Development of Thai Spondee Words for SRT Measurement in Children

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop standardized Thai speech material for use in the measurement of speech recognition threshold (SRT) in children. METHODS The Thai speech material was developed according to three essential criteria: children’s familiarity with the word, phonetic dissimilarity, and homogeneity with respect to basic audibility. Disyllabic words selected from a Thai fundamental word list used in teaching the Thai language at the primary level were analyzed to measure the intensity of each syllable using a Computerized Speech Lab (CSL). The spondee words were then assessed for familiarity by the parents or guardians of the children. A total of 60 spondee words were selected for use in evaluating the threshold of recognition of each word by 30 normal-hearing children. RESULTS Of the 60 spondee words, 25 words with relatively steep and homogeneous psychometric function slopes were selected for inclusion in a list of Thai speech material for children. The psychometric function slopes at the 50% threshold of the final 25 spondee words were found to have a mean of 10.76 %/dB. CONCLUSIONS The Thai speech material for children was developed according to the speech material criteria. This list of words is suitable for use in evaluating the SRT of normal-hearing children.