Classification of Speech Discrimination Ability using Variable-speech-rate Audiometry

• Published in: AUDIOLOGY JAPAN Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 127 - 132
• Main Authors: Shiraishi, Hiromu, Hosoi, Hiroshi, Nishida, Takashi, Azuma, Hiroji, Murata, Kiyotaka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Audiological Society 1997
• ISSN: 0303-8106; 1883-7301
• DOI: 10.4295/audiology.40.127

A temporal factor in word discrimination ability of the hearing-impaired was clinically evaluated by classifying the word discrimination characteristics for variable speed speech using variable-speech-rate audiometry. The results of the study were compared with the speech reception threshold (SRT) and the speech discrimination score obtained from the standard speech audiometry authorized by the Japan Audiological Society. The subjects were 73 ears in 49 patients with sensorineural hearing impairment. The word discrimination characteristics were classified into three categories, A, B, C, according to the difference between the performance-intensity curves for normal speech rate and for 1.5 times normal speech rate. 30ears which were slightly affected by the fast speech were classified into group A. 17ears which were greatly affected by the fast speech were classified into group C. Group B consisted of 26ears which were between A and C. Since there was no close relation between SRT, speech discrimination score and the results of this audiometry, the results of this audiometry can not be estimated by the results of the standard speech audiometry. It was concluded that this examination was useful for evaluation of a temporal factor in word discrimination ability.