Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Effects Of Speaker-Sex-Difference On Listeners' Perception Of Vocal Roughness In Normal Vowel Productions, Patsy J. Phillips

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of speaker-sex-difference on listeners' perception of vocal roughness in the vowel [ӕ] produced by normal male and female speakers. In a previous investigation by Wendahl (1963) it was found that when listening to two synthesized vowels, of equal aperiodicity, judges tended to rate the lower pitched vowel as being more vocally rough. If this is true for listeners' perception of human vowel productions as well then it might be advantageous for voice clinicians, when making vocal roughness assessments, to regard male and female speakers as two separate populations in view …

An Investigation Of Vocational Rehabilitation Among Northwest Laryngectomees, Susan L. Leonti

Dissertations and Theses

Rehabilitation for patients recovering from surgical removal of the larynx should include vocational considerations with accompanying economic modifications. The literature pertaining to rehabilitative management of laryngectomees revealed numerous investigations concerned with physical restoration, remedial speech training and psycho-social adjustment, while few studies have been conducted concentrating upon vocational consequences of a laryngectomy.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the pre- and post-operative vocational status of laryngectomized patients residing in the Northwestern section of the United States.

Verbal Sequencing Ability As A Predictor Of Reading Disability, Paul Elmer Quin

Dissertations and Theses

Early identification of children with reading and learning problems seems imperative. By using early identification predictors, a high risk group of children with possible reading problems could be located. This would facilitate placement and appropriate educational strategies for this group of children. By proper placement and planning, educators then would be able to set up remedial and/or preventive programs for these children before the pattern of unsuccessful attempts and improper training becomes irreversible. This study was designed to determine if verbal sequencing ability was a valid predictor of reading ability for a group of 31 preschool children. Secondarily, the investigation …

An Investigation Of Between-Ear Tympanometry Measures In Normal-Hearing Young Adults, Barry Lynn Kimmel

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, tympanometry has been used to provide objective and definitive information regarding the status of middle ear conditions and functions. The present standard for tympanometric normalcy is based upon between-subject measures. This standard, however, does not allow precise differentiation between normal and pathological tympanometry curves. A within-subject comparison of right and left ear tympanometry curves of normal-hearing subjects could provide a narrow standard of tympanometric normalcy which would be more useful in differentiating between pathologic and non-pathologic middle ear function. The within-subject relationship between tympanometry curves for right and left ears was investigated by comparing the individual right …

An Investigation Of Temporary Threshold Shift Among Helmeted Motorcycle Riders, Alamander Hicks

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of the present study involved the investigation of the significance of wind noise as a contributing factor toward temporary threshold shifts among a select sample of motorcycle riders. Five normal-hearing, helmeted, female subjects were administered pure-tone air-conduction hearing tests immediately before and within 2 minutes after exposure to three noise-related aspects of motorcycle riding. The amount of hearing loss present at 3k, 4k and 6k Hz after each 20 minute exposure condition was recorded as the TTS for that subject. The three conditions consisted of motorcycle noise only, wind noise only and motorcycle and wind noise combined. A …

Comparison Of Amounts Of Verbal Response Elicited By A Speech Pathologist And A Mother In The Clinic, Sherry Lee Nelson

Dissertations and Theses

One of the primary responsibilities of a speech pathologist is the assessment of a child's language. Many studies have been done in the area of language development. The results of these studies have varied causing concern among researchers over the validity of the data gathered. Many factors that could affect the results of previous research have been investigated. Until recently, however, there has been relatively little research about the effects of examiner differences on the results of language assessments.

Research in the area of examiner differences has resulted in the discovery of factors which could affect the results of language …

The Rhetoric Of Garner Ted Armstrong, Stephen George Dick

Dissertations and Theses

Garner Ted Armstrong is fast becoming a well known religious and political commentator. The purpose of this thesis was to describe and discuss the techniques and characteristics of Mr. Armstrong's rhetoric. The question to be answered was "What are the characteristics of a successful religious broadcaster?" The method used-in the selection of the speeches to be used in this study consisted of selection a number of speeches (56), then breaking them down into theme categories. After analysis, there were eleven categories. One speech was selected from each category, and these eleven speeches were the speeches that were used in the …

Implications Of An Oral-Gestural Training Program In The Acquisition Of Speechreading Skills, Mary Lu Wood

Dissertations and Theses

In order for the hearing handicapped child to derive maximum benefit of language acquisition through maturation, a method of receptive communication is essential at the earliest age possible. It is felt that speechreading is this method. The need for a method of training speechreading cues to prelingual, aurally handicapped children is based on the fact that most visual speechreading methods require the use of language. If speechreading can be regarded as a learning process involving the discrimination of visual cues that maybe disassociated from language expression then training the child to discriminate various facial expressions may actually enhance speech-reading ability. …

The Effect Of Labeling Disfluencies As 'Stuttering' And Contingent And Yoked "Wrong" On The Disfluencies Of Normal Speakers, Dennis Ray Staines

Dissertations and Theses

A labeling variable suggested by Wendell Johnson's "diagnosogenic" theory of the onset of stuttering was included in this study of the disfluencies of normal speaking college students in order to explore further the hypothetical relationship between normal disfluency and the onset of stuttering. A total of 60 Ss were randomly assigned to the following groups, each containing 10 Ss: I. Labeling Chastisement plus Contingent "wrong;" II. Labeling Chastisement plus Yoked (non-contingent) "wrong;" III. Labeling Chastisement - No "wrong;" IV. No Labeling Chastisement Contingent "wrong;" V. No Labeling Chastisement - Yoked "wrong;" VI. No Labeling Chastisement - No "wrong" …

The Structuring Of Procedures Utilized In An Adult Stuttering Treatment Program, Sarah Jane Prichard

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, operant conditioning techniques have been effectively used to modify a variety of behaviors. For the most part, the modification of stuttering behavior has relied solely on the use of punishment. The shaping of "fluency” through differential reinforcement has been reported as a behavioral approach for the treatment of stuttering; however, the effectiveness of this technique in combination with other "teaching" tools, such as, modeling, instruction, and explanation has not been reported in the literature.

The purpose of this study was to construct behavioral definitions of terminology utilized in a stuttering treatment program at Portland State University to …

Comparison Of Amounts Of Verbal Response Elicited By A Speech Pathologist In The Clinic And A Mother In The Home, Joan Mathis

Dissertations and Theses

Language assessment of children is an essential task of the speech clinician and many studies have been concerned with the validity of the data gathered. Few studies, however, have investigated examiner variability as a possible source of deviation in language assessment. This study was designed to evaluate and compare the amount of verbal output which children with normal language use when examined by two different examiners when the examiners are in their most comfortable setting.

Six children, four years of age, were examined by a speech pathologist in the clinic and the mother in the home and the 12 fifteen-minute …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Untrained Lip Reading Ability Of Mothers Of Young Hard Of Hearing Children Versus Mothers Of Young Normal Hearing Children, Janet Andrews Boileau

Dissertations and Theses

This paper provides a brief history of attitudes toward the deaf and the evolution of teaching and instruction of the deaf. It then discusses a pilot study that probed the acquisition of lip reading skills and the influence of mothers in the process.

An Electromyographic Comparison Of Muscle Action Potentials Of Listeners Presented Time-Compressed And Normal Speech Stimuli, Barbara S. Moon

Dissertations and Theses

Speech compression is a method of electromyographically reducing the speech signal, resulting in a decrease in the time required for presentation of a message by increasing the number of words per minute. Research in the area of speech compression has to this time been focused on determining the listener response by means of comprehension testing. While comprehension testing uncovers the individual's ability to resolve, organize, and recall a message at accelerated rates, it gives no information about the listener's psychophysical response to compression. Does the individual find listening to compression to be tension-provoking or stressful? Or can a listener accommodate …