Novel Stimuli for Obtaining Nasalance Measures from Young Children

Abstract

The use of novel stimuli for obtaining nasalance measures in young children was the focus of this study. The subjects were 20 children without a history of communication disorders and 20 children at risk for velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Each subject recited three passages; the standard Zoo Passage, and two novel stimuli that were named the Turtle Passage and the Mouse Passage. Like the Zoo Passage, the Turtle Passage contained no normally nasal consonants. The Mouse Passage was about 11% nasal consonants, which is similar to the Rainbow Passage. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the mean nasalance for the Zoo Passage and the Turtle Passage for either the subjects without risk of VPI (15.4% vs 15.7%) or for those at risk (30.4% vs 28.8%). Nasalance measures for the Mouse Passage were significantly higher than for either the Zoo Passage or the Turtle Passage. Listeners rated the stimuli on a 5-point equal-appearing intervals scale. The correlation coefficient between listener judgments of hypernasality and nasalance was significant for the Zoo Passage (r = 0.70) and for the Turtle Passage (r = 0.51) but not significant for the Mouse Passage (r = 0.32). Using cut-off scores of 22% for nasalance and 2.25 for hypernasality, the sensitivity for the Zoo Passage was 0.72, and for the Turtle Passage, 0.83.

Comparison of Nasalance Scores Obtained with the Nasometer 6200 and the Nasometer II 6400

“…The Turtle Passage contains 29 syllables and has been shown to be comparable to the longer Zoo Passage with respect to nasalance scores obtained (Watterson et al, 1996). Like the Zoo Passage, the Turtle Passage contains no nasal consonants.…”

Objektive Messung der normalen Nasalanz im sächsischen Sprachraum

“…Studien haben gezeigt, dass die Nasalanz durch die phonetische Zusammensetzung des Sprachstimulus [5,23], wie an dem vorliegenden Untersuchungsgut gezeigt werden konnte, die Muttersprache [1,11,15], regionale Dialekte [11,17], das Geschlecht [4,11,17], das Alter [9,11] und die Rasse [13] beeinflusst wird. Demgegenüber fanden aber Van Doorn u. Purcell [20] sowie Litzaw u. Dalston [12] keine Geschlechts-und Altersabhängigkeiten.…”

“…Watterson et al [23] fanden für einen Text ohne Nasallaute (Zoopassage) bei amerikanischen Kindern eine mittlere Nasalanz von 15,4%. Für die spanische Sprache wurde ein Mittelwert der Nasalanz von 36% für einen gemischten Text angegeben [1].…”

Perceptual Evaluation of Hypernasality Compared to HONC Measures: The Role of Experience

“…However, as Kent (1996) also points out, multiple variables, including articulation, fluency, and phonology of the speakers, can affect listeners' perceptual judgment, compromising the validity of the perceptual evaluation. Fletcher et al (1989) and Watterson et al (1996) also noted that the phonetic context of the speech sample influenced the perceptual judgment of hypernasality. Furthermore, early research (e.g., Bradford et al, 1964) showed that the reliability of perceptual judgments might be problematic even for ''experienced'' judges of hypernasality.…”