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A tangibly reinforced speech reception threshold procedure for use with small children
The Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders
|August 1, 1976
Summary
A new speech audiometry method using tangible reinforcers like candy proved effective for testing young children. This operant conditioning approach accurately assesses speech reception thresholds in children as young as two and a half years old.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Accurate assessment of speech reception thresholds (SRTs) is crucial for identifying hearing impairments in young children.
- Traditional audiometry methods can be challenging for children under three years old due to attention span and cooperation limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of a novel operant conditioning speech audiometry method for determining SRTs in normal-hearing children aged 17–56 months.
- To establish the minimum age at which this method can be reliably applied.
Main Methods:
- Forty normal-hearing children (17–56 months) participated.
- A custom device shaped like a clown presented auditory stimuli (part names) via a speech audiometer's sound field system.
- Children received tangible reinforcement (candy) for correctly identifying announced clown parts, utilizing operant conditioning principles.
Main Results:
- The operant conditioning speech audiometry method was found to be feasible for testing young children.
- Accurate SRT measurements were achieved in both boys and girls down to 30 months (two and a half years) of age.
Conclusions:
- Operant conditioning speech audiometry with tangible reinforcers is a viable technique for assessing SRTs in preschool-aged children.
- This method offers a reliable alternative for pediatric audiological evaluations, particularly for very young children.