NASALANCE SCORES IN LEBANESE ENGLISH-SPEAKING ADULTS USING NASOMETRIC ANALYSIS

To obtain normative data for nasalance scores in Middle Eastern English-speaking adult population.

Cross-sectional study.

A total of 102 subjects were recruited in the study, 26 were excluded, thus, 77 Middle Eastern English-speaking adults (mean age = 23.77 ± 4.295; 39 males, 38 females) with normal speech and no hearing problems participated in the study.

Using Nasometer II 6450, nasalance scores were obtained for each participant's readings of 3 passages: Zoo and Rainbow passages and nasal sentences.

Mean nasalance score, standard deviation and range.

Mean nasalance scores for Zoo passage, Rainbow passage and nasal sentences were 25.21 ± 11.07, 34.04 ± 9.30 and 41.29 ± 9.87 respectively. Mean scores didn't differ significantly between males and females, though scores for the Zoo passage were slightly higher among males (26.51 ± 11.66) than females (23.87 ± 10.42). In within-session reliability testing, 86% of retests for all three passages fell within 5 nasalance points of the previous test. In across-session reliability testing, 93% of retests for all 3 passages were within 5 points of initial test.

This study provides normative data for nasalance scores among Middle-Eastern adults, which can help make nasometer and determination of nasalance more clinically useful in this population.