Standardization of nasalance scores in normal Saudi speakers.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to obtain normative nasalance scores for a normal Saudi population with different ages and genders, to develop nasometric Arabic speech materials, and to make cross-linguistic comparison.


METHODS
Participants included 219 normal Saudi native monolingual Arabic speakers of different ages. Subjects were classified into four groups according to age and gender. Subjects did not have any history of oral, nasal, or velopharyngeal abnormality.


METHODS
Arabic speech samples were developed to evaluate nasalance scores, which included syllables repetition, three oral sentences, three oro-nasal sentences, and three nasal sentences. Nasalance data were obtained using Nasometer II-6400.


RESULTS
Normative nasalance values were determined. Significant differences between the male and female children groups were noticed in many parameters. Nasalance scores were higher in adults, with significant differences between all groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Normative nasalance scores for Saudi Arabic speakers have been developed for both adults and children. The Arabic speech materials developed in this study appear to be easy to use and applicable for different age groups.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Prince Sultan Military Medical City , Riyadh , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rasha M
RM
El-Kassabi
Sabah
S
Hassan
Tamer A
TA
Mesallam
Khalid H
KH
Malki
Mohamed
M
Farahat
Abdullah
A
Alfaris
D000162:Acoustics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D010700:Phonetics; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult
Nasality; nasometer; normative data; velopharyngeal valve