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Speech perception in individuals with auditory dys-synchrony

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2010

U A Kumar*
Affiliation:
Department of audiology and speech language pathology, Kasturba Medial College (a unit of Manipal University), Mangalore, India
M Jayaram
Affiliation:
Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Bangalore, India
*
Address for correspondence: Dr U Ajith Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College (a unit of Manipal University), Mangalore, India E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lengthening the transition duration of selected speech segments upon the perception of those segments in individuals with auditory dys-synchrony.

Methods:

Thirty individuals with auditory dys-synchrony participated in the study, along with 30 age-matched normal hearing listeners. Eight consonant–vowel syllables were used as auditory stimuli. Two experiments were conducted. Experiment one measured the ‘just noticeable difference’ time: the smallest prolongation of the speech sound transition duration which was noticeable by the subject. In experiment two, speech sounds were modified by lengthening the transition duration by multiples of the just noticeable difference time, and subjects' speech identification scores for the modified speech sounds were assessed.

Results:

Subjects with auditory dys-synchrony demonstrated poor processing of temporal auditory information. Lengthening of speech sound transition duration improved these subjects' perception of both the placement and voicing features of the speech syllables used.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that innovative speech processing strategies which enhance temporal cues may benefit individuals with auditory dys-synchrony.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2010

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