title: The effect of voice quality and competing speakers in a passage comprehension task: performance in relation to cognitive functioning in children with normal hearing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the effect of voice quality and competing speaker/-s on children's performance in a passage comprehension task. Furthermore, it explores the interaction between passage comprehension and cognitive functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine children (27 girls and 22 boys) with normal hearing (aged 7-12 years) participated. Passage comprehension was tested in six different listening conditions; a typical voice (non-dysphonic voice) in quiet, a typical voice with one competing speaker, a typical voice with four competing speakers, a dysphonic voice in quiet, a dysphonic voice with one competing speaker, and a dysphonic voice with four competing speakers. The children's working memory capacity and executive functioning were also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings indicate no direct effect of voice quality on the children's performance, but a significant effect of background listening condition. Interaction effects were seen between voice quality, background listening condition, and executive functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The children's susceptibility to the effect of the dysphonic voice and the background listening conditions are related to the individual's executive functions. The findings have several implications for design of interventions in language learning environments such as classrooms.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology , Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Lochow
authors.affiliation: a Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology , Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University , Lund , Sweden.|b Linneaus' Environment Cognition, Communication and Learning , Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Viveka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lyberg-Åhlander
authors.affiliation: a Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology , Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sahlén
authors.affiliation: a Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology , Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kastberg
authors.affiliation: a Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology , Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: K Jonas
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Brännström
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D032882:Comprehension; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014833:Voice Quality
keywords: Background listening conditions; dysphonic voice; executive functioning; noise; working memory