Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons^™

“What” And “Where” In Auditory Sensory Processing: A High-Density Electrical Mapping Study Of Distinct Neural Processes Underlying Sound Object Recognition And Sound Localization, Victoria M. Leavitt, Sophie Molholm, Manuel Gomez-Ramirez, John J. Foxe

Publications and Research

Functionally distinct dorsal and ventral auditory pathways for sound localization (WHERE) and sound object recognition (WHAT) have been described in non-human primates. A handful of studies have explored differential processing within these streams in humans, with highly inconsistent findings. Stimuli employed have included simple tones, noise bursts, and speech sounds, with simulated left–right spatial manipulations, and in some cases participants were not required to actively discriminate the stimuli. Our contention is that these paradigms were not well suited to dissociating processing within the two streams. Our aim here was to determine how early in processing we …

Neuroanatomic Predictors To Prodromal Psychosis In Velocardiofacial Syndrome (22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome): A Longitudinal Study, Wendy R. Kates, Kevin M. Antshel, Stephen V. Faraone, Wanda Fremont, Anne Marie Higgins, Robert J. Shprintzen, Jo-Anna Botti, Lauren Kelchner, Christopher Mccarthy

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Background: Up to 30% of young adults with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS; 22q11.2 deletion syndrome) develop schizophrenia or psychosis. Identifying the neuroanatomic trajectories that increase risk for psychosis in youth with this genetic disorder is of great interest. Methods: We acquired high-resolution anatomic MR images and measures of psychiatric function on 72 youth with VCFS, 26 unaffected siblings and 24 age-matched community controls at two timepoints, between late childhood (mean age, 11.9 years) and mid-adolescence (mean age, 15.1 years). Results: With the exception of cranial gray matter and orbitofrontal prefrontal cortex, neuroanatomic trajectories in youth with VCFS were comparable to unaffected …

Language-Specific Tuning Of Audiovisual Integration In Early Development, Juliana Flynn

Honors Scholar Theses

According to the perceptual narrowing hypothesis, older infants look longer towards speech in a native language than towards a non-native language. We presented speech in English, Spanish, and mis-matched English and Spanish speech, and recorded looking-time towards the speech. Results suggest that the synchrony of speech plays a strong role in infants' attention to speech, whereas nativeness of language does not.

Objective And Subjective Evaluation Of Wind Noise Reduction In Digital Hearing Aids, Sheena Kate Jessee

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Wind noise is problematic for hearing aid users who enjoy outdoor activities. Not only is it annoying, it can create distortion by overloading the microphone and masking signals that hearing aid users desire to hear. Some hearing aid manufacturers offer wind noise reduction in addition to general noise reduction (WNR + NR) for clinicians to manipulate in their software. This study compares objective and subjective measures of wind noise reduction as well as subjective measure of intelligibility obtained using various hearing aid manufacturers and noise reduction settings while HINT sentences were played in the presence of constantly generated wind. Significant …

Effect Of Real-Ear Verification On Hearing Aid Benefit, Sarah K. Sporck

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Real-ear measurements have been proven to be the most accurate measure of hearing aid verification. However, many audiologists find real-ear to be too time consuming to use consistently. One popular reason for underutilizing real-ear verification is the use of first fitting algorithms provided on manufacturer programming software. However, the predicted fittings provided on the software are not an accurate means of providing what is recommended by popular prescriptive formulas (Hawkins and Cook, 2003; Aarts and Caffee, 2005). The main reason for this discrepancy is that the software does not take into account individual anatomical differences, i.e. ear canal volume and …

Effects Of Speech Signal Type And Attention On Acceptable Noise Level In Elderly, Hearing-Impaired Listeners, Jennifer Susan Mundorff

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The primary objective of this study was to determine if acceptable noise levels (ANLs) in elderly, hearing-impaired listeners were dependent on speech intelligibility and listener attention levels. Acceptable noise levels (ANLs), expressed in decibels, is defined as the maximum background noise level that is acceptable while listening to and following a story. Connected speech test (CST) sentences were recorded with clear speech, conversational speech and temporally altered, fast-rate speech. Thirty-five, elderly, hearing-impaired individuals (61-97 years, M=75) with symmetrical, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss participated. Most comfortable listening levels (MCL) and background noise level (BNL) measurements were completed for each speech stimulus …

Comparison Of Speech Intelligibility Over The Telephone Using A Hearing Aid Micorphone And Telecoil, Phillip K. Bond

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of the current study is to determine if the smaller, modern hearing aid has affected the speech intelligibility over the telephone using a telecoil and hearing aid microphone. Six hearing impaired listeners were situated in a quiet office and were asked to repeat aloud Connected Speech Sentences (CST) they heard through the telephone while wearing their hearing aid in telecoil only mode, microphone only mode, and without their hearing aid. The CST sentences were presented in three different signal-to-noise ratios (Quiet, +10dB, & +5dB) with the recorded speech babble of the CST test. It was discovered that the …

The Effect Of Kalman Weighted Filtering And In-Situ Pre-Amplification On The Accuracy And Efficiency Of Abr Threshold Estimation, Julie Kathleen Wheeler

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) are important for acquiring frequency specific information for determination of the degree and type of hearing loss for infants and difficult-to-test populations when behavioral audiometry cannot be carried out. This study investigated the effects of Kalman weighted filtering and in-situ pre-amplification employed by the Vivosonic Integrity V500 ABR system on threshold accuracy and efficiency in an environment of high physiologic noise in comparison to a conventional ABR system which employs a standard artifact rejection paradigm. Auditory brainstem responses were collected using the Vivosonic ABR system and a conventional ABR system both in quiet and in noise …

Comparison Of Two Approaches To Improving Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency For School-Aged, English Language Learners: Two-Group, Pretest/Posttest Design, Tanja A. Dalton

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This preliminary study was designed to examine which of two interventions (standard practice or narrative based) was associated with better improvement in cognitive academic language proficiency, or literate language, for school-age children learning as a second language(English Language Learners; ELLs). We hypothesized that narrative-based intervention would yield better outcomes than the standard practice intervention because it provided children with contextual cues, redundancy, and predictability, which should promote learning and generalization.

We employed a pre/post test design and included 18 children (ELLs) who were at-risk for language and learning problems to test the hypothesis that narrative-based language intervention would yield better …

Understanding Autism, Kaileigh J. Sweeney

Senior Honors Projects

Understanding Autism

Kaileigh Sweeney

Faculty Sponsor: Carolyn Hames

Autism spectrum disorders are greatly misunderstood in today’s society.  In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  Despite this high prevalence, a great deal of the population is under the impression that a diagnosis of autism is straight forward and indicative of one set of devastating signs and symptoms.  However, the severity of this disorder can range from mild to severe. According to the National Institute of Health, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized …

A Survey Of Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes Toward The 3:1 Service Delivery Model, Whitney Hubert

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes and perceptions of SLPs who are currently using the 3:1 service delivery model. The 3:1 Model consists of services being directly administered for three out of the four weeks of a month and indirect services provided during the fourth week. An internet-based questionnaire was completed by 90 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to obtain their perspectives regarding the 3:1 Model. In general, 45% of the SLPs reported using the 3:1 Model with all of their clients and 86% preferred the 3:1 Model over other models (block scheduling, traditional model). The SLPs noted …

Infants At Risk For Asd Show Aberrant Preferences For Speech At Six To Nine Months, Rhea Paul, Gerald Mcroberts, Katyrzyna Chawarska

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Purpose: To examine auditory preferences for speech stimuli in infants at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder due to the presence of a diagnosed sibling.

Perceptual And Acoustical Comparisons Of Motor Speech Practice Options For Children With Childhood Apraxia Of Speech, Amy Nordness

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) need intensive and accurate practice to establish an accurate motor plan and improve their speech production. Computer-led practice led to a greater quantity of practice and was preferred over parent-led practice. Further knowledge regarding children’s accuracy of speech during independent practice is needed to determine if computer-led practice is a viable practice tool. Twelve children diagnosed with CAS, between 3-0 and 7-11 years of age, participated in speech practice during computer-led, parent-led, and clinician-led practice. Comparisons of perceptual accuracy of consonants and vowels, acoustical accuracy of stops, vowels, and fricatives, and variability of …

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes: Vocal Production In Infant Siblings Of Children With Asd, Rhea Paul, Yael Fuerst, Gordon Ramsay, Kasia Chawarska, Ami Klin

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Background: Younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at higher risk for acquiring these disorders than the general population. Language development is usually delayed in children with ASD. The present study examines the development of pre-speech vocal behavior in infants at risk for ASD due to the presence of an older sibling with the disorder. Methods: Infants at high risk (HR) for ASD and those at low risk, without a diagnosed sibling (LR), were seen at 6, 9, and 12 months as part of a larger prospective study of risk for ASD in infant siblings. Standard clinical …

Effect Of Occlusion, Directionality And Age On Horizontal Localization, Lynzee Nicole Alworth

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Localization acuity of a given listener is dependent upon the ability discriminate between interaural time and level disparities. Interaural time differences are encoded by low frequency information whereas interaural level differences are encoded by high frequency information. Much research has examined effects of hearing aid microphone technologies and occlusion separately and prior studies have not evaluated age as a factor in localization acuity. Open-fit hearing instruments provide new earmold technologies and varying microphone capabilities; however, these instruments have yet to be evaluated with regard to horizontal localization acuity.

Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of …

Temporal And Aerodynamic Aspects Of Velopharyngeal Coarticulation: Effects Of Age, Gender And Vowel Height, Fadwa Khwaileh

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Previous studies on the normal patterns of velopharyngeal coarticulation did not provide a multidimensional description of the phenomenon. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effects of age, gender and vowel height on the temporal and aerodynamic aspects of nasal airflow segments related to velar coarticulation in the normal speech of children and adults. A secondary objective was to determine the within speaker variability of the segments.

Speakers consisted of 20 children between the ages of 5 and 7 years, 20 children between 9 and 11 years and 20 adult speakers 18 years or older. Nasal and …

Listeners' Ability To Identify The Gender Of Preadolescent Children Across Multiple Linguistic Contexts, Sharalee Ann Blunck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether 20 listeners could identify the gender of 10 preadolescent children from speech samples. An additional aim was to evaluate whether listeners identified children more accurately when listening to speech samples when more linguistic context was available. The listeners were presented with a total of 190 speech samples in four different categories of linguistic context: segments, words, sentences, and discourse. The listeners were instructed to listen to each speech sample and decide whether the speaker was a male or female. In addition, the listeners were instructed to rate their level of confidence …

The Effect Of A Treatment Program Utilizing A Humanoid Robot On Social Engagement Of Two Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Margaret Michele Maxfield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a robot (Troy) in a low-dose treatment protocol for two children with Autism Spectrum disorder. The efficacy of intervention was measured by comparing social engagement in two contexts: interactions with two adults and interaction with an unfamiliar adult. During the treatment, a robot was included in pseudo-triadic interactions with the clinician and the child. The robot was programmed to perform simple actions that imitated the actions of the clinician in an effort to engage the child. These pseudo-triadic interactions were incorporated into intervention over the course of a 16-session …

Effectiveness Of Bite Charts In Behavioral Feeding Intervention, Natalie Gray, Melissa Council

2011 Awards for Excellence in Student Research & Creative Activity - Documents

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a bite chart as a method of positive reinforcement in behavioral feeding intervention. The bite chart was used to increase bite acceptance. Using a BAB research design, the researchers found the bite chart effective for two subjects with differing diagnoses, ages, environments, and therapists.

Sentence Recognition In The Presence Of Competing Speech Messages Presented In Audiometric Booths With Reverberation Times Of 0.4 And 0.6 Seconds, Kim S. Abouchacra, Janet Koehnke, Joan Besing, Tomasz Letowski

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examined whether differences in reverberation time (RT) between typical sound field test rooms used in audiology clinics have an effect on speech recognition in multi-talker environments. Separate groups of participants listened to target speech sentences presented simultaneously with 0-to-3 competing sentences through four spatially-separated loudspeakers in two sound field test rooms having RT = 0.6 sec (Site 1:N= 16) and RT = 0.4 sec (Site 2: N = 12). Speech recognition scores (SRSs) for the Synchronized Sentence Set (S3) test and subjective estimates of perceived task difficulty were recorded. Obtained results indicate that the change in room RT …

The Clinical Application Of Progressive Filtering In Normal And Disordered Populations, Sarah M. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study examined the effect of progressive filter testing in children with normal auditory processing skills and children with (central) auditory processing disorders [(C)APD]. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a new screening procedure designed by the investigator called Progressive Filtering would differentiate between a control group (i.e. children with normal auditory processing skills) and an experimental group [children with (C)APD]. Twenty subjects (age 6 to 14 years) participated in the study. All subjects received an audiological examination, an auditory processing test battery, and the Progressive Filtering screening tool. Results indicated that the investigator-designed Progressive …

The Effects Of Hearing Aid Circuitry And Speech Presentation Level On Acceptance Of Background Noise, Ashley Powers Boynton

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of hearing aid circuitry and speech presentation level on ANL and hearing in noise in 19 adult, bilateral hearing aid users. The acceptable noise level (ANL) procedure was used to assess acceptance of background noise. Conventional ANLs (i.e., measured at the participant's most comfortable listening level (MCL)) and ANLs at eight fixed speech presentation levels were obtained. Then global ANLs (i.e., ANLs averaged over eight fixed speech presentation levels) and ANL growth (i.e., the slope of the ANL function) were calculated Each measure was obtained in three conditions: unaided, aided with wide dynamic range …

The Hypothesis Of Apraxia Of Speech In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lawrence D. Shriberg, Rhea Paul, Lois M. Black, Jan P. Van Santen

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

In a sample of 46 children aged 4-7 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intelligible speech, there was no statistical support for the hypothesis of concomitant Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Perceptual and acoustic measures of participants' speech, prosody, and voice were compared with data from 40 typically-developing children, 13 preschool children with Speech Delay, and 15 participants aged 5-49 years with CAS in neurogenetic disorders. Speech Delay and Speech Errors, respectively, were modestly and substantially more prevalent in participants with ASD than reported population estimates. Double dissociations in speech, prosody, and voice impairments in ASD were interpreted as …

Creative And Stylistic Devices Employed By Children During A Storybook Narrative Task: A Cross-Cultural Study, Brenda K. Gorman, Christine Fiestas, Elizabeth Peña, Maya Reynolds Clark

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of culture on the creative and stylistic features children employ when producing narratives based on wordless picture books.

Method: Participants included 60 first- and second-grade African American, Latino American, and Caucasian children. A subset of narratives based on wordless picture books collected as part of a larger study was coded and analyzed for the following creative and stylistic conventions: organizational style (topic centered, linear, cyclical), dialogue (direct, indirect), reference to character relationships (nature, naming, conduct), embellishment (fantasy, suspense, conflict), and paralinguistic devices (expressive sounds, exclamatory utterances).

Results …

Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Social Skills Intervention In Improving The Use Of Validating Comments Used By Children With Specific Language Impairments In Peer Group Interactions, Chelsea Pulsipher Mccleve

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the efficacy of a social skills training program on the use of validating comments and negative comments by children with specific language impairment. The present study is an extension of a previous research project. Four children (three female, one male) with specific language impairment, ages 6 to 11, participated in a ten week social skills training program which involved direct instruction of target concepts, peer interactions with classmates, and evaluation of the use of target skills by reviewing videotaped peer interactions. The individual performance of each subject was compared to the age- and gender-matched typical peers with …

The Effects Of The Use Of A Humanoid Robot On Social Engagement In Two Children With Autism, Aersta Kayleen Acerson

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of intervention using a robot on the social interactions of two children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Robots have been shown to facilitate human-robot interaction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, yet research has not fully investigated the use of robots to enhance interactions between children with ASD and human conversational partners. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of a low-dose intervention procedure using a robot to increase social engagement between each child and his communication partner. Although variable, results were promising and suggested that additional investigation is warranted.

Mapping Cortical Morphology In Youth With Velocardiofacial (22q11.2 Deletion) Syndrome, Wendy R. Kates, Ravi Bansal, Wanda Fremont, Xuejun Hao, Anne Marie Higgins, Jun Liu, Robert J. Shprintzen, Bradley S. Peterson

Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Objective: Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS; 22q11.2 deletion syndrome) represents one of the highest known risk factors for schizophrenia. Insofar as up to thirty percent of individuals with this genetic disorder develop schizophrenia, VCFS constitutes a unique, etiologically homogeneous model for understanding the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

Method: Using a longitudinal, case-control design, we acquired anatomic magnetic resonance images to investigate both cross-sectional and longitudinal alterations in surface cortical morphology in a cohort of adolescents with VCFS and age-matched typical controls. All participants were scanned at two time points.

Results: Relative to controls, youth with VCFS exhibited alterations in inferior frontal, dorsal frontal, …

Intelligibility Of Electrolarynx Speech Using A Novel Hands-Free Actuator, Brian Madden, Mark Nolan, Ted Burke, James Condron, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

During voiced speech, the larynx provides quasi-periodic acoustic excitation of the vocal tract. In most electrolarynxes, mechanical vibrations are produced by a linear electromechanical actuator, the armature of which percusses against a metal or plastic plate at a frequency within the range of glottal excitation. In this paper, the intelligibility of speech produced using a novel hands-free actuator is compared to speech produced using a conventional electrolarynx. Two able-bodied speakers (one male, one female) performed a closed response test containing 28 monosyllabic words, once using a conventional electrolarynx and a second time using the novel design. The resulting audio recordings …

Augmented Control Of A Hands-Free Electrolarynx, Brian Madden, James Condron, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

During voiced speech, the larynx acts as the sound source, providing a quasi-periodic excitation of the vocal tract. Following a total laryngectomy, some people speak using an electrolarynx which employs an electromechanical actuator to perform the excitatory function of the absent larynx. Drawbacks of conventional electrolarynx designs include the monotonic sound emitted, the need for a free-hand to operate the device, and the difficulty experienced by many laryngectomees in adapting to its use. One improvement to the electrolarynx, which clinicians and users frequently suggest, is the provision of a convenient hands-free control facility. This would allow more natural use of …

Age-Related Changes In Listening Effort For Various Types Of Masker Noises, Jamie L. Desjardins

Communication Sciences and Disorders - Dissertations

It is well established that older listeners have more difficulty understanding speech in background noise than younger listeners (e.g. Dubno et. al., 1984). Some have attributed this increased difficulty to peripheral hearing loss, while others suggest that older listeners may perceive listening in noise as difficult and effortful because it requires them to exert more cognitive resources (Desjardins et. al., 2009). The purpose of the present study was to directly evaluate the relationship between cognitive function, listening effort and speech recognition for a group of younger and older normal hearing adults, and a group of older adults with hearing impairment, …