Abstract
Profoundly deaf cochlear implant users provide an interesting population in which to assess the role of distorted auditory feedback in speech, since their electrically stimulated hearing is significantly different from normal hearing. The aim of the study was to evaluate, by means of spectrographic and listener analyses, the speech production changes in a postlingually deafened adult with the use of a multichannel cochlear implant over time, compared to that of hearing aids as well as no-amplification. The results indicated significant improvements in the use of suprasegmental speech features as well in the production of specific segmental features of speech.
Highlights
Research on the benefits of cochlear implants have in the past focused primarily on the speech perception of the postlingually deafened implant user (Dowell, Brown, Seligman & Clark, 1985; Dowell, Seligman, Blarney & Clark, 1987; Eddington, 1983; Cohen, Waltzman & Shapiro, 1985 and Schindler, Kessler, Rebscher, Yanda & Jackler, 1986)
It was expected that when utterance length was spectrographically analyzed, the results obtained with the cochlear implant would show a decrease in duration, when compared to the noamplification and hearing aid condition
The mean values calculated for the cochlear implant condition were in all instances longer than the values obtained in the no-amplification situation, as well as the majority of values obtained during the hearing aid condition
Summary
Research on the benefits of cochlear implants have in the past focused primarily on the speech perception of the postlingually deafened implant user (Dowell, Brown, Seligman & Clark, 1985; Dowell, Seligman, Blarney & Clark, 1987; Eddington, 1983; Cohen, Waltzman & Shapiro, 1985 and Schindler, Kessler, Rebscher, Yanda & Jackler, 1986). Waldstein (1990) investigated some effects of postlingual deafness on speech by exploring selected properties of consonants, vowels and suprasegmentals in the speech of seven totally, postlingually deafened individuals. Their results demonstrated that postlingual deafness affects the production of all the classes of speech sounds. Re-introduction of "auditory input" with the electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve should result in changes in speech production These changes in speech production are primarily reliant on the type of information derived from stimulation and the implant listener's articulatory adaptation to prolonged profound deafness, (Perkell et al, 1992)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
