A TEST OF CHILDREN'S ENGLISH/SPANISH SPEECH PERCEPTION IN NOISE OR SPEECH MASKERS

项目摘要/摘要 在美国，超过15%的儿童在讲西班牙语的家庭中长大。然而，临床评估 学龄前儿童和学龄儿童的言语感知通常使用英语材料进行 以安静、稳定的噪音或多人喋喋不休的语气呈现。我们知道言语感知分数更高 当用监听者的母语执行测试时。我们还知道，听力障碍对 在复杂掩蔽(例如，2-3个语音流)中对语音感知的有害影响比在噪声或 胡言乱语。因此，评估西班牙语儿童言语知觉的典型方法是使用 英语目标和稳定的噪音，不太可能提供完整的听力功能。这样做的目的是 建议开发一种临床测试，用于评估英语和西班牙语的掩蔽言语感知，在 要么是复杂的语音，要么是稳定的噪音背景。拟议的工作是建立在对 Calandruccio等人。(2014b)，它引入了四个可选的强制选择图片指向阈值 可以用英语或西班牙语管理的评估任务。目标词是双音节名词 年幼的孩子很熟悉，而掩蔽者要么是言语形状的噪音，要么是两个人说话。录制的 说明和指点图片的回答意味着测试者不需要流利地使用测试语言。四个人- 另一种形式还包括对言语产出不佳的儿童的评估。目标1将改进 测试材料和程序，包括阈值估计参数的优化和 临床环境软件的实施。目标2将建立整个听者的测试信度和效度 年龄和听力状况。心理测量学函数斜率的阈值标准和估计值将为4- 到12岁的儿童，包括说西班牙语/英语的双语者和说单一语言的英语者。的表现 听力受损的儿童，包括助听器和人工耳蜗的使用者，将接受相对于以下方面的评估 对现实生活中听力状况下功能表现的估计。AIM 3将在#年评估测试程序 七个忙碌的儿科听力学诊所。测试结果将与目前用于 评估说西班牙语和英语的儿童(例如，纯音阈值和英语PBK 分数)，以及家长关于语言熟练程度和功能听力的问卷数据 才能。将征求临床医生的反馈意见，以进一步改进测试程序。研究小组聚集在一起， 执行拟议的工作包括基础听力科学、听觉发育、临床方面的专业知识 研究、双语和提供临床护理，确保最终产品将是临床 既严谨又实用的乐器。最终的结果有望提高我们的听力能力 评估和管理会说英语、西班牙语或两种语言的儿童。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Over 15% of children in the US are raised in Spanish-speaking homes. However, clinical assessment of speech perception in preschoolers and school-age children is generally performed using English materials presented in quiet, in steady noise, or in multi-talker babble. We know that speech perception scores are better when testing is performed in a listener’s native language. We also know that hearing impairment has a more detrimental effect on speech perception in a complex masker (e.g., 2-3 streams of speech) than in noise or babble. Therefore, the typical approach of evaluating Spanish-speaking children’s speech perception, using English targets and steady noise, is unlikely to provide a full account of functional hearing. The goal of this proposal is to develop a clinical test for evaluating masked speech perception in English and in Spanish, in either a complex speech or a steady noise background. The proposed work builds on the feasibility study of Calandruccio et al. (2014b), which introduced a four-alternative, forced-choice picture-pointing threshold estimation task that can be administered in either English or Spanish. Target words are disyllabic nouns familiar to young children, and maskers are either speech-shaped noise or two-talker speech. The recorded instructions and picture-pointing response means the tester need not be fluent in the test language. The four- alternative format also accommodates assessment of children with poor speech production. Aim 1 will refine the test materials and procedures, including optimization of threshold estimation parameters and implementation of software for a clinical setting. Aim 2 will establish test reliability and validity across listener age and hearing status. Threshold norms and estimates of psychometric function slopes will be obtained for 4- to 12-year-olds, including both Spanish/English bilingual and monolingual English speakers. Performance of children with hearing loss, including hearing aid and cochlear implant users, will be evaluated relative to estimates of functional performance in real-life listening situations. Aim 3 will evaluate the test procedures in seven busy pediatric audiology clinics. Test results will be compared with measures that are currently used to evaluate Spanish- and English-speaking children (e.g., pure-tone thresholds and English-language PBK scores), and with questionnaire data from parents regarding language proficiency and functional hearing ability. Clinician feedback will be solicited to further improve test procedures. The research team assembled to carry out the proposed work includes expertise in basic hearing science, auditory development, clinical research, bilingualism, and the provision of clinical care, ensuring that the final product will be a clinical instrument that is both rigorous and practical. The end result is expected to improve our ability to audiologically evaluate and manage children who speak English, Spanish or both languages.