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K-State Today

May 30, 2014

Volunteers needed for speech, language study

Submitted by Debra Burnett

Debra Burnett and Ann Smit in communication sciences and disorders have found that existing ways to measure understandability have severe limitations. They have devised a new questionnaire. The first step toward ensuring a valid assessment tool is to standardize the questionnaire for a group of typically developing preschoolers.

The study is called the "Standardization and Validation of the Caregiver-Parent Understanding-the-Child Questionnaire, or CPUCQ." Burnett and Smit are looking for participants for this study in the age range of 4 1/2 years to 6 years and 5 months of age. The session is scheduled at the parents' convenience, either on campus or in the home and typically takes 45 minutes.

When they work with the child, they do preliminary screening of speech and hearing as well as video record a speech sample while the child and researcher play with toys. During this time the parent usually stays in the room and fills out the questionnaire.

There is a $15 honorarium to thank the parent and child for participating. If you are interested in participating, contact Smit at 785-532-1481 or asmit@k-state.edu, or Burnett at 785-532-0802 or deburnet@k-state.edu.

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