dynamic Knowledge Transfer Capacity model. …

Interrater Reliability Of The Focus-34: Parent-To-Parent And Parent-To-Clinician, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Peter Rosenbaum, Anastasia Nepotiuk, Nancy Thomas-Stonell

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

This brief report presents interrater reliability data for the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS-34) between parents, and between parents and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Reliability for all three raters combined was good to excellent across three assessments. Reliability for pairs of raters was variable but generally good.

Modified Multiple Stimulus With Hidden Reference And Anchors–Gabrielsson Total Impression Sound Quality Rating Comparisons For Speech In Quiet, Noise, And Reverberation, Mohamed Rahme, Paula Folkeard, Steve Beaulac, Susan Scollie, Vijay Parsa

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

Purpose:

The purpose of the study was to obtain, analyze, and compare subjective sound quality data for the same test stimuli using modified multistimulus MUSHRA (Multiple Stimulus with Hidden Reference and Anchors) based procedures (viz., MUSHRA with custom anchors and MUSHRA without anchor) and the single-stimulus Gabrielsson's total impression rating procedure.

Method:

Twenty normally hearing young adults were recruited in this study. Participants completed sound quality ratings on two different hearing aid recording data sets—Data Set A contained speech recordings from four different hearing aids under a variety of noisy and processing conditions, and Data Set B contained speech recordings …