Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology最新文献

Overview: Non-word repetition (NWR) is one of the most effective predictors of language impairments in children as it has been found to correlate with various language measures and the association between NWR and vocabulary is well documented in typically developing (TD) studies. However, there is a dire need for investigations of language skills in Kuwaiti Arabic individuals with Down Syndrome, and this study set out to fill a gap in this field.

Method: In this paper, we compare the vocabulary and NWR skills of a group of 48 individuals with DS aged 6-20 years to a group of 44 TD children aged 3-10 years matched on nonverbal IQ. Furthermore, we investigate the correlations among these language measures in the two groups and examine whether NWR can predict receptive and expressive vocabulary in these two groups.

Result: Results found DS participants performed significantly less than the TD group on the three language measures (receptive vocabulary t(90)= -3.17, p < .01, expressive vocabulary t(90)= -3.27, p < .01, and NWR t(90)= -8.32, p < .01). Moreover, there were strong correlations between NWR and vocabulary (receptive and expressive) in the TD group but not the DS group.

Conclusion: Findings supported the working memory model and the phonological processing account for the TD group. On the other hand, the poor association between NWR and vocabulary in the DS group might be due to poor phonological discrimination difficulties and speech discrimination difficulties.

Purpose: Neurogenic dysphagia causes complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, and aspiration pneumonia. Therefore, early detection with clinically valid tools is essential. This study aimed to investigate the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) ability to detect swallowing efficiency at three different consistencies in neurogenic dysphagia.

Methods: One hundred twelve patients with neurogenic dysphagia (74 males and 38 females, mean ± SD age 61.83 ± 9.72 years) were included in the study. A Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) was performed in the clinic following EAT-10 to assess swallowing efficacy at International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) consistencies of 0, 3, and 7. The swallowing efficiency of the patients was assessed using the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (YPRSRS). Area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity values were calculated to evaluate the ability of EAT-10 to discriminate between participants with and without residue and between participants with and without moderate-to-severe residue.

Results: The EAT-10 significantly detected participants with and without residues for three IDDSI consistent: for IDDSI 0 residue in the vallecula and pyriform sinus (cutoff score ≥ 14, p < 0.001), for IDDSI 3 residue in the vallecula and pyriform sinus (cutoff score ≥ 13, p < 0.001), for IDDSI 7 residue in the vallecula and pyriform sinus (respectively, cutoff score ≥ 13, cutoff score ≥ 14, p < 0.001). Additionally, the EAT-10 significantly detected those with and without moderate-to-severe residue.

Conclusions: The EAT-10, frequently used in swallowing clinics, can determine swallowing efficiency in individuals with neurogenic dysphagia. Additionally, it has the power to detect moderate-to-severe pharyngeal residue.

This study aims to extend current knowledge about the possibilities and challenges encountered by Swedish speech and language pathologists (SLPs) in targeting everyday language and communication in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). To explore this matter, unstructured focus groups were conducted where 15 SLPs, working with children with DLD, shared their views on the alignment between their clinical practices and children's everyday lives. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, which resulted in five themes: It's everyday life that matters; As an SLP, you're not a part of the child's everyday life; How do we merge the different worlds?; Resources at home vary, and The employer sets the framework for clinical practices. The SLPs stressed the importance of targeting everyday skills and needs, but they experienced themselves as being detached from the children's daily context. Collaboration with caregivers and (pre)school staff was emphasised; however, the resources and capacity of the caregivers and staff varied, and this was experienced as a challenge for providing the most appropriate care. Some children and their families were situated in a multifaceted context and needed more extensive care, and this group was described as increasing. However, the services that the SLPs were able to offer varied and were largely regulated by organisational constraints. Individualised services are crucial for ensuring a positive development for children with DLD and for empowering caregivers to be effective collaborative partners in intervention. Therefore, it is essential for SLPs to have the time and resources to ensure high-quality care.

Background: To the best of our knowledge, studies on the relationship between spectral energy distribution and the degree of perceived twang-like voices are still sparse. Through an auditory-perceptual test we aimed to explore the spectral features that may relate with the auditory-perception of twang-like voices.

Methods: Ten judges who were blind to the test's tasks and stimuli rated the amount of twang perceived on seventy-six audio samples. The stimuli consisted of twenty voices recorded from eight CCM singers who sustained the vowel [a:] in different pitches, with and without a twang-like voice. Also, forty filtered and sixteen synthesized-manipulated stimuli were included.

Results and conclusions: Based on the intra-rater reliability scores, four judges were identified as suitable to be included in the analyses. Results showed that the frequency of F₁ and F₂ correlated strongly with the auditory-perception of twang-like voices (0.90 and 0.74, respectively), whereas F₃ showed a moderate negative correlation (-0.52). The frequency difference between F₁ and F₃ showed a strong negative correlation (-0.82). The mean energy between 1-2 kHz and 2-3 kHz correlated moderately (0.51 and 0.42, respectively). The frequency of F₄ and F₅, and the energy above 3 kHz showed weak correlations. Since the spectral changes under 2 kHz have been associated with the jaw, lips, and tongue adjustments (i.e. vowel articulation) and a higher vertical laryngeal position might affect the frequency of all formants (including F₁ and F₂), our results suggest that vowel articulation and the laryngeal height may be relevant when performing twang-like voices.

Objective: The main objective of this study is to test the reliability of a non-invasive objective method for the measurement of biomechanical parameters of cervicofacial muscle groups, with the purpose of diagnosis and evaluation of voice disorders' treatments, especially focused on muscle tension dysphonia.

Study design: Prospective study.

Methods: The device used is a handheld myotonometer (MyotonPRO) that measures biomechanical and viscoelastic properties in superficial soft tissues frequency, stiffness, elasticity, relaxation time and creep. It is used in the field of medicine, sport and research. This pilot study includes 10 subjects, who have been measured in the masseter, sternocleidomastoid, orbicularis oris, semispinalis capitis, suprahyoid, infrahyoid and trapezius muscles on each side. Measurements were performed by 2 evaluators to assess inter-evaluator reliability. Subsequently, one of them repeated the measurements to assess intra-evaluator reliability.

Results: The results revealed good to excellent inter-rater reliability for the masseter, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius and suprahyoid muscles, with lower ICCs for the stiffness and creep properties. Intra-rater reliability was good to excellent for the masseter, sternocleidomastoid, semispinalis capitis and suprahyoid muscles. The lowest ICCs were found in the stiffness and creep properties.

Conclusion: The use of a myotonometer to measure the mechanical properties of selected cervical and orofacial muscles is a reliable and reproducible method. Future research is needed to establish an association between the properties of these muscles and their role in voice disorders, as well as to determine whether this tool can aid diagnosis with quantifiable and objectifiable indicators, and for monitoring and treatment efficacy.

Introduction: Research indicates that psychological factors such as stress and perfectionism play a crucial role in voice problems, either triggering them or intensifying the perception of difficulty. This study examines the relationship between voice handicap, perceived stress, and perfectionism in singers, exploring the impact of factors such as vocal role (soloists, choral singers, and students), music genre, years of professional experience, and the correlation between performance competency perception, perceived stress, and perfectionism.

Method: 155 singers (choral singers, soloists, and students) were assessed using the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Singing Voice Handicap Index-10 (SVHI-10), along with an ad hoc questionnaire exploring their perception of performance in the work context.

Results: Correlations were found between SVHI-10, PSS-10, and MPS, although the behavior varied depending on vocal role (p < .01) and years of professional experience (p < .01), except for perceived stress (p = .07). Among the MPS subscales, "Fear of mistakes" and "Expectations of success" showed stronger correlations with SVHI-10 (p < .01) compared to the other subscales. Singers who experienced their performance more negatively than positively in the work context had higher scores on all three scales.

Conclusions: This study explored the complex relationship between voice handicap, perceived stress, and perfectionism in singers, revealing role-based differences. Students displayed the highest scores across all scales, in contrast with experienced singers who had lower scores. These findings emphasize the need to address psychological factors in vocal training and support programs.

The early intervention Språkstart Halland targets children aged 0-3 years. During home visits at 6 and 11 months, library staff deliver gift-packs containing books, toys, songs, and rhymes to promote early language stimulation. Parents are encouraged to engage in 'talk, play, sing, read' activities to support language development. The aim of the present study was to examine parents' experiences of the 6- and 11-month visits and develop an understanding of their general impressions and thoughts regarding the perceived impact of the visits. Parents (n = 15) were interviewed in four focus groups and two one-on-one interviews. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings show that the intervention changed the parents' mindset and increased their knowledge regarding early language stimulation. Tools and strategies benefitting the parent-child interaction were gained. A positive experience and personal guidance created motivation for the parents to carry out the language stimulating activities after the visit. Social gains were described. The findings imply usefulness of the intervention in supporting children's language and literacy development.

Understanding the impact of listening effort (LE) and fatigue has become increasingly crucial in optimizing the learning experience with the growing prevalence of online classrooms as a mode of instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the LE, fatigue, and voice quality experienced by students during online and face-to-face class sessions. A total of 110 participants with an average age of 20.76 (range 18-28) comprising first year undergraduate students in Speech and Language Therapy and Audiology programs in Turkey, rated their LE during the 2022-2023 spring semester using the Listening Effort Screening Questionnaire (LESQ) and assessed their fatigue with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Voice quality of lecturers was assessed using smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS) measurements. Data were collected from both online and face-to-face sessions. The results revealed that participants reported increased LE and fatigue during online sessions compared to face-to-face sessions and the differences were statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed significant relationships (p < 0.05) between audio-video streaming quality and LE-related items in the LESQ, as well as MFI sub-scales and total scores. The findings revealed a relationship between an increased preference for face-to-face classrooms and higher levels of LE and fatigue, emphasizing the significance of these factors in shaping the learning experience. CPPS measurements indicated a dysphonic voice quality during online classroom audio streaming. These findings highlight the challenges of online classes in terms of increased LE, fatigue, and voice quality issues. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving online instruction and student experience.

Purpose: Although numerous patient-reported outcome measures have been developed and validated to quantify the impact of voice problems on different aspects of life, to our knowledge no screening instrument exists that specifically captures voice disorders in a retrospective fashion. The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties and diagnostic validity of a retrospective voice screening method, Screen11, according to the COSMIN framework for health-related, patient-reported outcome measures. The items in Screen11 have been used to establish the prevalence of voice disorders in both general and occupation-specific populations in the Nordic countries. However, the instrument has not been validated.

Methods: The voice patient group (n = 54) in this study comprised of patients from the Turku University Central Hospital phoniatric outpatient clinic seeking help for their voice problems. For these voice patients, we recruited voice-healthy controls (n = 61) who matched in terms of gender, age, and occupation. The participants responded to the Screen11 questionnaire along with the VHI and the VAPP.

Results: The results of the initial exploratory factor analysis showed that all the Screen11 items loaded on a common underlying latent factor. Furthermore, Screen11 had high internal consistency (α = .93) and correlated sufficiently with other voice questionnaires.

Conclusions: The results indicate that Screen11, which screens for possible voice disorders at an early stage, was successfully validated. With respect to its diagnostic validity, the Screen11 sum score is preferable. A threshold of ≥ 15 should be used for differentiating patients with possible voice disorders from those with healthy voices.