Parent rating of intelligibility: A discussion of the construct validity of the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) and normative data of the Swedish version of the ICS

Speech production skills of bilingual children using cochlear implants

Evidence is lacking on the impact of bilingualism on the speech skills of children with cochlear implants (CIs). This study described the speech production of children with CIs acquiring French and one or more additional spoken languages. Four groups of children aged 4-11 were included: bilinguals (n = 15) and monolinguals (n = 14) with CIs and bilinguals (n = 14) and monolinguals (n = 20) with typical hearing. Data were collected about the percentage of consonant correct (PCC) and vowel correct (PVC) produced in French and intelligibility in all languages they spoke. Bilingual and monolingual children with CIs had comparable speech accuracy in French, but the pattern differed, impacting PCC for bilinguals and PVC for monolinguals. Most children with CIs had accurate and intelligible speech in French, but few bilingual children with CIs were highly intelligible in their home language. Therefore, bilingualism did not impede the speech production outcomes of bilingual children with CIs in the language of the wider community.

Intelligibility in Context Scale: Psychometric evidence and implications for Saudi Arabic-English-speaking preschoolers

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity) of the Intelligibility in Context Scale in Saudi Arabic (ICS-SA) and English (ICS-E) as potential measures of functional speech intelligibility in bilingual preschool-aged Saudi Arabian children.Method: The study included 36 parent-child (aged 3;0 to 6;5 years; months) dyads who were bilingual speakers of Saudi Arabic and English, which included two groups-typically developing (TD, n = 29) and suspected speech sound disordered (sSSD, n = 7). The children's intelligibility was evaluated in both languages using the ICS-SA and ICS-E. Children's single-word productions were collected in both languages and calculated for percentage of consonants, vowels, and phonemes correct (i.e. PCC/PVC/PPC) to establish their speech-sound competence.Result: The mean scores for the entire sample (n = 36) were 4.43 (SD = 0.79) for the ICS-SA and 4.48 (SD = 0.79) for the ICS-E, showing that parents rated their children's intelligibility in both languages similarly. Both the ICS-SA and ICS-E demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.96 and α = 0.95, respectively). There was high inter-rater and test-retest reliability for the ICS-SA, while there was fair to high inter-rater and test-retest reliability in ICS-E. Significant correlations were found for the ICS-SA, but weak correlations were noted for the ICS-E, which indicated fair to moderate evidence of criterion validity. Construct validity efforts indicated a weak correlation with age on both the ICS-SA and ICS-E. The findings also indicated high discriminant accuracy for both the ICS-SA (0.86, 0.86) and ICS-E (0.71, 0.69).Conclusion: This study provides initial validation and reliability evidence for using the ICS-SA and ICS-E with Saudi Arabic- and English-speaking preschoolers, however, ICS-E scores suggest further testing is warranted. By extension, these findings expand the bilingual knowledge base and offer new tools for identifying children in Saudi Arabia who may be at risk for having a speech sound disorder.

Intelligibility in Context Scale: Growth Curves for Typically Developing English-Speaking Children Between Ages 2;6 and 9;11

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to quantify the clinical utility of the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) English version by characterizing the growth patterns of the ICS composite scores and seven ICS individual item scores of typically developing American English-speaking children.

METHOD

Parents of 545 typically developing children aged 2;6-9;11 (years;months) completed the ICS. Using a proportional odds model, we regressed ICS composite scores on age and computed for model-estimated mean and lower quantile ICS composite scores. Logistic regression and proportional odds modeling were utilized to quantify the relationship of individual ICS items and age.

RESULTS

ICS composite scores of typically developing children changed with age, but change was small and incremental, with scores compressed between 3 and 5 across the range of ages. An average child (i.e., on the 50th percentile) is expected to have an ICS composite score of 4 beginning at 3;0 and an ICS composite score of 5 by 6;6. On average, parents gave different intelligibility ratings based on communicative partners, and the rating differences between communicative partners decreased with age.

CONCLUSIONS

Given that ICS scores increase with age, the expected score for average children also increases. A child's age is a main factor for interpreting ICS scores.

Translation and validation of the Intelligibility in Context Scale into Sinhala for adolescents in Sri Lanka with cleft lip and palate

The Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) is a parent-report screening tool used to measure parents' perceptions of children's functional intelligibility. This tool has been translated into over 60 languages and found to have a good reliability and validity. The purpose of the current study was to translate the ICS into Sinhala (the ICS-SIN), the main language spoken by the Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka, and to validate it with both typically developing (TD) children and children with repaired cleft lip and/or palate (CLP). The translation process followed the forward-backward-forward method. A total of 88 parents of TD children and children with CLP aged 12-15 years old (TD n = 50, CLP n = 38) completed the ICS-SIN questionnaire. Parents of TD and CLP children reported their children's speech as most intelligible to parents and least intelligible to strangers. The ICS-SIN had high internal consistency for both groups (TD α = 0.87, p < 0.05, CLP α = 0.97, p < 0.05). The ICS-SIN total scores and item scores showed significant correlations, indicating a good construct validity. TD participant group's ICS-SIN average mean scores (M = 4.88, SD = 0.29) were significantly higher compared to the CLP ICS-SIN average mean scores (M = 4.64, SD = 0.67) and varied according to gender in both groups, suggesting good discriminant validity. The ICS-SIN has overall good psychometric properties. Therefore, this tool has the potential to be used as a valid parent-rating screening tool for clinical and research purposes in Sri Lanka.

A survey of Swedish speech-language pathologists' practices regarding assessment of speech sound disorders

PURPOSE

To explore Swedish clinical practice regarding assessment of suspected Speech Sound Disorders (SSD) in children.

METHODS

A web-based questionnaire, regarding assessment of SSD in children 4;6-6;11 (years; months), was distributed to Swedish speech-language pathologists (SLPs) through social media and online forums. The questions concerned the frequency and manner of assessment for seven assessment components, chosen based on a review of international recommendations for SSD assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 131 SLPs responded to the questionnaire. The results show that Swedish SSD assessment practices vary with regards to the frequency and manner of assessment for many components. Speech output is frequently assessed while speech perception, phonological awareness and oral-motor function are assessed less frequently. A variety of manners of assessment, for example, standardised tests, non-standardised material, and informal assessment procedures, such as observation, are utilized by respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

Swedish SSD assessment practices are variable. The present paper reveals areas for development within SLP practice and education programmes, and provides a new perspective on present praxis with regards to the assessment of suspected SSD in Sweden.

Utility of the Intelligibility in Context Scale for Predicting Speech Intelligibility of Children with Cerebral Palsy

The Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) is a widely used, efficient tool for describing a child's speech intelligibility. Few studies have explored the relationship between ICS scores and transcription intelligibility scores, which are the gold standard for clinical measurement. This study examined how well ICS composite scores predicted transcription intelligibility scores among children with cerebral palsy (CP), how well individual questions from the ICS differentially predicted transcription intelligibility scores, and how well the ICS composite scores differentiated between children with and without speech motor impairment. Parents of 48 children with CP, who were approximately 13 years of age, completed the ICS. Ninety-six adult naïve listeners provided orthographic transcriptions of children's speech. Transcription intelligibility scores were regressed on ICS composite scores and individual item scores. Dysarthria status was regressed on ICS composite scores. Results indicated that ICS composite scores were moderately strong predictors of transcription intelligibility scores. One individual ICS item differentially predicted transcription intelligibility scores, and dysarthria severity influenced how well ICS composite scores differentiated between children with and without speech motor impairment. Findings suggest that the ICS has potential clinical utility for children with CP, especially when used with other objective measures of speech intelligibility.