Validating Four Hmong Word Recognition Tests With Normal-Hearing Bilingual Hmong Individuals

Area of Science:

• Audiology and Speech Sciences
• Linguistic Validation
• Bilingual Hearing Research

Background:

• Accurate audiological assessment requires culturally and linguistically appropriate tools.
• Limited validated word recognition lists exist for the White Hmong dialect.
• Bilingual individuals require speech materials that are equivalent across languages for reliable testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate four digitally recorded, phonetically balanced 50-word recognition lists in the White Hmong dialect.
• To assess the equivalence of these Hmong lists with a standardized English word list for normal-hearing bilingual adults.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, incomplete-block design was employed with 70 normal-hearing Hmong adults.
• Participants repeated four unique Hmong word lists and one English word list (Northwestern University Auditory Test No. 6, List 1A).
• Pronunciation accuracy was scored, and list equivalence was statistically analyzed using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test.

Main Results:

• 93.5% of words across the four Hmong lists met validation criteria (≥ 92% correct pronunciation).
• Thirteen identified difficult words were retained by a Hmong panel to ensure list balance and uniqueness.
• Statistical analysis confirmed equivalence between the Hmong and English word lists within a 2% bound.

Conclusions:

• The four White Hmong word recognition lists are validated for use with normal-hearing bilingual adults.
• These lists demonstrate equivalent difficulty, facilitating accurate audiological assessments for this population.
• The validated Hmong lists ensure comparable word difficulty across all four sets.