Speech Function Research Articles

The specificity of the representation of speech in family communication of the characters in A.P. Chekhov's novels

This article presents an analysis of the ways of representing inner speech in the stories of Anton Chekhov, depicting the family communication of the characters. The aim of this study is to investigate the introduction of verbs with a common meaning of speech activity, their semantics and functions in depicting speech as a component of family communication in the stories of Chekhov's mature period. The research is based on the principles and main provisions of the structural-semantic and functional approach; theories of conceptualization and language representation; linguistic and cultural theory; theory of artistic text and discourse, as well as theoretical foundations of family communication. During the study, it was found that the main technique used by Chekhov to convey inner speech is improperly direct speech, which serves to unite and interfere with the author's and character's modus in the hero's inner speech. In those Chekhov's texts where the narration is in the first person, in most cases verbs are used that convey external speech in dialogic family communication. Inner speech in these stories is not typical and is rare.

Directive Speech Acts in Humorous ‘Mop’ Discourse in Papuan Society: A Pragmatic Studies

This study examines the analysis of the form and function of directive speech acts in the discourse of ‘Mop’ humor in Papuan society. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The collection technique in this study used linguistic data collection instruments, namely listening techniques, note-taking techniques, and proficient free-involvement techniques. Data analysis in this study consisted of four stages, namely: (1) data collection, (2) data reduction, (3) data presentation, and (4) conclusions and verification. The results of this study indicate that in the discourse of 'Mop' humor in Papuan society there are eight forms and seventeen functions of directive speech acts, namely: (1) Asking has the function of asking, (2) Commanding has the function of commanding, commanding, demanding, instructing, and directing, (3) Ordering has the function of asking and inviting, (4) Recommending has the function of advising, (5) Advising has the function of advising, suggesting, and warning, (6) Permissives has the function of allowing, (7) Prohibitives has the function of prohibiting and limiting, and (8) Requesting has the function of asking and inviting. The most dominant directive speech act used in the discourse of ‘Mop’ humor in Papuan society is the form and function of asking. The existence of a question element in ‘Mop’ implies that communication between speakers and speech partners requires answers to unknown information.

Differences in Nutritional Status of Elderly Users and Non Users of Complete Dentures

Background: Dental and oral health problems due to tooth loss will have an impact on nutritional intake and nutritional status of the elderly.The elderly who do not replace missing teeth using dentures will decrease their chewing efficiency. One of the functions of dentures is to restore the function of mastication and speech. Objective: Knowing the difference in nutritional status of elderly users and non-denture users in terms of body mass index using a literature review. Method: Literature review Searching for articles using four Science Direct, Google Scholar, EBSCO, and PubMed database using relevant keywords and obtained 12 article results that match the research criteria. Results: Normal nutritional status is greater in elderly users of complete dentures compared to elderly who do not use complete dentures. based on measurements of body mass index, denture users and non-users have a significant difference. Conclusion: The use of complete dentures can affect nutritional status.

Role of Misconceptions and Miscommunications in Theatrical Characters: Analyzing Speech Acts in the Namibian Plays

The current study examines the misconceptions and misunderstandings in the speech acts of the characters within three Namibian plays, namely The Oracle of Cidino written by Francis Nyathi, Checkmate by Maria Amakali, and The Bride and Broom penned by David Stone Ndjavera. Furthermore, this research examines the ways, which depict instances where characters’ speech acts lead to misconceptions and misunderstandings in the selected plays. Thereby, delving into these aspects, this study sheds light on the complexities of communication within the selected theatrical works. Moreover, this study examines the impact of miscommunication in discussions, which can culminate differences in understanding of speech acts between the speaker and the listener. The listener, however, is prone to a variety of emotional reactions, which arise from misunderstandings in a conversation - including feelings of joy, humor, embarrassment, regret or self-assumption, and impression of the speaker's utterance. The results of the enquiry evinced that the location-based actions performed by the characters in the three selected plays included declarative, interrogative, and imperative resources that are extracted from three Namibian plays. This is achieved by adopting a discourse analysis research approach, identifying, and explaining speech acts based on five classes of speech acts. Additionally, the current study is established on five functions of speech acts and on the other hand, the declarative statements proliferate the fewest of times since they require specified circumstances to be performed.

Mapping of cortical speech zones and arcuate tract in patients with gliomas of temporal lobe of left hemisphere (analysis of a series of 27 observations)

Introduction. Craniotomy in conscious patients is a possible tool for optimizing of tumor resection degree (Extent of Resection) while maintaining the quality of life. Traditionally, the main focus during these operations is on the cortical speech areas. At the same time, there is a shortage of studies on mapping of long associative tracts during the removal of gliomas of dominant speech hemisphere.Aim. To analyze the data of intraoperative mapping and the postoperative state of speech function in patients with temporal lobe gliomas of left hemisphere (including those involving arcuate bundle) operated by the use of method of craniotomy in consciousness.Materials and methods. Gliomas of temporal lobe of left hemisphere were removed in 27 patients aged 14 to 67 years (median age 43 years). In 10 patients, the tumor was localized in middle parts of temporal lobe (at the level of middle and upper temporal gyri), in 9 patients – in posterior parts of temporal lobe and exited into the supramarginal zone, in 8 it spread partially from temporal lobe to insular area. Gliomas of high degree of malignancy were detected in 21 patients, 6 had tumors of low degree of malignancy. Surgical intervention was performed with intraoperative “awakening”. All patients underwent cortical electrophysiological stimulation in order to control localization of cortical speech zones, subcortical stimulation was performed in 21 cases to identify terminals of arcuate bundle. Speech disorders before and after surgery (on day 4–6) were evaluated by neuropsychologist using the method proposed by A. R. Luria, an automated test with the naming of pictures was additionally used intraoperatively. The average current strength of direct electrical stimulation was 3 (1.9–6.5) mA. In 12 cases, magnetic resonance (MR) tractography with construction of arcuate tract was performed before and after the surgery.Results. Cortical temporal speech zones during intraoperative electrical stimulation were detected in 20 (74 %) of 27 patients. In 10 patients, the arcuate tract was mapped in form of appearance of mixed speech disorders in the depth of surgical wound. In 23 (85.2 %) of 27 patients in early postoperative period, an increase in speech disorders was noted of which 13 people had disorders of temporal type only and 10 people (surgery on deep posterior parts of temporal lobe) had a combination of temporal and frontal types of speech disorders (conduction aphasia). Postoperative MR‑tractography (performed in 12 patients) revealed direct intraoperative tract lesion in 5 cases and ischemia of the tract area passage in 2 cases. These 7 patients had combined speech disorders after surgery. Gross sensory aphasia after surgery was manifested in 4 patients, in 2 of them ischemia was revealed according to postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, and 2 more had hemorrhagic impregnation in the removed tumor bed.Conclusion. When removing tumors of temporal lobe in “awakening” conditions it is necessary to map speech zones not only in the cortical, but also in the subcortical area with terminals of arcuate bundle. Mapping of speech zones in these different localizations makes it possible to identify fundamentally different speech disorders.

Subjective and Objective Evaluation of Speech in Adult Patients With Repaired Cleft Palate.

To explore the speech outcomes of adult patients with repaired cleft palate through subjective perception evaluation and objective acoustic analysis, and to compare the differences in pronunciation characteristics between speakers with complete velopharyngeal closure (VPC) and velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) patients. Subjective evaluation indicators included speech intelligibility, nasality and consonant missing rate, for objective acoustic analysis, we used speech sample normalization and objective acoustic parameters included normalized vowel formants, voice onset time and the analysis of 3-dimensional spectrogram and spectrum, were carried out on speech samples produced by 3 groups of speakers: (a) speakers with velopharyngeal competence after palatorrhaphy (n=38); (b) speakers with velopharyngeal incompetence after palatorrhaphy (n=70), (c) adult patients with cleft palate (n=65) and (d) typical speakers (n=30). There was a highly negative correlation between VPC grade and speech intelligibility (ρ=-0.933), and a highly positive correlation between VPC and nasality (ρ=0.813). In subjective evaluation, the speech level of VPI patients was significantly lower than that of VPC patients and normal adults. Although the nasality and consonant loss rate of VPC patients were significantly higher than that of normal adults, the speech intelligibility of VPC patients was not significantly different from that of normal adults. In acoustic analysis, patients with VPI still performed poorly compared with patients with VPC. The speech function of adult cleft palate patients is affected by abnormal palatal structure and bad pronunciation habits. In subjective evaluation, there was no significant difference in speech level between VPC patients and normal adults, whereas there was significant difference between VPI patients and normal adults. The acoustic parameters were different between the 2 groups after cleft palate repair. The condition of palatopharyngeal closure after cleft palate can affect the patient's speech.

Characteristics of speech function in the process of patients getting used to removable dentures

Relevance. The majority of elderly and senile patients in the Russian Federation still use removable acrylic dentures, which is associated with the economic problems of the elderly. However, there are few studies devoted to the study of the effect of such dentures on the quality of speech function. Objective. Evaluation of quality of speech function in the patients with partial and complete tooth loss during the adaptation to the removable dentures including using by patients new home-made adhesive cream for denture fixation. Materials and methods. Overall 111 (33 male and 78 female) elderly patients with partial (63) and complete (48) tooth loss were examined and were divided into 4 study groups. Groups 1 and 2 included patients with partial tooth loss and groups 3 and 4 included patients with total tooth loss. There were also examined 17 elderly people who had no defects of dentition and formed a control group. The defects of dental rows in the patients of groups 1–4 were eliminated by making removable dentures. At the same time, during the adaptation period, patients in groups 2 and 4 of the study used a new domestic adhesive cream for fixing dentures. Before treatment and during the adaptation period, the quality of speech function of the patients was studied. Results. It was found that with preservation of the integrity of the dental rows in the elderly people a high quality of speech is observed. Loss of teeth leads to a decrease in the quality of speech function, especially in patients with partial loss of teeth in the anterior part of the jaw or front teeth on both jaws. By the middle of the adaptation period, the quality of speech function had improved in all patients examined, both with partial and total tooth loss. Use of the adhesive cream by patients provided a reliably better quality of speech function with partial and full removable acrylic dentures, which was characterised as «high» at the end of the adaptation period. Conclusion. On the basis of the conducted research, home-made adhesive cream for denture fixation can be recommended to patients with the purpose of optimization of the adaptation period to removable acrylic dentures as well as for permanent use, which will improve not only fixation and stabilization of dentures, state of the prosthetic bed mucosa, but also the quality of speech function.

THE REALIZATION OF INTERPERSONAL MEANING OF SPOKEN TEXTS IN AN EFL INTERNATIONAL TEXTBOOK: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE

Interpersonal metafunction is an important concept when describing interactions in terms of responding to the act of giving or demanding goods, services, or information (Halliday and Mathiessen (2004). This article examines interpersonal meanings realized in the mood and modality resources of an Interchange Series textbook—the fourth edition textbook used for Grade 3 or Intermediate students. The research u discourse analysis and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as the main theoretical framework, and the analysis used the mood element as a central resource for the realization of interpersonal meaning. The results show that among the 275 clauses in the 16 texts, declarative sentences dominate (146 or 53.09 percent). Interrogative clauses are much less common (64, or 23.27 percent). None of the texts, therefore, utilize any of the imperative clauses. Furthermore, the number of modalization used in the sixteen texts are probability (26 or 9.45%), usuality (10 or 3.64%), and obligation (9 or 3.27%). This research suggests that forthcoming language textbooks may include examples of interpersonal meaning in terms of speech functions as resources for interaction. The implication is that language teachers could explicitly and systematically teach students interpersonal grammar of exchange that deals with the semantics of speech functions and modality. Teachers and students should be able to critically question textbooks as socio-semiotic agents since interpersonal meaning grammar helps people learn to deconstruct or interactively create spoken texts.

Analisis Fungsi Tindak Tutur Direktif dalam Konteks Bayar Sewa

The payment deadline for renting a cost becomes one thing that being anticipated by most people who rent. Even some words from the cost owner still need to be observed well because illocution meanings are inside. This research aims to describe the function of directive speech acts by the cost owner and the effect of renting payment context. This research method is qualitative descriptive by using the WA screenshot documentation method and interviews with all the cost renters. The results show two types of speech act functions, such as collecting and ordering, either directly or indirectly. The direct speech act functions are conveyed more for undergraduate students than for postgraduate students. The functions utilize 5 positive politeness strategies, 3 negative politeness strategies, 1 off-record politeness strategy, and 1 bald-on politeness strategy. The application of these strategies influences by age, status, and power possessed by the owners and tenants of the boarding house. Although the directive speech acts conveyed have the same positive effect. However, the methods and strategies used differ depending on the social factors of both parties.

Comparison of Mean Upper Lip Length in Individuals with Competent Lips, Lips Apart and Incompetent Lips

Background: The human lips are the essential structure for speech, facial expression and oral functions like eating, drinking and breathing. The orthodontic treatment is very crucial for the advancement of the facial expression Lip incompetence is a condition in which the lips fail to close adequately leading to negative effects on speech, facial esthetics and oral functions. Study design: It is a retrospective study conducted at WATIM Dental College Rawat, Rawalpindi and Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine, Karachi for the duration of six months from Jan 2022 to June 2022. Material and Methods: The patients were divided into three groups. The patients that did not follow the inclusion criteria were excluded from the study. Group I had patients with competent lips, group II had patients with their lips apart and group III had incompetent lips. There were 45 patients in each group. Results: The length of group I members was 19.8 mm for men and 18.7 mm for women, which was less than group III individuals with 20 mm and 18.9 mm average upper lip length for males and females. Group II patients had a length of 17.5mm for male patients and 16.4 mm for female patients. The P-value was calculated and the results were statistically significant. Conclusion: The length of group I members was 19.8 mm for men and 18.7 mm for women, which was less than group III individuals with 20 mm and 18.9 mm average upper lip length for males and females. Group II patients had a length of 17.5mm for male patients and 16.4 mm for female patients. Keywords: Lip incompetence and competent lips.

Коммуникативный потенциал эллиптических предложений (на материале немецкого языка)

The article is devoted to the issues of communicative syntax, namely the problems of ellipsis, the identification of criteria for ellipticity. The aim of this article is to identify the communicative potential of elliptical sentences, their prevalence in the speech of the characters of a work of art, as well as to identify their stylistic functions and grammatical features. The status of colloquial speech in general and German colloquial speech in particular, the concept of the norm and the criteria of normativity are considered. The article attempts to define and systematize the types of elliptical sentences, their syntactic features and communicative functions in colloquial speech. The data of practical researches are considered. An ellipse is defined as a violation of the mandatory compatibility within a syntactic construction. Based on the criterion of dependence of elliptic sentences on the context, a classification of ellipses is proposed as contextually conditioned and contextually unconditioned (situational). In question-and-answer units, ellipses perform communicative functions: question, answer, motivation, emotional evaluation, questioning. Elliptic sentences are more connected to the context than full sentences, and from this point of view they are synsematic.
 The analysis showed that ellipses are divided into two large groups in relation to which member of the sentence implies an unrealized valency: main or secondary. In elliptical sentences, one or both of the main members of the sentence may be missing. In the group of a compound predicate, both the nominal and the main part can be omitted, while the omission of the latter occurs almost twice as often.
 The article gives practical recommendations to German language teachers on how to use the patterns of constructing elliptical sentences when teaching dialogic speech.

Supramarginal Gyrus and Angular Gyrus Subcortical Connections: A Microanatomical and Tractographic Study for Neurosurgeons

Background and Objectives: This article aims to investigate the subcortical microanatomy of the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and angular gyrus (AnG) using a microfiber dissection technique and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)/fiber tractography (FT). The cortical and subcortical structures of this region are highly functional, and their lesions often present clinically. For this reason, the possibility of post-surgical deficits is high. We focused on the supramarginal gyrus and the angular gyrus and reviewed their anatomy from a topographic, functional and surgical point of view, and aimed to raise awareness especially for neurosurgeons. Methods: Four previously frozen, formalin-fixed human brains were examined under the operating microscope using the fiber dissection technique. Four hemispheres were dissected from medial to lateral under the surgical microscope. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 20 healthy adults was examined. Pre-central and post-central gyrus were preserved to achieve topographic dominance in dissections of brain specimens. Each stage was photographed. Tractographic brain magnetic resonance imaging of 10 healthy adults was examined radiologically. Focusing on the supramarginal and angular gyrus, the white matter fibers passing under this region and their intersection areas were examined. These two methods were compared anatomically from the lateral view and radiologically from the sagittal view. Results: SMG and AnG were determined in brain specimens. The pre-central and post-central gyrus were topographically preserved. The superior and medial temporal gyrus, and inferior and superior parietal areas were decorticated from lateral to medial. U fibers, superior longitudinal fasciculus II (SLF II), superior longitudinal fasciculus III (SLF III), arcuat fasciculus (AF) and middle longitudinal fasciculus (MdLF) fiber groups were shown and subcortical fiber structures belonging to these regions were visualized by the DTI/FT method. The subcortical fiber groups under the SMG and the AnG were observed anatomically and radiologically to have a dense and complex structure. Conclusions: Due to the importance of the subcortical connections of SMG and AnG on speech function, tumoral lesions and surgeries of this region are of particular importance. The anatomical architecture of the complex subcortical structure, which is located on the projection of the SMG and AnG areas, was shown with a DTI/FT examination under a topographic dominance, preserving the pre-central and post-central gyrus. In this study, the importance of the anatomical localization, connections and functions of the supramarginal and angular gyrus was examined. More anatomical and radiological studies are needed to better understand this region and its connections.

The study of speech and communication in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder

IntroductionAt preschool age, children develop all the speech functions, including the planning function, which allows them to think through the future speech statement. Researchers find a link between impaired ability for speech forecasting and anxiety disorders, as well as emotional disorders.Objectivesidentifying the specifics of speech forecasting in preschool children with emotional disorders.Methodsthe study involved 48 children: 24 children of preschool age without developmental disorders, 24 children of preschool age with emotional disorders. Empirical examination was carried out using the “Prognostic stories” technique.ResultsChildren with autism spectrum disorders often have speech disorders, speech may manifest stereotypes in speech, the appearance of echolalia, many children do not use speech for communication. Among the functional characteristics of forecasting, the cognitive forecasting function has a statistically significant difference (t=4.165<.001). Children with autism spectrum disorders, having difficulties in social interaction, can choose ways of action that are not suitable for the existing situation. Children’s forecasts are usually short-term, invariant, generalized and minimally verbalized.ConclusionsIndicators of speech-communicative function confirm the presence of difficulties in children with emotional disorders in the ability to verbalize information, however, they have a realistic vision of the future and are focused on following the social norm. This paper has been supported by the Kazan Federal University Strategic Academic Leadership Program.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Patients’ satisfaction and quality of life after dental implant rehabilitation: A cross-sectional study

Perceiving patients’ satisfaction and improving patients’ quality of life is a challenging task. This study aimed to assess the patient’s quality of life and satisfaction after receiving a dental implant rehabilitation. All patients with dental implant placed between 2015 and 2019 were included. A self-administered questionnaire consisted of a demographic, patient satisfaction assessment, and the short version of the Malaysian Oral Health Impact Profile, S-OHIP (M) questionnaire. The patients indicated their rate on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 to 4. Statistical analyses were made using the SPSS version 26, statistical significance was considered for p<0.05. A total of 58 patients with 91 implants completed the questionnaire were included. In general, the majority of participants 56 (96.6%) were satisfied with the dental implant mainly with the speech function and maintenance procedure. The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the nine items of satisfaction was 0.798. The mean OHIP-14 score was 2.1 (SD: 3.11; range from 0 to 12) with the highest score for psychological discomfort (mean: 0.92, SD: 1.35) and the lowest score for psychological disability (mean: 0.00, SD: 0.00). All domains of OHIP-14 had Coefficient of Variance, CV > 1 (ranged from 1.47 to 8.77) which considered being high variance. Overall, all participants had OHIP-14 scores ranging from 0 to 12 which can be considered a low score that indicated higher Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). The correlation between patient satisfaction and quality of life is significant (P<0.05).

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Post-Stroke Dyslexia 1 Case and Clinical Analysis

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy combined with speech training on the speech function of patients with post-stroke aphasia, understanding the mechanisms of cognitive neuropsychological recovery in patients with dyslexia. METHODS: One case of aphasia patients was collected and treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and speech therapy, and the patients' Chinese language aphasia examination assessment and hydrogen protons nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results were collected before and after treatment. Based on the combination of neurocognitive psychological model, the relationship between the change of speech function and the dual-channel model before and after patients' repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with speech therapy was investigated. RESULTS: After 2 months of treatment, the patient's reading function, conversation, comprehension, repetition, and naming function improved when compared with before, and hydrogen protons nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggested that the patient's bilateral cerebral hemispheres Cr/Ch, and NAA/Cr all increased after treatment compared with before. Conclusion: Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy combined with speech training can promote the increase of brain metabolites and improve patients' reading function, providing a new therapeutic idea for the treatment of post-stroke dyslexia, Meanwhile, the combination of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation technique and hydrogen proton MRI spectroscopy can be used as a non-invasive treatment-examination combination to explore the mechanisms of recovery from dyslexia.

Expressive Speech Acts on The Poem “Salamun ‘Alaikum Wa ‘Alainassalam” by Anis Syausyan (Pragmatic Study)

Abstract: Speech acts are part of a pragmatic analysis that examines language from the aspect of actual use. The text in this poem has a communication process and contains utterances that refer to speech acts. This study discusses the analysis of expressive speech acts in the text of the Assalam poem in terms of the types and functions of expressive speech acts in the text of the poem. The purpose of this research is to describe the expressive speech acts of Anis Syausyan in Assalam. This research uses a qualitative description research method. Collecting data in this study using observation techniques and note-taking techniques. The research data is in the form of fragments of Anis Syausyan's speech in the form of expressive speech acts. The source of the research data is the entire utterance contained in the Assalam poem. From this research it is hoped that expressive speech acts in poetry can be identified. The findings are explained as follows, the types of expressive speech acts contained in the poem "Assalam" consist of the first; speech act of criticizing, second; speech act of complaining, third; speech acts of praise, fourth; speech act of blaming, fifth; insulting speech act

Implikatur Tuturan Guru dalam Pembelajaran di Sekolah Menengah Atas: Suatu Kajian Pragmatik

Learning is a process of delivering knowledge to students. Teachers as learning facilitators can use utterances that contain implicatures in them. The purpose of this study was to find and describe the form, function, and benefits of using implicatures in the teacher's utterances during the learning process. In addition, this study intends to interpret the responses of students to the teachers’ utterances that contain implicatures in it. The research data is in the form of words in the teacher's speech which are indicated to contain implicatures. The data was obtained from the transcription of recorded speeches by the teacher of Indonesian History and Indonesian Language class XII majoring in Science and Social Sciences at SMA Negeri Arjasa, Jember. The data that has been collected was analyzed using a pragmatic approach that empowers the theory of speech mode, the communicative function of speech acts, and the benefits of implicatures. The results of this study indicate that 1) there are three forms of implicature found, namely imperative, interrogative, and declarative forms, 2) several functions of implicature were found, namely the function of asking or ordering, threatening, advising, insinuating, and reprimanding), 3) there are four benefits of using implicatures, namely smoothing speech, training sensitivity, creating the impression of humor, and motivating students, 4) In addition, it can be said that students understand the teacher's speech that contains implicatures.

Characterizing Communicative Participation in Multilingual Jamaican Preschoolers.

This study characterized communicative participation and related aspects of functional communication for Jamaican Creole (JC)-English-speaking preschoolers with and without functionally defined speech sound disorders (fSSDs). This study included parent reports and direct assessment measures from an existing corpus of baseline data collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The communicative participation of typically developing (TD; n = 226) bilingual JC-English-speaking preschoolers and those with fSSDs (n = 39) was documented using the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS). Functional speech intelligibility was recorded using the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) in English and JC (ICS-JC). Objective measures of speech production were collected through direct child assessment in both languages and then transcribed and calculated for percent of consonants (PCC), vowels (PVC), and phonemes correct (PPC). Within-group relationships were explored using association testing, and differences between groups were explored through multivariate analyses. FOCUS scores and ICS and ICS-JC scores were found to be minimally to moderately related for Jamaican preschoolers in the TD group (r = .28-.34, p < .002) and strongly related in the fSSD group (r = .56-.60, p < .002). No relations were observed between the FOCUS scores and PCC/PVC/PPC in either language. There was a statistically significant difference between all FOCUS scores for Jamaican preschoolers in the TD and fSSD groups (p ≤ .002). These findings provide additional evidence for using the FOCUS beyond documenting change in communicative participation to support clinical decision-making in planning and developing speech-language interventions. This study also documents an important characterization of JC-English-speaking children with and without fSSDs, offering data on children's abilities that can be used in future comparisons of communicative participation and speech functioning observed during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Comparative Study on the Clinical Manifestations of Left and Right-Sided Stroke Survivors in University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospitals, Ondo

Stroke is a global issues that accounts for most death in humans. It is a type of acquired brain injury that can result in long-term impairments to cognitive, affective, motor, sensory, and language functions. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical signs of stroke survivors who had suffered right- and left-sided strokes. The National Institute of Health stroke scale was used to record the demographics, stroke side, stroke severity, physical (motor, sensory, and autonomic) and cognitive functions, quantitative and qualitative speech function, and social functions. The result showed that the mean duration of onset of left and right-sided stroke patients was 8.57 ± 7.77 and 5.43 ± 4.50 months while the mean stage of recovery of left and right-sided stroke patients were 2.55 ± 1.13 and 3.3 ± 0.49 on Brunstrom grading. There was significant difference in the level of consciousness (t = 1.73, p= 0.05), visual loss (t = 2.39, p = 0.04), limbs motor function (t = -6.31, p = 0.00 and t = -6.69, p = 0.00, t = -5.29, p = 0.00, and t = 7.85, p = 0.00 respectively). There were also significant differences in the best language (aphasia) (t = 2.92, p = 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in the dysarthria and total NHIS score between the left and right-sided stroke participants. There were significant differences in some sub-scale scores on the NHIS Scale between the left and right-sided stroke participants, although, there were no significant differences in the dysarthria and overall NIHSS score of the two groups of stroke survivors.

A head-to-head comparison of the EQ-5D-5L and 15D descriptive systems and index values in a general population sample

BackgroundThe EQ-5D-5L and 15D are generic preference-accompanied health status measures with similar dimensions. In this study, we aim to compare the measurement properties of the EQ-5D-5L and 15D descriptive systems and index values in a general population sample.MethodsIn August 2021, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted in a representative adult general population sample (n = 1887). The EQ-5D-5L and 15D descriptive systems and index values were compared in terms of ceiling and floor, informativity (Shannon’s Evenness index), agreement, convergent and known-groups validity for 41 chronic physical and mental health conditions. Danish value sets were used to compute index values for both instruments. As a sensitivity analysis, index values were also estimated using the Hungarian EQ-5D-5L and Norwegian 15D value sets.ResultsOverall, 270 (8.6%) and 1030 (3.4*10−6%) unique profiles occurred on the EQ-5D-5L and 15D. The EQ-5D-5L dimensions (0.51–0.70) demonstrated better informativity than those of 15D (0.44–0.69). EQ-5D-5L and 15D dimensions capturing similar areas of health showed moderate or strong correlations (0.558–0.690). The vision, hearing, eating, speech, excretion and mental function 15D dimensions demonstrated very weak or weak correlations with all EQ-5D-5L dimensions, which may indicate potential room for EQ-5D-5L bolt-ons. The 15D index values showed lower ceiling than the EQ-5D-5L (21% vs. 36%). The mean index values were 0.86 for the Danish EQ-5D-5L, 0.87 for the Hungarian EQ-5D-5L, 0.91 for the Danish 15D and 0.81 for the Norwegian 15D. Strong correlations were found between the index values (Danish EQ-5D-5L vs. Danish 15D 0.671, Hungarian EQ-5D-5L vs. Norwegian 15D 0.638). Both instruments were able to discriminate between all chronic condition groups with moderate or large effect sizes (Danish EQ-5D-5L 0.688–3.810, Hungarian EQ-5D-5L 1.233–4.360, Danish 15D 0.623–3.018 and Norwegian 15D 1.064–3.816). Compared to the 15D, effect sizes were larger for the EQ-5D-5L in 88–93% of chronic condition groups.ConclusionsThis is the first study to compare the measurement properties of the EQ-5D-5L and 15D in a general population sample. Despite having 10 fewer dimensions, the EQ-5D-5L performed better than the 15D in many aspects. Our findings help to understand the differences between generic preference-accompanied measures and support resource allocation decisions.