ABSTRACT
Speaking rates of individuals with severe ataxic dysarthria (n = 4) and severe hypokinetic dysarthria (n = 4) were reduced to 60% and 80% of habitual rates using four different pacing strategies (Additive Metered, Additive Rhythmic, Cued Metered, and Cued Rhythmic). Effects of rate control on sentence and phoneme intelligibility and speech naturalness were examined. Sentence intelligibility improved for both groups, with metered pacing conditions associated with the largest improvement in scores. Similar improvements as speaking rates were reduced were not seen for the phoneme intelligibility task; however, one must recognize that sentence and phoneme intelligibility tasks are different. Slowing the rate of dysarthric speakers did not have as marked an impact on speech naturalness as it did for normal speakers whose naturalness decreased at slowed rates. Metered rate control strategies were associated with the lowest ratings of naturalness for all subject groups. A potential explanation for the discrepancies between the findings for sentence and phoneme intelligibility is offered.
Subject(s)
Dysarthria/therapy , Speech Disorders/therapy , Speech Intelligibility , Speech Therapy/methods , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Speech Production MeasurementABSTRACT
An articulatory inventory was administered to 19 dysarthric adults and scored using two judging formats--phoneme identification and traditional testing. Results indicated that samples judged using the traditional testing format, in which the judge knew the target phoneme, were consistently scored more accurately than those that had been judged using a phoneme identification format, in which the target was not known. Although overall both judging formats were characterized by high inter-rater reliability, the traditional testing format was less reliable than phoneme identification with samples obtained from severely involved speakers. Potential uses of articulatory inventories for dysarthric adults are described.
Subject(s)
Dysarthria , Phonetics , Research Design , Speech Disorders , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A portable, battery-operated micturition monitor has been developed for use by patients with spinal cord injuries. The monitor, when integrated into the external urinary collection device for a male with a spinal cord injury, provides an accurate measure of the elapsed time in minutes since the patient last voided. This measure greatly reduces the efforts required by the medical staff to obtain a reliable residual urine volume measurement.
