Statistical evaluation and prediction of word recognition test scores of the Foneties Verteenwoordigende Eenlettergrepige Woordlyste in Afrikaans (FVEWA)

Theoretical framework: In audiology, speech audiometry is generally accepted as clinically more sensitive than pure tone audiometry to detect reduced auditory analytical skill in terms of complex acoustic structure, as it includes higher-level linguistic function in the evaluation. Although speech audiometry is considered to be an integral part of the audiometric test battery, there is currently no phonetically balanced Afrikaans speech material available to measure speech recognition. In order to obtain an accurate picture of an individual’s speech recognition abilities of monosyllabic words, it is important to perform speech recognition tests in a person’s first language. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of the Foneties Verteenwoordigende Eenlettergrepige Woordlyste in Afrikaans (FVEWA) to measure speech recognition abilities in members of an Afrikaans-speaking population. Methodology:The research is based on a quantitative retrospective study of audiological records of participants assessed at a private audiology practice. The FVEWA is evaluated in terms of interlist equivalence as well as performance-intensity or psychometric function for use in clinical practice. Results: The six FVEWA wordlists were found to be statistically equivalent in terms of difficulty level. The average intensity at which participants obtained 50% word recognition was 14.2 dBGP. The slope, at 50% (%/dB), of the wordlists used in the FVEWA was 3.1%/dB.Teoretiese raamwerk: In die oudiologiese toetsbattery word spraakoudiometrie klinies meer sensitief as suiwertoon-oudiometrie geag om verlaagde ouditiewe analitiese vaardigheid in terme van komplekse akoestiese strukture in individue te identifiseer, omdat dit ook hoër vlak linguistiese funksie in die evaluering insluit. Hoewel spraakoudiometrie dus as ʼn belangrike komponent geag word, is daar tot op hede geen foneties gebalanseerde Afrikaanse spraakmateriaal beskikbaar om woordherkenning mee te meet nie. Woordherkenning moet in individue se eerste taal bepaal word ten einde ’n meer verteenwoordigende beeld van hul daaglikse kommunikasie funksionering te verkry. Doel: Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsing was om die geldigheid van die Foneties Verteenwoordigende Eenlettergrepige Woordlyste in Afrikaans (FVEWA) statisties te bepaal om woordherkenning in ’n bepaalde Afrikaanse populasie te meet. Metodiek: Die navorsing is gebaseer op ʼn kwantitatiewe retrospektiewe studie van die oudiologierekords van deelnemers wat by ʼn privaat oudiologiepraktyk geassesseer is. Die FVEWA is geëvalueer in terme van interlys-ekwivalensie en prestasie-intensiteit funksie vir gebruik in kliniese praktyk. Bevindings: Daar is bevind dat die ses FVEWA-woordlyste statisties ekwivalent is wat moeilikheidsgraad betref. Die gemiddeld waar deelnemers 50% korrekte woordherkenning bereik het, was 14.2 dBGP. Die helling van die woordlyste wat in die FVEWA gebruik is, was 3.1%/dB by 50% (%/dB).http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/akgeeshttp://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0041-4751&lng=enam2018Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC