Speech audiometry

Question 1

What Tests are associated w/ speech audiometry

Answer 1

• SRT
• MCL
• WRS

Question 2

What does speech audiometry measure?

Answer 2

• Sensitivity

- Acuity

Question 3

Volume units meter

Answer 3

• to monitor the intensity of input source

- set up calibration so monitor peaks at 0 when you’re speaking

Question 4

Response types

Answer 4

• Oral (most common)
• Written
• Picture ID (for children, ELL, developmental, etc.)

Question 5

False positives

Answer 5

• possible when you don’t cover your mouth

- otherwise, not very common

Question 6

False negatives

Answer 6

• common

- may need to reinstruct

Question 7

Speech detection threshold (SDT)

Answer 7

• measure of sensitivity
• lowest level in dB that a subject can detect speech
• does NOT need to be understood
• not very useful, can get same info from pure tone test

Question 8

Speech recognition threshold (SRT)

Answer 8

• measure of sensitivity
• lowest level in dB that a subject can barely understand speech
• obtained with spondees
• good check for validity of pure tone thresholds

Question 9

Spondee

Answer 9

• two syllable word w/ equal emphasis on both syllables

Question 10

How to test SRT

Answer 10

• like pure tones
• 10 down, 5 up
• familiarize pt w/ words first

Question 11

Performance-intensity functions

Answer 11

• as you go up in intensity, you don’t have to go very high before people suddenly start getting 100%
• someone who plateaus (e.g. SNHL) won’t get 100%
• if they plateau then get worse, red flag for retrocochlear hearing loss

Question 12

Most Comfortable Listening level (MCL)

Answer 12

• use to find out what’s the most comfortable level for someone to listen to speech at
• use cold running speech
• measure of sensitivity

Question 13

Measures of acuity

Answer 13

• WRS
• use the level of MCL
• % correct rather than dB like in sensitivity

Question 14

Acuity

Answer 14

• to determine the person’s suprathreshold speech recognition abilities
• how well can a person distinguish the acoustic cues of speech above threshold?

Question 15

Word recognition scores (WRS)

Answer 15

• often called speech discrim but is NOT discrim task
• identify a word that was just spoken
• cannot be predicted from puretone audiogram

Question 16

Reliability of WRS

Answer 16

• a test should reveal similar scores from one day to the next (test-retest)

Question 17

Validity of WRS

Answer 17

• should correlate w/ other tests that reflect the subjects difficulties

Question 18

PB WORD LISTS

Answer 18

• phonetically balanced word lists

- phonetic composition of all lists are equivalent and representative of everyday English

Question 19

Significant differences

Answer 19

• when is a difference significant?

- it is a function of the # of items