ERIC Number: EJ1412463
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: EISSN-1558-9102
Do Adult Naïve Listeners Perceive Differences in Speech before and after Therapy for Cleft Palate Speech Disorders? A Reliability Study of Perceptual Speech Ratings
Cassandra Alighieri; Silke Meerschaert; Kristiane Van Lierde
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v67 n1 p116-125 2024
Purpose: This study compared the interrater reliability of adult naïve listeners' perceptual assessments of different speech variables in children with a cleft palate with or without a cleft lip (CP ± L). In addition, the study investigated whether the listeners were able to perceive differences in these speech variables before and after speech therapy for cleft palate speech disorders. Method: Thirty-four speech samples of 14 children with a CP ± L (14 samples collected immediately before 10 hr of speech intervention, 14 samples collected immediately after speech intervention, and six randomly selected samples that were duplicated to assess intrarater reliability) were perceptually assessed by 26 adult naïve listeners. The listening panel consisted of nine men and 17 women (age range: 18-51 years). The speech variables included speech understandability, speech acceptability, hypernasality, hyponasality, nasal airflow, and articulation, which were assessed on a visual analog scale. Furthermore, the need for speech therapy was assessed. Results: Good to very good interrater reliability was observed for the naïve listeners' ratings of all speech variables. A significant time effect was found for the pre- and postevolution of the speech variables "speech understandability," "speech acceptability," "nasal airflow," and "articulation." This time effect indicates an improvement of these variables postintervention. According to the naïve listeners, children were less in need of additional speech therapy after the 10-hr intervention period compared to assessments before this intervention period. Conclusions: Adult naïve listeners perceptually identified an improvement in different speech variables after 10 hr of cleft palate speech therapy. These findings confirm previous assessments of expert speech-language pathologists and suggest that speech improvements after cleft palate speech therapy can also be perceived by communication partners outside the therapy room. Perceptual ratings of naïve listeners can, thus, be used to add life-situation significance to the assessments of experts. Future research could include both expert raters and caregivers or relatives of children with a CP ± L in listening panels, as previous knowledge on craniofacial anomalies may lead to different results.
Descriptors: Adults, Listening Skills, Speech Therapy, Congenital Impairments, Speech Impairments, Interrater Reliability, Speech Language Pathology, Outcomes of Treatment
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A