OBJECTIVE:

This study was designed to compare nasalance scores obtained with the old Nasometer 6200 and the new Nasometer II 6400, and to evaluate test-retest reliability of nasalance scores on each machine.

DESIGN:

Nasalance scores were obtained for 60 subjects reading each of two stimuli. Each subject read each stimulus two times on one machine; the headgear was removed and replaced and each stimulus was read a third time. The same procedure was then repeated with the second machine. Within machines, nasalance scores were compared for repeated stimuli with and without headgear change. The first reading of each stimulus with each machine was used to compare nasalance scores across machines.

PARTICIPANTS:

The subjects were 60 adults with normal speech ranging in age from 19 to 59 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The main outcome measures were the 12 nasalance scores obtained for each of 60 subjects.

RESULTS:

For both passages, there was a significant difference in nasalance scores between the old Nasometer and the Nasometer II; however, the actual variability that could be attributed to a difference between machines was small. Most of the variability between machines could be explained as within-subject performance variability and variability associated with headgear change. There was no significant difference in repeated scores within machines with or without headgear change.

CONCLUSIONS:

For clinical purposes, care should be exercised when comparing nasalance scores between the old Nasometer and the Nasometer II.