The Performance of Bilingual and Monolingual Children on Working Memory Tasks

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to explore the possible differences in the working memory of monolingual (Persian) and bilingual (Persian-Baluchi) children. We wanted to examine if there is a statistically significant relationship between working memory and bilingualism. Methods: Four working memory (WM) tests, assessing three WM components, were administered to 140 second grade school students, of whom 70 were monolinguals (35 girls and 35 boys) and 70 were bilinguals (35 girls and 35 boys). The tests used are the following: Forward Digit Span Test, Backward Digit Span Test, Non Word Repetition Test, Maze Memory Test. The results of the two groups were analyzed with multi-group confirmatory factor analysis, aiming to find out any differences in the working memory function of bilingual and monolingual children, and to determine which group has an advantage. Results: The multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to measure various WM factors across the two language groups. The findings showed that there were significant language effects on Forward and Backward Digit Span and Non Word Repetition Task (p‹0.001), and no significant language effects on Maze Memory (p›0.001). Discussion: This study revealed that bilingual children had a better WM, which holds processes and updates information over short periods of time, than monolingual children

Correlation between Acoustic Parameters and Disease Severity and Duration in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Since in multiple sclerosis (MS), changes in speech and voice quality often precede other signs and symptoms; early diagnosis of these changes is necessary. In this study, an acoustic examination of phonation subsystem was performed. Due to the progressive nature of multiple sclerosis, the aim of this study was to examine the correlation between acoustic parameters of voice quality and disease severity and duration. Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was performed on 43 patients with multiple sclerosis. The disease severity was detected by a neurologist based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) for each patient. Acoustic analysis was performed during the production of sustained vowel /a/ and accordingly, the maximum phonation time (MPT), perturbation of the frequency (jitter), perturbation of amplitude (shimmer), the maximum and minimum frequency, and the highest and lowest intensity were evaluated. All the acoustic analyses were performed using PRAAT software. Data were statistically analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient by SPSS version 21. Results: The lowest intensity showed a significant correlation with disease severity (P=0.00). Also, the highest and lowest intensity showed a significant correlation with disease duration (P=0.022 and P=0.002). Conclusion: One of the earlier symptoms of central nervous system impairment resulting from multiple sclerosis is changes in phonation subsystem and voice quality. These changes may appear at any clinical stages; however, the symptoms might get worse over time, with the progression of the disease. Therefore, immediate acoustic assessments and interventions can prevent more degradation of voice quality

مقایسه سازه‌های فرکانسی اول و دوم در کودکان دچار درجات مختلف افت شنوایی و کودکان دچار شنوایی عادی

مقدمه: سازه‌های فرکانسی تحت تأثیر حرکات اندام‌های تولید و تغییرات شکل مجرای صوتی می‌باشند. در تولید واکه‌های افراد دچار افت شنوایی، حرکات زبان در بعد عمودی محدود و قوس زبان کاهش می‌یابد که منجر به مرکزی‌شدگی سازه‌های فرکانسی می‌شود. در مطالعه حاضر قصد بر این بود که با توجه به نبود اطلاعاتی جامع در گروه‌های مختلف دچار افت شنوایی و عدم مقایسه گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی با یکدیگر در مطالعات بررسی شده، سازه‌های فرکانسی واکه‌های /u/، /i/ و /a/ در این کودکان و در مقایسه با کودکان هنجار بررسی شود. موادو روش‌ها: پژوهش توصیفی- تحلیلی حاضر بر روی 80 دانش‌آموز عادی و آسیب‌دیده شنوایی (متوسط، متوسط تا شدید، شدید و عمیق) انجام گرفت. از آزمودنی‌ها خواسته شد سه واکه /a/، /i/ و /u/ را سه بار بکشند. جهت ثبت سازه‌های فرکانسی، فایل‌های صوتی به نرم‌افزار Praat (نسخه 5.3.13) منتقل شد. برای هر متغیر، ابتدا آزمون ANOVA و سپس آزمون پست هاک Dunnett برای مقایسه گروه شاهد با گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی و آزمون Duncan برای مقایسه بین گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی انجام شد. یافته‌ها: در مقایسه گروه شاهد با سایر گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی، 2F واکه‌های /a/ و /i/ بر خلاف 1F، بین گروه شاهد و تمام گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی تفاوت معنی‌دار داشتند (a2F: گروه عادی- متوسط: 031/0 = P، گروه عادی- متوسط به شدید: 015/0 = P، گروه عادی- شدید: 023/0 = P، گروه عادی- عمیق: 0001/0 > P و i2F: گروه عادی- متوسط: 005/0 = P، گروه عادی- متوسط به شدید: 0001/0 > P، گروه عادی- شدید: 0001/0 > P، گروه عادی- عمیق: 0001/0 > P)، اما در مقایسه درون گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی توسط آزمون Duncan مشخص شد که 1F واکه /u/ بیشترین تفاوت‌ها را بین گروه‌های دچار افت شنوایی نشان می‌دهد. نتیجه‌گیری: مقایسه گروه‌های مختلف نشان داد که 2F واکه‌های /a/ و /i/ تفاوت بیشتری نسبت به 2F واکه /u/ و همچنین 1F واکه‌های /a/، /u/ و /i/ در نشان دادن تفاوت گفتار طبیعی از غیر طبیعی دارند و بهتر می‌تواند تفاوت‌های واکه‌ای را نشان دهد. از این رو به نظر می‌رسد تفاوت بیشتر 2F واکه‌های/a/ و /i/ نسبت به سایر سازه‌ها در افراد دچار افت شنوایی نسبت به افراد دارای شنوایی هنجار بتواند دیدگاهی جدید در تشخیص و ارزیابی آسیب‌های واکه‌ای در این افراد ارایه دهد و به ارزیابی سریع‌تر و دقیق‌تر واکه‌ها در این کودکان منجر شود. کلید واژه‌ها: سازه فرکانسی، افت شنوایی، واک

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Vocal Fatigue Index into Persian

Introduction: The aim of the present study was the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) in Persian. Methods: The English version of the VFI was translated to Persian using the guidelines of International Quality of Life Assessment. Eighty participants with voice disorders and 50 healthy controls without any voice disorders completed the Persian version of the VFI. The 80 participants with voice disorders completed the VFI a second time a week from the initial completion to evaluate test-retest reliability. Results: The VFI measure demonstrated a strong internal consistency. Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.95 for tiredness and avoidance of voice use, 0.86 for physical discomfort and 0.83 for improvement or lack thereof of symptoms with voice rest. VFI also showed a high test-retest reliability (r = 0.75–0.89). Conclusions: The Persian version of the VFI is considered to be a valid and reliable questionnaire for identifying individuals with probable vocal fatigue. The VFI can be utilized in clinics across Iran in the assessment and treatment of individuals with vocal fatigue

Comparison of Fundamental Frequency between Monolingual and Bilingual Children with a Cochlear Implant

Background and Objective: Cochlear implantation influences acoustical and perceptual characteristics of voice in CI children. However, there is limited knowledge of the type and amount of influence of multilingualism on these characteristics of voice in CI children. The present study aimed to comparatively investigate fundamental frequency (F0) between two groups of bilinguals and monolinguals in children who recently underwent CI.Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on Persian-Arabic bilingual children (n=25) and monolingual Persian children (n=25) matched in age and gender. All children had congenitally profound hearing loss and received a unilateral CI before the age of two years. The participants were asked to sustain the vowel /a/ and vowel /e/ on a single breath for 4 seconds, and the F0 value was measured using Praat software. For each participant, the F0 was measured three times and then averaged as mean F0.Results: Our findings indicated no significant differences in terms of mean F0 for the vowels of /a/ and /e/ in monolingual and bilingual groups (p>0.05).Conclusion: Bilingual Persian-Arab children with CI display vocal characteristics that are largely comparable with those of their monolingual Persian peers with CI

Comparison of Fundamental Frequency between Monolingual and Bilingual Children with a Cochlear Implant

Background and Objective: Cochlear implantation influences acoustical and perceptual characteristics of voice in CI children. However, there is limited knowledge of the type and amount of influence of multilingualism on these characteristics of voice in CI children. The present study aimed to comparatively investigate fundamental frequency (F0) between two groups of bilinguals and monolinguals in children who recently underwent CI. Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on Persian-Arabic bilingual children (n=25) and monolingual Persian children (n=25) matched in age and gender. All children had congenitally profound hearing loss and received a unilateral CI before the age of two years. The participants were asked to sustain the vowel /a/ and vowel /e/ on a single breath for 4 seconds, and the F0 value was measured using Praat software. For each participant, the F0 was measured three times and then averaged as mean F0. Results: Our findings indicated no significant differences in terms of mean F0 for the vowels of /a/ and /e/ in monolingual and bilingual groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Bilingual Persian-Arab children with CI display vocal characteristics that are largely comparable with those of their monolingual Persian peers with CI