title: Influence of speech sample on perceptual rating of hypernasality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of speech sample of spontaneous conversation or sentences repetition on intra and inter-rater hypernasality reliability.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty audio recorded speech samples (60 containing spontaneous conversation and 60 containing repeated sentences) of individuals with repaired cleft palate±lip, both genders, aged between 6 and 52 years old (mean=21±10) were selected and edited. Three experienced speech and language pathologists rated hypernasality according to their own criteria using 4-point scale: 1=absence of hypernasality, 2=mild hypernasality, 3=moderate hypernasality and 4=severe hypernasality, first in spontaneous speech samples and 30 days after, in sentences repetition samples. Intra- and inter-rater agreements were calculated for both speech samples and were statistically compared by the Z test at a significance level of 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of intra-rater agreements between both speech samples showed an increase of the coefficients obtained in the analysis of sentences repetition compared to those obtained in spontaneous conversation. Comparison between inter-rater agreement showed no significant difference among the three raters for the two speech samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sentences repetition improved intra-raters reliability of perceptual judgment of hypernasality. However, the speech sample had no influence on reliability among different raters.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo - USP - Bauru (SP), Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Natália Leite de
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo - USP - Bauru (SP), Brasil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fukushiro
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de São Paulo - USP - Bauru (SP), Brasil.
authors.forename: Renata Paciello
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D013067:Speech Perception; D013068:Speech Production Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult