Performance-intensity function of short Mandarin monosyllabic word list for normal-hearing listeners

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the short monosyllabic list of Mandarin speech test materials (MSTMs) which have been evaluated the equivalence of difficulty, and to establish the performance-intensity function (P-I function) for people with normal hearing as clinical reference of hearing recovery and individuals ability to perceive and process speech.

METHOD: Thirty-seven subjects (the age ranged from 18 to 26 years old) who speak Mandarin well in their daily lives with normal hearing participated in this study. Eight lists of the Short Mandarin Monosyllabic materials (20 words per list) with equal difficulty were utilized. The results were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 17.0.

RESULT: P-I function for short monosyllabic word list was x = 98.557/(1 + 12.243 exp (-0.17(P-15, x(max) = 98.557. And the sound pressure level of speech corresponding to a 50% recognition score was 29.6 dB SPL or 9.6 dB HL. The results showed P-I function of 3.1 per dB for Mandarin materials.

CONCLUSION: The study established the P-I function of the Mandarin short monosyllabic word list materials with equal difficulty, which provides the normative data for identifying the normal hearing in a clinical setting.