Abstract
Propose a protocol for instrumental assessment of adult speech considering psychometric and linguistic criteria. The choice of words was based on previously defined Brazilian Portuguese linguistic criteria after a search on the "Portal da Língua Portuguesa" database using the Portuguese Orthographic Vocabulary (VOP). The defined linguistic criteria considered grammatical class, vowel context, number of syllables, stress, and presence of words in the daily life of Brazilian adults. The choice of the images to represent the words considered the criteria of imageability, clearness, and cultural aspects. The words and images were rigorously evaluated by 13 non-specialist judges and six specialist judges. After being examined by the judges, the words were tested in adults through instrumental assessment. The protocol was composed of 19 words and images, with prevalence of nouns over adjectives. Each word included one target sound in Onset Medial position, in the context precedent and following the vowel [a], trisyllabic and paroxytone words. The adults that attended the instrumental assessments succeeded in producing the list of words spontaneously. The data obtained through the assessments provided adequate analysis. This study provided additional information on psychometric and linguistic criteria in addition to providing a protocol for instrumental assessment of adult speech.
Highlights
Speech intelligibility is an important variable in the oral communication, and it is indispensable to characterize all levels involved in this process, which are responsible for the correct and intelligible production of sounds
The selection of these words after the application of the linguistic criteria took into account the frequency of the word in the daily life of adults and the possibility of representation by figures
It should be noted that for vocabulary choice we considered factors such as familiarity with vocabulary and word extension, which favor speech intelligibility due to the ability of auditory closure[30]
Summary
Speech intelligibility is an important variable in the oral communication, and it is indispensable to characterize all levels involved in this process, which are responsible for the correct and intelligible production of sounds. Changes in any of these levels may compromise speech intelligibility, characterizing phonetic deviations or disorders, dysphonia, dysarthria, etc. In these cases, people who present impairments in speech production are referred for speech and language assessment and therapy. In relation to the adult population, the main instruments for the perceptual speech evaluations are: the Sentence Intelligence Test (SIT)(4), the Protocol for the Evaluation of Dysarthria[3], the Protocol for the Evaluation of Speech Intelligibility in Dysarthria - PAIF[5,6], and the Verbal and Nonverbal Apraxia Protocol[7]
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