Single word and sentence intelligibility in children with cochlear implants

This study examined the intelligibility of speech produced by 17 children (aged 4-11 years) with cochlear implants. Stimulus items included sentences from the Beginners' Intelligibility Test (BIT) and words from the Children Speech Intelligibility Measure (CSIM). Naïve listeners responded by writing sentences heard or with two types of responses to the word recordings; open transcription (CSIM-T) and closed set multiple choice (CSIM-MC). Percentage of items understood, averaged across three naïve judges, were compared across the three measures. Additionally, scores were examined for any relationships with chronological age, age of implantation, and amount of implant experience. Strong positive correlations were observed among all three intelligibility tasks. Scores on all three tasks were found to be significantly different from each other. A significant correlation was obtained between intelligibility and amount of implant experience, but not with chronological age or age of implantation. Results suggest that judging the intelligibility of speech produced by children with cochlear implants using both single word and sentence levels would provide a better overall estimate of their intelligibility. The results also emphasize the vital role of auditory input in the development of intelligible speech.