Abstract
Nasalance score variability can be attributed to the Nasometer, to variance in the test procedures, between-subject variability, and subject performance variability (Lewis et al., 2008). Of particular importance with nasalance scores is subject performance variability. This can be due to the inconsistency with which subjects repeat the same stimulus, the degree of nasal patency, or timing of velopharyngeal (VP) closure. Since nasalance scores are sensitive to the degree of nasal patency, test procedure variances, the changeable timing of closure for the VP mechanism, and developmental changes in children, then the degree of variation over time with children should be greater than that of adults. The specific research questions are as follows: (1) What is the degree of nasalance score variation associated with short-term variability in a group of normal children?; and (2) What is the degree of nasalance score variation associated with long-term variability in a group of normal children? Sources of Data Participants consisted of 14 speakers between the ages of 14 through 15 years. Nasalance score data was collected twice per day, in the AM and PM, for 4 days, and then once per week for 3 weeks afterward. Participants read the Turtle Passage and Mouse Passage three times each during the AM sessions. Each passage was read twice in succession without changing the headgear (NCHG). Then, the headgear was removed and replaced before participants read the passages for the third time (CHG). This allowed for analyses of short-term variability under the two conditions, NCHG and CHG. Conclusions Reached Nasalance score data revealed great variability across all five conditions, but in general, a difference of 8 points or less accounted for 86% to 100% of the variation. Data showed greater long-term variability in nasalance scores than in adults.