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Determining the Validity of a New Speech Perception Test for Toddlers with and without Hearing Loss

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Title: Determining the Validity of a New Speech Perception Test for Toddlers with and without Hearing Loss
Language: English
Authors: Derek M. Houston (ORCID 0000-0003-1050-3034), Sophia Nichols, Courtney Melick (ORCID 0009-0002-3909-2275), Ursula Findlen (ORCID 0000-0001-8971-0700)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2026 69(3):1291-1300.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R01DC017925
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Toddlers, Speech Communication, Language Acquisition, Deafness, Hard of Hearing, Speech Tests, Pictorial Stimuli, Test Validity, Vocabulary Development, Language Skills, Auditory Perception, Test Reliability
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00600
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: Speech perception skills are foundational to language development and highly variable among children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH), making the assessment of speech perception skills critical for understanding and nurturing language development in D/HH children. However, commonly used assessment tools of speech perception may not be valid measures for young children because they depend on children's vocabulary skills. To address this challenge, a new speech perception test was recently developed--the Toddler Speech Perception Test (TSPT)--a two-alternative forced-choice picture-pointing task that involves only words that most toddlers produce by 2.5 years of age. Method: This study evaluated the validity of the TSPT by analyzing the performance of 32 D/HH and 21 typically hearing (TH) 2.5-year-olds and determining if their performance was consistent with what would be expected of a test that assessed speech perception skills rather than language comprehension. Specifically, performance was compared to measures of vocabulary, total language, auditory functioning skills, and hearing thresholds. Internal validity was assessed by comparing performance of phonologically similar word contrasts with performance on more dissimilar contrasts. Reliability was assessed using the split-halves method. Results: The results demonstrated expected correlations with other measures, good internal validity, and good reliability with some differences between the TH and D/HH groups. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that the TSPT is a valid measure of speech perception, especially in children who are D/HH. Limitations and future directions are discussed with the aim of advancing scientific rigor of speech perception testing in young D/HH children.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499603
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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  Data: Determining the Validity of a New Speech Perception Test for Toddlers with and without Hearing Loss
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Derek+M%2E+Houston%22">Derek M. Houston</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1050-3034">0000-0003-1050-3034</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sophia+Nichols%22">Sophia Nichols</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Courtney+Melick%22">Courtney Melick</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3909-2275">0009-0002-3909-2275</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ursula+Findlen%22">Ursula Findlen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8971-0700">0000-0001-8971-0700</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 69(3):1291-1300.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: 10
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  Data: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toddlers%22">Toddlers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Communication%22">Speech Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness%22">Deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hard+of+Hearing%22">Hard of Hearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Tests%22">Speech Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pictorial+Stimuli%22">Pictorial Stimuli</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Validity%22">Test Validity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary+Development%22">Vocabulary Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Skills%22">Language Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+Perception%22">Auditory Perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Reliability%22">Test Reliability</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00600
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  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Speech perception skills are foundational to language development and highly variable among children who are deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH), making the assessment of speech perception skills critical for understanding and nurturing language development in D/HH children. However, commonly used assessment tools of speech perception may not be valid measures for young children because they depend on children's vocabulary skills. To address this challenge, a new speech perception test was recently developed--the Toddler Speech Perception Test (TSPT)--a two-alternative forced-choice picture-pointing task that involves only words that most toddlers produce by 2.5 years of age. Method: This study evaluated the validity of the TSPT by analyzing the performance of 32 D/HH and 21 typically hearing (TH) 2.5-year-olds and determining if their performance was consistent with what would be expected of a test that assessed speech perception skills rather than language comprehension. Specifically, performance was compared to measures of vocabulary, total language, auditory functioning skills, and hearing thresholds. Internal validity was assessed by comparing performance of phonologically similar word contrasts with performance on more dissimilar contrasts. Reliability was assessed using the split-halves method. Results: The results demonstrated expected correlations with other measures, good internal validity, and good reliability with some differences between the TH and D/HH groups. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that the TSPT is a valid measure of speech perception, especially in children who are D/HH. Limitations and future directions are discussed with the aim of advancing scientific rigor of speech perception testing in young D/HH children.
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  Data: 2026
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00600
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      – Text: English
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Toddlers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech Communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Deafness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hard of Hearing
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      – SubjectFull: Speech Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Pictorial Stimuli
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      – SubjectFull: Test Validity
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      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary Development
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      – SubjectFull: Language Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Auditory Perception
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      – SubjectFull: Test Reliability
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      – TitleFull: Determining the Validity of a New Speech Perception Test for Toddlers with and without Hearing Loss
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