Development and preliminary investigations of a language-specific trisyllabic word set for assessing speech recognition threshold in school-aged children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31117/neuroscirn.v9i3.527Keywords:
Language development, Speech audiometry, Speech recognition threshold, Greek, ChildrenAbstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a set of three-syllable words suitable for assessing the Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) in school-aged children (6 to 12 years old), as there is a gap in the Greek population. Word selection was based on four key criteria: syllabic structure (trisyllabics), age-appropriate vocabulary familiarity, phonemic differentiation, and homogeneity in relation to audibility. Words were recorded and processed in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 8253-3:2022 for speech audiometry. A total of 20 children participated in the word homogeneity evaluation. For each word, the presentation level required to achieve 50% correct recognition was determined. Next, recognition rates were measured across a range of intensities to determine recognition from 20% to 80%, during which the steepest rise in the Performance-Intensity (PI) function occurred. Findings indicated that all words that are homogeneous in terms of recognition rate are not homogeneous in terms of recognition threshold, and vice versa. Therefore, to optimise homogeneity, only words falling within a range of +1 Standard Deviation (SD) in both recognition rate and recognition threshold were selected. Results are consistent with previous studies in other languages that developed trisyllabic material for the SRT test. In conclusion, a list of 40 trisyllabic words was developed that will increase the reliability of audiological pediatric testing and can serve as a foundation for further research and clinical application across Greek-speaking populations.
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