The Effects of EMA Sensors on Speech in Individuals With and Without Dysarthria

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of electromagnetic articulography (EMA) sensor placement on acoustic and perceptual speech outcomes for speakers with and without dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s disease (PD). Additionally, post-adaptation effects after removing EMA sensors were also examined in both speaker groups. Methods: A total of 34 speakers (21 Controls and 13 PD) completed three readings of the Caterpillar Passage: (1) Before Sensors, (2) With Sensors, and (3) After Sensors. Changes in acoustic (articulation rate, vowel space area, first and second spectral moment coefficients for fricatives) and perceptual (speech intelligibility, naturalness) measures were compared across the three time points (Before Sensors, With Sensors, and After Sensors). Results: Linear mixed-effects models indicated sensor placement effects for the spectral moment coefficients (M1 and M2) and both perceptual measures for both speaker groups. No significant post-adaptation effects were seen across all the acoustic and perceptual measures. Additionally, group differences in spectral and perceptual measures were seen, but the changes in these measures between the three time points were similar for both speaker groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that M1 and M2 and perceptual speech measures are sensitive to sensor placement and that sensor placement impacted these measures similarly for both control and PD speakers. However, limited evidence of post-adaptation effects was seen after the removal of sensors

The Reliability and Validity of Speech-Language Pathologists’ Estimations of Intelligibility in Dysarthria

This study examined the reliability and validity of speech-language pathologists’ (SLP) estimations of speech intelligibility in dysarthria, including a visual analog scale (VAS) method and a percent estimation method commonly used in clinical settings. Speech samples from 20 speakers with dysarthria of varying etiologies were used to collect orthographic transcriptions from naïve listeners n=70 and VAS ratings and percent estimations of intelligibility from SLPs n=21. Intra- and interrater reliability for the two SLP intelligibility measures were evaluated, and the relationship between these measures was assessed. Finally, linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between the naïve listeners’ orthographic transcription scores and the two SLP intelligibility measures. The results indicated that the intrarater reliability for both SLP intelligibility measures was strong, and the interrater reliability between the SLP ratings was moderate to excellent. A moderate positive relationship between SLPs’ VAS ratings and percent estimations was also observed. Finally, both SLPs’ percent estimations and VAS ratings were predictive of naïve listeners’ orthographic transcription scores, with SLPs’ percent estimations being the strongest predictor. In conclusion, the average SLP percent estimations and VAS ratings are valid and reliable intelligibility measures. However, the validity and reliability of these measures vary between SLPs

The Reliability and Validity of Speech Language Pathologists' Estimations of Speech Intelligibility in Dysarthria

The current study examined the reliability and validity of speech-language pathologists’ (SLP) estimations of speech intelligibility in dysarthria, including a visual analog scale (VAS) method and a percent estimation method commonly used in clinical settings. Speech samples from 20 speakers with dysarthria were used to collect orthographic transcriptions from naïve listeners (n=70) and VAS ratings and percent estimations of intelligibility from SLPs (n=21). Intra- and interrater reliability for the two SLP intelligibility measures were evaluated, and the relationship between these measures was assessed. Finally, linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between the naïve listeners’ orthographic transcription scores and the two SLP intelligibility measures. The results indicated the intrarater agreement for both the SLP intelligibility measures was high, and the interrater agreement between the SLP ratings was moderate to excellent. Additionally, a moderate positive relationship between SLPs’ VAS ratings and percent estimations was observed. Finally, both SLPs’ percent estimations and VAS ratings were predictive of naïve listeners’ orthographic transcription scores, with SLPs’ percent estimations being the strongest predictor. In conclusion, the aggregate SLP intelligibility estimations and VAS ratings are valid and reliable measures for estimating intelligibility. However, the validity and reliability of these measures vary between SLPs

Vowel Acoustics as Predictors of Speech Intelligibility in Dysarthria

Purpose: To examine the predictive value of a selection of acoustic vowel measures for predicting intelligibility (i.e., measured using both orthographic transcriptions [OT] and visual analog scale [VAS] ratings) in speakers with dysarthria. The following questions were posed: (1) How well do trajectory-based and token-based vowel space measures predict intelligibility? And (2) does the relationship between vowel measures and intelligibility differ based on the type of intelligibility measurement (i.e., OT vs. VAS ratings)? Method: The Grandfather Passage was read aloud by forty speakers with dysarthria of varying etiologies, including Parkinson's disease (n = 10), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 10), Huntington's disease (n = 10), and cerebellar ataxia (n = 10). Token-based (i.e., acoustic vowel space area [VSA], corner dispersion) and trajectory-based (i.e., VSA hull area, and vowel space density [VSD]) acoustic vowel measures were calculated. Naïve listeners (N = 140) were recruited via crowdsourcing to provide OT and VAS intelligibility ratings. Hierarchical linear regression models were created to model OT and VAS ratings of intelligibility using the acoustic vowel measures as predictors. Results: Traditional VSA was the sole significant predictor of speech intelligibility for both the OT and VAS models. In contrast, the trajectory-based measures were not significant predictors of intelligibility. Additionally, the OT and VAS intelligibility ratings conveyed similar information. Conclusions: The findings suggest that traditional token-based vowel measures better predict intelligibility than trajectory-based measures. Additionally, the findings suggest that VAS methods are comparable to OT methods for estimating speech intelligibility for research purposes

Generalized Learning of Dysarthric Speech Between Male and Female Talkers

Purpose Perceptual training is a listener-targeted means for improving intelligibility of dysarthric speech. Recent work has shown that training with one talker generalizes to a novel talker of the same sex and that the magnitude of benefit is maximized when the talkers are perceptually similar. The current study expands previous findings by investigating whether perceptual training effects generalize between talkers of different sex. Method Forty new listeners were recruited for this study and completed a pretest, familiarization, and posttest perceptual training paradigm. Historical data collected using the same three-phase protocol were included in the data analysis. All listeners were exposed to the same talker with dysarthria during the pretest and posttest phases. For the familiarization phase, listeners were exposed to one of four talkers with dysarthria, differing in sex and level of perceptual similarity to the test talker or a control talker. During the testing phases, listener transcribed phrases produced by the test talker with dysarthria. Listener transcriptions were then used to calculate a percent words correct intelligibility score. Results Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that intelligibility at posttest was not predicted by sex of the training talker. Consistent with earlier work, the magnitude of intelligibility gain was greater when the familiarization and test talkers were perceptually similar. Additional analyses revealed greater between-listeners variability in the dissimilar conditions as compared to the similar conditions. Conclusions Learning as a result of perceptual training with one talker with dysarthria generalized to another talker regardless of sex. In addition, listeners trained with perceptually similar talkers had greater and more consistent intelligibility improvement. Together, these results add to previous evidence demonstrating that learning generalizes to novel talkers with dysarthria and that perceptual training is suitable for many listeners

Cognitive Predictors of Perception and Adaption to Dysarthric Speech in Older Adults

Purpose: In effortful listening conditions, speech perception and adaptation abilities are constrained by aging and often linked to age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline. Given that older adults are frequent communication partners of individuals with dysarthria, the current study examines cognitive-linguistic and hearing predictors of dysarthric speech perception and adaptation in older adult listeners. Method: Fifty-nine older adult listeners (aged 55 to 80) completed a battery of cognitive and hearing tasks administered via the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox. Participants also completed a three-phase familiarization task (pretest, training, posttest) with one of two speakers with dysarthria. Elastic net regression models of initial intelligibility (pretest) and intelligibility improvement (posttest) were constructed for each speaker with dysarthria to identify important cognitive and hearing predictors. Results: Overall, the regression models indicated that intelligibility outcomes were optimized for older listeners with better hearing, vocabulary knowledge, working memory capacity, and cognitive flexibility. Despite some convergence across models, unique constellations of cognitive-linguistic and hearing parameters and their two-way interactions predicted speech perception and adaptation outcomes for the two speakers with dysarthria, who varied in terms of their severity and perceptual characteristics. Conclusions: Here, we add to an extensive body of work in related disciplines by demonstrating age-related declines in speech perception and adaptation to dysarthric speech can be traced back to specific hearing and cognitive-linguistic factors

Listening Effort in Dysarthria

This is the parent project for a dissertation study conducted by Micah Hirsch at Florida State University. Overall, the project investigates listening effort in dysarthric speech perception using both pupillometry and subjective listener ratings. This main project page contains subcomponents to the specific studies and investigations conducted as part of this larger project. General supplementary materials that are relevant to all project components are also provided here

1-800-Help-Me-With-Open-Science-Stuff: A Qualitative Examination of Open Science Practices in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) assistant professors in the United States related to barriers and facilitators to engaging in open science (OS) practices and identify opportunities for improving OS training and support in the field. Method: Thirty-five assistant professors (16 from very high research activity (R1) institutions, 19 from institutions with other Carnegie classifications) participated in one 1-hour virtual focus group conducted via Zoom recording technology. The researchers used a conventional content analysis approach to analyze the focus group data and develop categories from the discussions. Results: Five categories were developed from the focus groups: (a) a desire to learn about OS through opportunities for independent learning and learning with peers, (b) perceived benefits of engaging in OS on assistant professors’ careers, the broader scientific community, and the quality of research in the field of CSD; (c) personal factors that act as barriers and/or facilitators to engaging in OS practices; (d) systemic factors that act as barriers and/or facilitators to engaging in OS practices; and (e) differences in perceptions of R1 and non-R1 assistant professors. Conclusions: Assistant professors in CSD perceive benefits of OS for their careers, the scientific community, and the field. However, they face many barriers (e.g., time, lack of knowledge and training) which impede their engagement in OS practices. Recommendations for CSD assistant professors, academic institutions, publishers, and funding agencies are provided to reduce barriers to engagement in OS practices