Development and Evaluation of High frequency word identification test for children in Indian-English (HF-WITCIE)

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop a 'High frequency word identification test for children in Indian-English (HFWITCIE)" and validate the same on typically developing children. Additionally, the study aimed to check the equivalency of the four lists of the tests and establish whether the age of the participants (6 to 9 years) had an effect on the scores of the test. The study also determined the utility of the test on children simulated to have high frequency hearing loss. The 'HF-WITCIE' was developed using high frequency phonemes (/i/, /e/, /j/, /r/, /l/, /t/, /th/, /s/, /f/, /?/, /t?/). The four lists of the test had 25 words each. The developed test material was validated on 48 typically developing children aged 6 to 9 years (16 each in the age groups 6 to < 7 years, 7 to < 8 years, and 8 to < 9 years). The utility of the test was evaluated on 12 children simulated to have high frequency hearing loss (6 gradual sloping hearing loss & 6 sharply sloping hearing loss). The children in the three age groups performed similarly indicating no age effect. The four lists of the test were found to be equivalent for the word scores and phoneme scores. Significant differences were seen in the scores of the typically developing children when compared to those with simulated gradual sloping hearing loss and sharply sloping hearing loss. The study indicates that the developed test can be used to assess speech identification difficulties faced by children with high frequency hearing loss.