ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Intelligibility of speech measure is based on the perception of the listeners. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was the construction and the validation of a quantitative test of speech disorders severity allowing the the follow up and the measure of management impact. MATERIAL AND METHOD: After a first step of construction and feasibility, the psychometric validation was performed. 37 patients with a speech disorder and 13 normal subjects were recorded. The reference was the global score obtained by reading a text. The whole recordings were scored by a panel of 5 judges. The test was composed by a automatic series of words (the months of the year) with a phono-orthographic score, the semantic transcription of a list of words and sentences, a qualitative score of spontaneous speech obtained by the description of a photography. RESULTS: The intra and inter judges reliability are correct (intraclasse coefficient of 0.97 and 0.98). The different parts of the test are well correlated to the reference proof (r = 0.75 to 0.82). Chronbach alpha is 0.98, the limits of agreement are 14.88 +/- 3 on a maximum score of 88. The dispersion is enough for a good differentiation of the patients. (11 to 88, avec mean 62.93, SD 22.45) with a significant difference p < 0.002 between the control group and the population with speech disorders. CONCLUSION: This test constructed on the concept of a composite assessment is validated.