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About Student Research

Student Research Papers in Communicative Sciences and Disorders

(See below for ordering information)
VOLUME 8-2001
Titles and Abstracts

*Junko YarimizoTHE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF STIMULI ON SPEECH RECOGNITION THRESHOLDS IN JAPANESE ENGLISH-AS-A-SECOND-LANGUAGE (ESL) LEARNERS

The speech recognition thresholds (SRT) were measured for an experimental group of six Japanese ESL learners and a control group of six native English speakers under three conditions. The three stimulus types included standard adult spondees without pictures (Condition A), standard adult spondees with pictures (Condition B), and children's spondees without pictures (Condition C). Conditions A and C required open-set responses, while Condition B required closed-set responses. The mean SRT scores were best under Conditions A and worst under Condition C in both subject groups. However, statistical analyses identified no significant difference in ESL learners' SRT scores across all conditions. A between-groups comparison revealed that ESL subjects' mean differences between pure-tone threshold (PTA) and SRT scores were more elevated than those of native English speaking subjects under each stimulus condition (4.42dB and 5.52dB). An additional analysis indicated these between-group differences were statistically significant. The results suggest that audiologists who use English stimuli to measure SRTs for beginning Japanese ESL learners need to be aware that ESL clients may obtain SRT values significantly worse than native English speakers with similar hearing acuity. Pp. 1-8.

*Paper to be presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, November, 2001, New Orleans.

*First Place Winner-In the category, Behavioral & Social Sciences, 15th Annual California State University Student Research Competition, May, 2001.

*Pamela S. Ballin

THE EFFECTS OF A REGULAR PHYSICAL EXERCISE PROGRAM ON THE ACOUSTIC PARAMETERS AND PERCEPTUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AGED FEMALE VOICE
Acoustic measures of fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency standard deviation, jitter and shimmer were taken from the sustained vocalization of /a/ of fourteen female exercisers and non-exercisers between the ages of 58 and 73 years of age. In addition, the female speakers were rated on hoarseness, harshness, tremor, and perceived chronological age by six speech-language pathology students based on a one-minute spontaneous speech sample. The acoustic results of the study indicate that there is a significant difference in % jitter between the high exercise and low exercise levels within the 64-73 year-old group. In addition, there was a significant difference in shimmer between the two age groups (58-63 and 64-73 years) but not between levels of exercise. Perceptual results indicate that neither age group or exercise levels resulted in significantly different vocal quality ratings, or perceived chronological age ratings. Results of this study support previous studies in qualifying shimmer and jitter as more sensitive measures of laryngeal performance associated with characteristics of the aging voice. Pp. 9-19.
*Paper to be presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, November, 2001, New Orleans.

Constance Jones

DO THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED ADULTS HAVE PRAGMATIC DEFICITS COMPARED TO EMPLOYED ADULTS?

When addressing the needs of the long-term unemployed (defined as not employed for four consecutive months within the previous 12 months) those in the vocational counseling field typically rely on generic communication curriculums that focus on skills required for the business world. This practice does not consider the specific needs of employees that may require in-depth analysis and remediation of communication deficits that go beyond the scope of the basic business communication training. This study investigated the pragmatic skills of long-term unemployed individuals using a pragmatic protocol, an assessment tool that is used widely in the practice of speech-language pathology. The results of this study indicated that the long-term unemployed group did show more deficits in pragmatic skills than did the employed group. Pp. 20-27.

Rolf Keltner

A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AUDITORY VERSUS AUDIO-VISUAL FEEDBACK IN TEACHING AMERICAN ENGLISH INTONATION PATTERNS TO NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH
This study compared the effectiveness of using auditory feedback versus audiovisual feedback in teaching American English intonation patterns to non-native speakers of English. Audiotaped recordings of sentences featuring six American English (AE) intonation patterns as produced by five male and five female non-native speakers of English were rated by two judges for "acceptability" of pitch and rhythm on a seven point scale. Then the ten subjects were formed into two matched groups. The A group received instruction on the six American English intonation patterns and then practiced them in sentences using auditory feedback. The AV group received the same instruction and practiced the sentences using audiovisual feedback provided by a Visipitch. Audiotaped recordings of sentence productions featuring the same six intonation patterns were then obtained from each group and later rated by the same two judges in the same fashion. An independent t-test comparing the change in performance between recordings for each group revealed that both teaching methods were equally effective . Clinical relevance and research implications are discussed. Pp. 28-38.

Stephanie E. Martinson.

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES IN RECEPTIVE VOCABULARY IN RUSSIAN BILINGUAL SCHOOL CHILDREN
This study investigated the effects of receptive vocabulary on test performance of school aged children using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - Revised (PPVT-R), Form L. Twenty-four bilingual Russians, who spoke Russian and English, were administered the PPVT-R using a Standard English accent. Ten children were simultaneously introduced to Russian and English within the first five years of life (REt) and fourteen children were exposed to Russian and English after entering school (REi). Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between the REt and REi groups. However, significantly higher standard test scores were found for children in middle school who simultaneously learned both languages. Gradual improvements in performance scores were shown with elementary school children functioning at approximately one standard deviation below the mean, and high school students scoring one standard deviation above the mean. Clinical relevance and research implications are discussed. Pp. 39-46.

Nuncia C. Pastore

Ordering information:

To order any of the above papers, send a request through regular inter-library loan to California State University, East Bay Libraries, Hayward, California 94542. Include author, title, volume, call number and page numbers.

TITLE Student research papers in communicative sciences and disorders. PUBL. INFO. Hayward, Calif. : Dept. of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, California State University, East Bay, 1994-2001
DESCRIPT v. : i11. ; 28 cm.
SUBJECT Communicative disorders. Speech therapy.
NOTE Title from cover. Vol. 8
ADDL AUTHOR California State University, East Bay. Communicative Sciences and Disorders Dept.
ADDL TITLE Communicative sciences and disorders.
CALL NO. (f) RC423 .S88 v.8

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