dynamics of speech the diagnostic audiometer test environment patient’s and clinician’s role speech-threshold testing most comfortable loudness and uncomfortable loudness speech-recognition testing audibility index speech audiometry

intensity frequency suprasegmentals dynamics of speech

intensity whisper - 20 dB HL normal conversational speech - 50 to 60 dB loud speech - 70 dB shouting - 90 dB dynamics of speech

frequency about 250 to 8000 Hz most important speech sounds through 6000 Hz dynamics of speech

suprasegmentals are those aspects of speech not attributable to specific speech sounds these include... stress duration pitch juncture dynamics of speech

input transducer VU meter and amplifier attenuator (hearing level dial) output transducer equipment

normally sound treated booth - mandatory for mlv recommend CDs whenever possible test environment

patient must understand the speech stimuli open set - repeat words/phrases or write it down closed set - multiple choice check-off or picture pointing clinician must make sure that stimuli is presented properly patient’s and clinician’s role

speech awareness (aka speech detection) threshold speech-recognition threshold (SRT) - lowest intensity where 50% of spondees correctly identified purpose of SRT stimuli - spondees procedures speech thresholds

most comfortable loudness level (MCL) found about midway between SRT and UCL uncomfortable loudness level normally between 85 and 105 dB (even for those w/ sensorineural hearing loss) MCL & UCL

purpose stimuli monosyllabic word lists - W-22, NU-6, high frequency lists, etc. syllables and sentences - nonsense syllables, SPIN, CID everyday sentences, etc. pictures - WIPI, NU-CHIPS, etc. speech-recognition testing

example of nu-6 word list 50 monosyllabic, phonemically balanced words stimuli base, mess, cause, mop, good, luck, walk, youth, etc. speech audiometry

example of the word intelligibility by picture identification (WIPI). 25 monosyllabic words - appropriate for children 4 to 6. speech audiometry

description ratio or percentage high frequencies (e.g., 2kHz) more heavily weighted. correlates with hearing handicap how is it determined? audibility index

summary