Comparing the effects of a carrier phrase for NU-6 words on normal hearing and hearing impaired subjects

Date of Graduation

Fall 2001

Degree

Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Committee Chair

Thomas Franklin

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to answer the clinical question of whether the use of a carrier phrase provides greatest percentage of word recognition among patients of varying hearing degrees. In patients who have sensorineural hearing loss, word recognition ability is often diminished. This investigation is to determine whether a carrier phrase impairs or aids the word recognition ability in patients with sensorineural hearing loss. Subjects are patients of Eastern Oklahoma Ear, Nose, and Throat clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The audiological evaluation of both normal and hearing impaired subjects consist of a case history, otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tone audiometry, speech reception thresholds and word recognition testing via recorded Northwestern University #6 word lists. Each subject was administered a word list with a carrier phrase and a word list without a carrier phrase. The goal of this study was to determine the benefit or usefulness of a carrier phrase (say the word...) in word recognition testing of subjects with hearing impairment. The information obtained will help determine whether the use of a carrier phrase will hinder or help word recognition abilities of patients with hearing impairment. The results of this study will aid iin the clinical application of speech audiometry testing.

Subject Categories

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Copyright

© Sarah R. Stillwell-Barber

Citation-only

Open Access

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