Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dichotic Listening Test Performance In Children, Kairn Stetler Kelley

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Dichotic tests evaluate binaural integration through simultaneous presentation of different stimuli to each ear of a listener who has normal hearing sensitivity in both ears. Dichotic listening deficits may lead to problems with language, communication, reading, or academic performance. If accurately identified, dichotic deficits may be treatable with listening training or managed with accommodation. However, it is not clear which of several commercially-available dichotic test recordings are best for audiologists to use when assessing binaural integration in children. Literature review revealed limited evidence of reliability, accuracy, usefulness, or value for dichotic tests applied to children. Of 11 dichotic tests identified, …

Physiological And Behavioral Evidence Of Auditory Processing Deficit In Children Suspected Of Auditory Processing Disorder, Sangamanatha Ankmnal Veeranna

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A series of studies were carried out to examine the neural and behavioral processing of acoustic stimuli in children with suspected auditory processing disorder (sAPD).

The click-evoked auditory brainstem responses recorded from children with sAPD and adults were analyzed using traditional clinical measures and detailed analysis seeking to explore the separate contributions of axonal conduction and synaptic transmission. Clinical measures revealed significant prolongation of absolute latencies and interwave intervals in children with sAPD compared to adults. Examination of responses delineating axonal vs. synaptic transmission showed frequent delays in synaptic factors and fewer instances of delays related to axonal conduction in …

The Effect Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease On Swallowing, Jessica R. Torres

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This work is composed of a literature review, research review, and self-reflective essay. The anatomy and physiology of normal swallowing and respiration are reviewed. Additionally, the effect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on these processes is discussed. The research goal was to determine how lung volume changes adapt the physiology of swallowing in individuals with COPD. The research project was designed and conducted by Teresa Drulia, M.S., CCC-SLP. COPD participants (n=9, mean age=72, 6 male) were compared to older healthy individuals (n=10, mean age= 59, 3 male). Participants completed swallows of 20cc of water at four lung volume conditions: …

The Effects Of Lung Volume On Swallowing In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Teresa C. Drulia

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a respiratory disease that leads to reduced airflow, may result in difficulty swallowing with disease progression. The coordination between the respiratory and swallowing systems decouple and they may experience increased risk of aspiration. This study aimed to determine the effects of lung volume on swallowing in individuals with COPD compared with older healthy. Specifically, the study examined if altering lung volume at the time of the swallow changed swallowing timing, specifically pharyngeal swallow duration, and impacted the respiratory-swallow pattern in individuals with COPD. Measurement of estimated lung volume (ELV), pharyngeal swallow duration, and respiratory-swallow patterning …

Video Modeling For Social Communication In Adults With Asd, Haley Ann Altman

Honors Projects

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience significant difficulty and psychosocial toll as a result of their impairments in social communication. Specifically for adults, this can have a negative effect on relationships and vocational stability. However, there is a lack of effective intervention for adults with ASD to assist in learning these social conventions. Video modeling is an intervention that has potential to help these individuals learn to be successful in social problem-solving situations. A pilot feasibility study (Hewitt & Kelliher, n.d.) was conducted to investigate the intervention of video modeling for adults with ASD. Coding was then necessary …

Hormone Replacement Therapy (Hrt) Modulates Peripheral And Central Auditory System Processing With Aging, Tanika Williamson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

After the findings were reported for the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in the past decade, there has been a significant decline in the overall use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) among women. However, there are still millions of middle-aged, menopausal women in the U.S. who are currently undergoing hormone therapy. Their reasons for continuing treatment include relief of severe menopausal symptoms, aid in the management of osteoporosis and reduction in the risk of colon cancer (Ness et al., 2005). The purpose of the following investigation was to evaluate the impact of HRT on the central and peripheral auditory systems …

Interprofessional Collaboration: Aac, Michelle Bird, Anna Kusior

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Perception And Production Of /V/ And /W/ In Hindi Speakers, Vikas Grover

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the ability of Hindi speakers to identify, discriminate and produce two English phonemes /v/ and /w/ which are difficult for Hindi speakers to distinguish. In Hindi, /v/ and /w/ are used interchangeably. This pattern of use has transferred to Indian English, resulting in English /v/ and /w/ words showing variable pronunciations (e.g., “whale” or “vale” for the word “whale”). Hindi speakers were asked to identify, discriminate and produce tokens of /v/ and /w/. This study also examined whether experience with American English, related to the length of residence (LOR) in the US affects Hindi listeners’ perception and …

Hydration And Vocal Loading On Voice Measures, Anusha Sundarrajan

Open Access Dissertations

Vocal loading adversely affects the healthy larynx. The negative effects of vocal loading are thought to be exacerbated in dry environments, noisy environments, using non-habitual speaking patterns, and voice quality. Advancing age is also thought to be a risk factor for the negative effects of loading. To systematically tease out the effects of these factors on the healthy larynx, three different experiments were conducted. In each experiment, healthy participants produced 45-minutes of child-directed speech. In experiment 1, older, healthy adults produced loud child-directed speech, in the presence of background noise, in both low and moderate humidities, and voice was assessed. …

Predictors Of Language Outcome For Children In The Ontario Infant Hearing Program, Olivia M. Daub

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Ontario Infant Hearing Program (OIHP) provides early interventions (i.e., hearing aids) to children who are hard of hearing (CHH) because research consistently demonstrates their benefit to language outcomes. The impact of pre-fitting language abilities on these outcomes are not well understood.

This retrospective cohort analysis examined the performance of OIHP children on the Preschool Language Scale-4 at the time of (n=47), and after (n=19), initial hearing aid intervention. Regression analyses revealed that, before amplification, hearing loss severity predicted language abilities. However, after amplification, severity of hearing loss did not uniquely predict language achievement, but rather …

Sleep Deprivation And Recovery: The Effects Of P300 Three And Six Hours Post Recovery, Kimberly A. Brauer

MSU Graduate Theses

The P300 waveform is an auditory evoked potential (AEP) elicited through a decision making process. Due to the endogenous nature of the P300 response, which requires participants to actively respond to an auditory stimuli, it has been used as on objective measure to evaluate the cognitive processes of attention and memory. Previous studies have looked at the P300 before and after sleep deprivation as well as after brief rest periods. Evidence shows that a decline in P300 amplitudes and increase in latency are seen after 24 hours of sleep deprivation and improvements in the P300 are seen after a recovery …

Static And Dynamic Spectral Acuity In Cochlear Implant Listeners For Simple And Speech-Like Stimuli, Benjamin Anderson Russell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For cochlear implant (CI) listeners, poorer than normal speech recognition abilities are typically attributed to degraded spectral acuity. However, estimates of spectral acuity have most often been obtained using simple (tonal) stimuli, presented directly to the implanted electrodes, rather than through the speech processor as occurs in everyday listening. Further, little is known about spectral acuity for dynamic stimuli, as compared to static stimuli, even though the perception of dynamic spectral cues is important for speech perception.

The primary goal of the current study was to examine spectral acuity in CI listeners, and a comparison group of normal hearing (NH) …

Assessing Excessive Noise Exposure Of Music-Oriented Nightclub Employees, Aiyanna Fitzgerald

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Much research has gone into noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and the effects of high intensity noise levels on the hearing mechanism of individuals. A study by the National Institutes of Health has established that high intensity sounds can cause hearing damage of either a temporary, or worse, a permanent nature; regardless of the age of the person. While sound levels below 75 decibels are considered comparatively harmless and have been found not to cause any kind of permanent hearing loss; sound levels greater than 85 decibels and regular exposure of approximately 8 hours per day, on an average, has been …

Hearing Aid Use And Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review, Hershel Korngut

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This systematic review analyzed the research relating the use of hearing aids to cognitive function. Hearing aid use was examined to see if wearing hearing aids improves cognitive function, if the length of time hearing aids are worn impacts cognitive ability, if the type of hearing aid used has any impact on cognitive function, and if hearing aid use slows down cognitive decline. Ten studies met the criteria for this review. An analysis of the research revealed some evidence to support wearing hearing aids improves cognitive function, however, there is substantial evidence that shows no impact between wearing hearing aids …

Language-Mixing In Discourse In Bilingual Individuals With Non-Fluent Aphasia, Avanthi Paplikar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Language-mixing (LM) as defined by Chengappa (2009, p. 417) is an “intra-sentential phenomenon referred to as the mixing of various linguistic units (morphemes, words, modifiers, phrases, etc.), primarily from two participating grammatical systems”. LM is influenced by grammatical, environmental, and social constraints (e.g., Milroy & Wei, 1995; Bhat & Chengappa, 2005). Researchers have suggested that LM in patients with aphasia is a communicative strategy used to achieve successful exchanges between speakers; the effectiveness of this mixing, however, had yet to be demonstrated quantitatively.

In the current study we investigated whether LM is present in bilingual speakers with aphasia, and if …

Social Support, Social Companionship, And Social Distress In Young Adults With Cochlear Implants, Arta Ljubanovic

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Research has shown that social support has a positive impact on mental health and decreases levels of stress in young adults with normal-hearing sensitivity. Social relationships are one psychological construct that has not been previously studied in young adults with cochlear implants. In light of the importance of social support in the overall well-being of an individual and the lack of research on this topic in individuals with cochlear implants, the study purpose is to examine social relationships in young adults with cochlear implants and to determine the presence of any significant differences in social relationships between the group with …

Outcomes Of Auditory Brainstem Implantation In Adults With Postlingual Deafness: A Systematic Review, Jillian Friedman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Objective:The purpose of this investigation is to conduct a systematic review of the long-term speech-recognition outcomes of ABIs in postlingually deafened adults, and to compare outcomes of ABIs in adults with NF2/tumors to adults without NF2.

Methods: A comprehensive search utilizing various peer reviewed databases via the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center Library was conducted to identify relevant studies investigating speech-recognition outcomes in ABI patients with postlingual deafness, both with and without tumors. Inclusion criteria included studies that involved at least one adult ABI patient (with or without NF2) with postlingual deafness, who was seen for …

Development Of A Patient-Centered Health Literacy Toolkit For Audiology And Hearing Loss (The 'Hh Lit Kit'), Jennifer L. Gilligan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Patient-Centered Health Literacy Toolkit for Audiology & Hearing Loss (‘HH Lit Kit’) represents four years of inquiry into health literacy and Patient-Centered Care (PCC) in audiology. While awareness of health literacy continues to gain momentum in medicine and public health, there is a paucity of information on PCC and health literacy in audiology.

Low health literacy is linked to poorer health and poorer quality of life. Patients with hearing loss are at high risk for low health literacy. This presents a major concern because hearing loss affects the way information is processed, retained, and applied. Gaps have been identified …

Social Isolation, Social And Emotional Loneliness, And Self-Reported Hearing Difficulties In Older Adults With Hearing Loss, Yuliya Borik

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Hearing loss is known to affect communicative ability and has been associated with poor health-related outcomes such as impaired cognition, increased risk for falls, and psychotic manifestations. Social isolation and loneliness are also widely recognized to negatively impact mental and physical health. The purpose of this systematic review is to review literature that explores a relationship between hearing loss with and/or without self-reported hearing difficulties and social isolation and social and emotional loneliness in older adults with hearing loss ranging from mild to profound. The goal is to determine whether there is a direct relationship between subjective and/or objective hearing …

Type And Location Of Speech Disruptions In Adolescents With And Without Specific Language Impairment, Katherine E. Davies

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This research project analyzed the types and locations of speech disruptions in adolescents with and without Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The narrative samples of 12 adolescents with SLI and 12 typically developing (TD) adolescents were analyzed. Using Schwalbe’s (2012) classification system, the speech disruptions in the 24 narratives were coded for the type and reason for disruption. The broad category of speech disruptions were classified under revisions, repetitions, filled pauses and orphans, and silent pauses. The reason for the disruption was coded as the part of speech of the word that was determined to have caused the disruption. Comparisons were …

Reflection: Effect Of Age On Auditory Brainstem Responses In Mice With Epha4 Mutations, Erica L. Hoogerland

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss is a condition that affects approximately 40% of the population over 65 years of age (Gates & Mills, 2005). Studying the effects of EphA4 mutations (wild type, heterozygous, and homozygous) mice is fundamental in understanding the relationship between onset of age-related hearing loss, in both the mammalian population and the human population. In order to further understanding of age-related hearing loss, the researchers evaluated thirty-six mice in a preliminary study from two months to nine months of age. Following data analysis, the researchers confirmed the results by continuing a second round of testing. The hearing …

Build-Up Effect Of Auditory Stream Segregation Using Amplitude-Modulated Narrowband Noise, Harley J. Wheeler

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Recent psychoacoustic experiments (Böckmann-Barthel et al., 2014; Deike et al., 2012) have re-examined research regarding stream segregation and the build-up effect. Stream segregation is the ability to discern auditory objects within a stream of information, such as distinguishing one voice amongst background noise or an instrument within an orchestra. Initial works examining this topic proposed that auditory information is not immediately distinguished as various streams, but rather that differences accumulate over time, allowing listeners to segregate information following a period of build-up (i.e., the build-up effect); whereas more current findings indicate a build-up period is unnecessary for segregation. This experiment’s …

The Effect Of Auditory Fatigue On Reaction Time In Normal Hearing Listeners At Different Signal To Noise Ratios, Haley Athey

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This study examined the effect of listening fatigue on the reaction time of young, normal hearing listeners at +5 and +10 dB signal to noise ratio. Reaction time was measured in a single task paradigm on twenty listeners (ages 19-30 years) before and after a fatigue-inducing listening task. The participants also completed a subjective rating questionnaire at the two intervals. Results indicated that there was no significant difference between the reaction times before and after listening fatigue. However, for a subgroup of stimuli (nonsense syllables ending with consonants) the reaction time was 52 msec longer after listening fatigue. The participants …

Wideband Acoustic Immittance And Dpoae Changes In Older Adults, Mandy M. Williams

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This study examined the effect of middle ear aging in adults using wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) measures. WAI and traditional 226 Hz tympanometry were measured in 25 young adult ears (ages 18-25) and 26 older adult ears (ages 50-71) with normal middle ear status. While minimal differences between older and younger adults were observed with 226 Hz tympanometry, significant age effects were seen with WAI measures. The older adults demonstrated a statistically significant increase in middle ear absorbance at lower frequencies (226-1,260 Hz) and decreased absorbance at higher frequencies (4,000-5,040 Hz) compared to the younger adult group. While the effect …

Inter-Professional Collaboration: The Impact Of Serial Versus Merged Treatment On The Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robyn Starry

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Interdisciplinary collaboration is an innovative, resourceful approach to healthcare intended to positively affect patient outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of the serial exposure to three treatments, Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy, in comparison with an exposure to a merge of these treatments on child outcomes. During the serial treatment phases of intervention, three licensed professionals implemented core techniques from their respective disciplines. During merged treatment phases, a graduate clinician combined and implemented techniques from all three fields: differential attention, request sequences, sensory exposure, verbal/tactile cueing for postural alignment/control and …

Release From Masking: Behavioral And Physiological Masking Level Differences, Sarah L. Hodgson

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Binaural hearing offers several advantages over monaural hearing and is believed to be one factor that is involved in the ability to understand speech in background noise. Binaural hearing involves analysis of interaural timing and intensity differences in signals arriving at the two ears which provides listeners with sound localization cues as well as signal in noise detection. When sounds arrive at each ear at slightly different times, there may be a release from the effects of background noise, allowing listeners to detect softer sounds in noise. Masking Level Differences (MLDs) have been widely used to evaluate behavioral binaural processing. …

List Equivalency Of The Azbio Sentence Test, Lauren C. Bush

Honors Theses

The AzBio Sentence Test was developed as a measure of speech perception abilities and intended to be more reliable and closer to real life conditions than the previous speech perception measures commonly used. The purpose of speech perception measures is to partially determine cochlear implant candidacy as well as pre- and post-outcomes of cochlear implantation. The AzBio Sentence test is composed of 15 lists of 20 sentences each. There is limited research conducted on the equivalency of each of these lists. Of the previous limited reasearch conducted, one study found that only 10 of the 15 lists were equivalent. The …

Comparison Of In Vivo Simulation Training Compared To Video Simulation Training For Identifying Clinical Markers Of Distress When Feeding Preterm Infants, Emily M. Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preterm infants have multiple health complications due to their underdeveloped neurological systems. Bottle-feeding difficulties are one complication that leads to pulmonary illness secondary to aspiration. Preterm infants exhibit clinical markers when experiencing distress during bottle-feeding. Training caregivers to identify clinical markers reduces the risk for aspiration. Simulation training provides a safe learning environment without harming patients. Twenty-two speech-language pathology and pre-requisite students divided into two simulation groups, video-simulation (N=12) and in-vivo simulation (N=10), were trained to document clinical markers of distress exhibited by preterm infants and make clinical judgments about bottle-feeding. Students rated their levels of anxiety during simulation training. …

Variability In Clinically Measured Wideband Acoustic Immittance Over Time In Young And Old Adults, Allison G. Mcgrath

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) measures of the middle ear have the potential to increase our ability to detect changes in the middle ear transfer function not seen using traditional tympanometry. In order to use this new tool diagnostically we must first understand its normal clinical variability. The present study aimed to investigate the variability that occurs when wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) is measured clinically within subjects as a function of subject age, as a function of time, and as a function of pressure. A total of thirty-six ears from eighteen subjects were studied (n=18 young adults ears, n=18 older adult …

Perceptions Fathers Have On Time Spent With Preschool Children And Its Impact On Language Outcome Measures, Megan E. Porter

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has shown there are differences between mother and father language usage with their children. There is no information on language use of fathers who spend a high quality amount of time with their children. This study attempted to identify language characteristics of fathers who report high participation in household and childcare activities.