| This study evaluated the effects of age and severity of hearing loss on the intelligibility of mothers' speech during communicative interactions with their preschool and kindergarten aged children. Intelligibility was measured by two parameters research has continuously demonstrated to be associated with clearer speech, range of fundamental frequency and vowel space area, with a wider F0 range and a larger, more expanded vowel space being associated with improved intelligibility. These intelligibility parameters were also compared in two conditions, a storytelling condition and a play condition. The participants included nineteen mothers and their children, six with normal hearing and thirteen with hearing impairments of varying degrees of severity. Parametric analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of age difference and severity of hearing loss on the intelligibility of maternal speech during the verbal interactions of play and storytelling with their children. Results suggest that age and severity of hearing loss do not affect intelligibility of mothers' speech as measured by vowel space area and range of fundamental frequency. The outcome of this study suggests that speech language pathologists, audiologists and other professionals should spend increased time counseling parents on ways to improve the intelligibility of their speech during verbal communication with their hearing impaired children so as to maximize their children's potential for effective, clear, and appropriate speech and language development. |
