title: Development and validation of first-ever speech-specific perceptual speech evaluation tool for patients with head and neck cancer: the London speech evaluation (LSE) scale.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to develop and validate the first ever speech-specific perceptual speech-evaluation tool for patients with head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five speech parameters (intelligibility, articulation, speech rate, nasality, and asthenia) and overall grade were included and evaluated. Speech samples of 117 subjects were recorded on electroglottograph equipment using a standard protocol and were independently judged and rated by 3 experienced speech and language therapists and re-rated 12 weeks apart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among patients the Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficients for internal consistency for connected speech were 0.89, whereas for single words the α coefficients ranged between 0.80 and 0.84. The Spearman's correlation coefficients for intra-rater reliability for connected speech and words varied between 0.30 and 0.90 and 0.49 and 0.76, respectively, whereas for inter-rater reliability the coefficients ranged between 0.53 and 0.99 and 0.56 and 0.99, respectively. For construct validity, the Spearman's correlation coefficient ranged between 0.41 and 0.55.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The London Speech Evaluation (LSE) scale demonstrated a high reliability and validity in our cohort of patients with head and neck cancer. surgery.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom. raghav_dwivedi@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Raghav C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Dwivedi
authors.forename: Suzanne St
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Chisholm
authors.forename: Cyrus J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kerawala
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nutting
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Rhys-Evans
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Rehan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires