Monitoring Progress in Vocal Development in Young Cochlear Implant Recipients: Relationships between Speech Samples and Scores from the Conditioned Assessment of Speech Production (CASP)

Purpose: To determine the concurrent validity of the Conditioned Assessment of Speech Production (CASP; Ertmer & Stoel-Gammon, 2008) and data obtained from speech samples recorded at the same intervals. Method: Nineteen children who are deaf who received cochlear implants before their 3rd birthdays participated in the study. Speech samples and CASP scores were gathered at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postactivation. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the concurrent validity of CASP scores and data from samples. Results: CASP scores showed strong concurrent validity with scores from speech samples gathered across all recording sessions (6-24 months). Conclusions: The CASP was found to be a valid, reliable, and time-efficient tool for assessing progress in vocal development during young cochlear implant recipients' first 2 years of device experience. (Contains 3 tables and 6 figures.)