Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

Amplification Vs The Natural Ear: A Test On The Effectiveness Of The Natural Ear On Adults Ability To Match Pitch In Song, Celeste Orozco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Singing is a natural enjoyment of life; however, individuals tend to isolate themselves from this enjoyment due to their inability to match pitch accurately. A new technology, the Natural Ear provides altered auditory feedback to the user while singing. It is hypothesized that this feedback may aid in the userâ??s ability to match pitch.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the Natural Ear to amplification and no amplification conditions on pitch matching accuracy in song.

Study Design: This study used a complex counterbalance within-subjects design.

Methods: 50 adults from the El Paso Metropolitan …

Contextual Interference In Speech Motor Learning Secondary To Similar Phonemes, Katelyn M. Bond

Capstones and Honors Theses

Purpose: The contextual interference (CI) effect is a motor learning phenomenon where learners experience difficulty during training resulting in poor performance; however, improved performance is observed in transfer conditions. Different variables elicit a CI effect, and the purpose of this study is to investigate whether phoneme (or sound) similarity may result in a CI effect during speech motor learning.

Method: The study included twenty-nine participants whose hearing and speech abilities were within the normal range. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two training sessions involving nonwords with either similar or dissimilar phonemes. Each training session included nonword repetition training …

Growing Old As A Rock Star: A Four-Part Study Of The Aging Voice, Joanna Sloggy

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

This dissertation focuses on the aging voice - specifically the aging elite vocal athlete. It is comprised of four components; a series of research studies and a viewpoint piece designed to explore the awareness, struggles, and vocal compensations of aging singers dealing with age related vocal and performance problems. The overarching goal of these studies is to inform the development of a voice care protocol for the aging rock star to guide customized intervention for these elite vocal athletes that is focused on optimizing both vocal output and performance.

First, the dissertation introduces and identifies characteristics of the exceptional voice. …

Assistive Devices For Communication Use With The Elderly, Corrine Koepsell, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Hearing loss is one of the prevalent medical conditions in older adults. Although it has been documented that hearing loss is associated with various aspects of social and physical health, hearing assistive technologies and audiologic rehabilitation have been infrequently tapped clinical solutions. Cost and user problems in background noise are two common reasons why hearing aids are underutilized by seniors, and by younger age groups as well. Alternative tools, such as assistive listening devices, may be helpful for older listeners, even though they are used less frequently than hearing aids. To identify if assistive listening devices are satisfactory, a pilot …

The Impact Of Dysphagia And Gastrostomy On Quality Of Life In Caregivers Of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Emily Clare Sither Goggin

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

There is little research studying the relationship between caregiver quality of life and gastrostomy, a palliative intervention recommended to manage dysphagia and malnutrition in patients diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). To facilitate a more comprehensive assessment of treatment effectiveness and to better guide patients and their families, this study investigated the relationship between gastrostomy, caregiver strain, and patient disease-related factors. Patients with bulbar-onset ALS and their caregivers were recruited regardless of their decision to accept or decline future gastrostomy. Caregivers completed the Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI) to assess levels of caregiver strain as an index of quality of …

Auditory And Somatosensory Pre-Pulse Inhibition In Mice, Anna Louthan

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Both hearing and somatosensation are sensory responses to vibrations, and here we show a way to investigate such mechanoreceptive psychophysics alone and in combination. Pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) is a well-known, unconditioned, and reflexive technique for measuring sensory thresholds with a wide variety of stimuli and laboratory animals. In this paper, we explore interactions between auditory and somatosensory PPI in normal mice. Fifteen C57/BL6J mice were tested three times each. Ages varied between one and six months. Testing followed published procedures from our lab and others, except the pre-pulses were auditory, somatosensory (vibration of the test chamber), or both. The auditory …

The Impact Of Depression On Treatment Outcomes For Patients With Aphasia Who Participate In An Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (Icap), Harley B. Kincheloe

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Abstract

Background: Aphasia is a multi-modal impairment resulting from left-hemisphere stroke. Aphasia is often accompanied by post-stroke depression. Acquiring aphasia and depression is seen to hinder quality of life and rehabilitative outcomes. Traditional stroke therapy often does not monitor or treat psychological difficulties such as depression. Such psychological difficulties hinder progress in recovery and may need to be addressed in therapy to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Aims: In response to the lack of psychological support for persons with aphasia, this literature review aims to explore the impact of depression on functional outcomes. Furthermore, this literature review will explore how …

Treatment Of Auditory Processing In Noise In Individuals With Mild Aphasia: Pilot Study, Anastasia M. Raymer, Hilary M. Sandberg, Kathryn S. Schwartz, Ginger S. Watson, Stacie I. Ringleb

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: Listening in noise challenges listeners with auditory comprehension impairments in aphasia. We examined the effects of Trivia Game, a computerized program with questions spoken in increasing levels of background noise with success in the game.

Methods: We piloted Trivia Game in four individuals with chronic aphasia and mild auditory comprehension impairments. Participants played Trivia Game for 12 twenty-minute sessions. In addition to the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB), we measured outcomes on Quick Speech in Noise (QSIN), a sentence repetition test, administered in auditory (AUD) and auditory+visual (AV) conditions as signal-to-noise ratio varied from 25 to 0 dB.

Results: All …

Implications Of Dual Language Scoring Of The Preschool Language Scale-Fifth Edition Spanish For Bilingual Preschool-Aged Children, Callie Mae Mathis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: Spanish versions of standardized tests used in language evaluations are not well studied. The purpose of this study is to further examine the appropriateness of the Preschool Language Scale, Fifth Edition Spanish (PLS-5S) in a U.S./Mexico border community by comparing the Dual language scores versus the Spanish only scores and comparing the normative sample of the PLS-5S to the population of El Paso, TX.

Method: Twenty-three bilingual preschool aged children in the El Paso area completed the Spanish Edition of the PLS-5S. The parents and teachers of the participants completed two language proficiency questionnaires (Bilingual Input Output Survey; BIOS …

The Role That Language Proficiency Variables Play On Grammaticality, Morphosyntax, And Semanitc Skills In Bilingual Children, Stephanie Escobar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: A number of experiential factors contribute to bilingual development. Factors such as opportunities to hear and use language, age of first exposure, context of learning, social value of a language, education and others have been discussed in other studies. (Bedore et al 2016; Bedore et al 2012). Language questionnaires and self-reports have been used to quantify language variables and current usage of a language. The current study was part of a larger project examining diagnostic accuracy of various assessment tools for Spanish English bilingual children living in a US/Mexico border city (Curtis, Summers, Stubbemann, & Smith, 2017). The purpose …

The Effectiveness Of The Natural Ear On Adults Ability To Accurately Match Pitch, Kendra Nicole Rosales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many theories, such as oral motor, perceptual, and sensorimotor deficits, have been posited to explain inaccurate pitch matching abilities. The current study identifies with the sensorimotor deficit theory and found it to be the most plausible explanation for inaccurate singing abilities. The Natural Ear (NE) program was designed to process voice productions in real-time and filter out the discordant harmonics, allowing a person to hear only their F0.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Natural Ear program in increasing pitch matching accuracy in singers.

Methods: A total of 50 participants were included …

Attitudes And Barriers Affecting Hearing Aid Use In Hispanics Living In The U.S. Borderland Region, Loren Renee Sotelo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hearing loss can affect a person's overall quality of life, and has been linked to depression and dementia in older adults (Brewster, Ciarleglio, Brown, Chen, Kim, Roose, Golub & Rutherford, 2018; Ciorba, Bianchini, Pelucchi, & Pastore, 2012). In the largest study to date of hearing loss among Hispanic adults residing in the U.S., researchers found that nearly 1 in 7 has hearing loss, which is close to the overall national average (National Institutes of Health, 2015). Currently, hearing aids are the primary/most effective treatment for an age-related hearing loss; Unfortunately, the adult uptake rates are low (Chien & Lin, 2012; …

Grammatical Error Types Using A Picture Description Task In English And Spanish With Young Children, Lisa Valles

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The current study was part of a larger project examining diagnostic accuracy of various assessment tools for bilingual children living in a border community. The purpose of this project was to examine language sample measures in young children using a picture description task (Eisenberg & Guo, 2013) by answering the following questions:

1. What were the frequent types of errors exhibited by young children in English and Spanish?

2. Were there distinct types of grammatical errors across languages in bilingual children?

Methods: Participants were recruited from a large city on the US/Mexico border. There were 47 participants in the …

Examining The Effects Of Pause Times On Auditory Comprehension Utilizing Secondary Data Analysis, Katelyn Vera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this secondary data analysis research study, existing data were analyzed in order to compare behavioral and electrophysiological performance in an individual with aphasia and an individual with no brain damage. The effects of pauses of different durations (i.e., 1, 2, or 3 seconds) inserted within a spoken message were analyzed by examining behavioral and electrophysiological data. Data analyzed included correct response rate, behavioral reaction time, and N400 event related potential (ERP) component amplitude and latency. The following research questions were examined: Is there a difference between the individual with aphasia and the individual with no brain damage for each …

Examining Sensory Ability, Feature Matching And Assessment-Based Adaptation For A Brain–Computer Interface Using The Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential, Jonathan S. Brumberg, Anh Nguyen, Kevin M. Pitt, Sean D. Lorenz

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: We investigated how overt visual attention and oculomotor control influence successful use of a visual feedback brain-computer interface (BCI) for accessing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices in a heterogeneous population of individuals with profound neuromotor impairments. BCIs are often tested within a single patient population limiting generalization of results. This study focuses on examining individual sensory abilities with an eye toward possible interface adaptations to improve device performance.

Methods: Five individuals with a range of neuromotor disorders participated in four-choice BCI control task involving the steady state visually evoked potential. The BCI graphical interface was designed to simulate …

Speech-Language Pathology And Psychology Students' Perceptions Of An Interprofessional Autism Intervention: An Exploratory Case Study, Haley Marie Nelson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how the interprofessional collaboration (IPC) experience of Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) changes perceptions and knowledge regarding scope of practice of pre-service professionals in the Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD), School Psychology, and Clinical Psychology programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with pre-service professionals participating in YETI as student clinicians at three different time periods. The results contribute to the existing literature base affirming that interprofessional experiences during pre-professional programs are beneficial. For the Departments of Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Department of Psychology at University of Montana, findings have the …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Velopharyngeal Timing In Normally Developing Preschool Children And Those With Speech Sound Disorders, Taylor Danielle Snodgrass

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As children acquire speech and language, they also begin to develop speech motor control. A widely accepted theoretical model for explaining speech acquisition and motor modifications necessary for appropriate speech is the Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (DIVA)model.This model posits that individuals plan and produce speech (feedforward system). If errors in speech are identified, they are modified since the DIVA Model includes a feedback system that is sensitive to such perturbations made during speech production (feedback system). This feedback system functions to make positive changes to one’s motor programming for speech. Literature suggests that children gain stability …

Visual Feedback In Voice Therapy For Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Rachel Brooke Convey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson ’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects one’s movement. As the disease develops, individuals begin to present with symptoms that include but are not limited to bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and hypokinetic dysarthria. These symptoms affect a person’s entire body, including his/her voice. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) program for treating individuals with PD is supported by over twenty-five years of research. It is considered a safe, non-invasive method to improve vocal loudness and speech clarity in individuals with PD. However, simply because LSVT is effective in its current state, it does not mean that the …

Cortical Stimulation Mapping Of Heschl’S Gyrus In The Auditory Cortex For Tinnitus Treatment, Austin Huang

CMC Senior Theses

Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an actual sound stimulus. Recent developments have shifted the focus to the central nervous system and the neural correlate of tinnitus. Broadly, tinnitus involves cortical map rearrangement, pathological neural synchrony, and increased spontaneous firing rates. Various cortical regions, such as Heschl’s gyrus in the auditory cortex, have been found to be associated with different aspects of tinnitus, such as perception and loudness. I propose a cortical stimulation mapping study of Heschl’s gyrus using a depth and subdural electrode montage to conduct electrocorticography. This study would provide high-resolution data on abnormal …

Pupillometry As A Test Of Infant Word Recognition, Amy Vinyard

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Pupillometry holds great promise as a tool for infant language research but has not yet been used to probe word recognition. The goal of the described study was to design a functioning method that can later be used to test the possibility of using pupil dilation as a gauge of word recognition in 11-month-olds. To do this, we used the methods of an existing study (The Role of Accentual Pattern in Early Lexical Representation, Vihman, Nakai, DePaolis, & Hallé 2004) with modifications. Our method ran a one-sided head turn preference paradigm with the addition of an eye tracker for pupil …