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PRAXIS II Audiology Exam

The PRAXIS II Audiology exam is administered to individuals who have earned master's or doctorate degrees in audiology and who intend on becoming professionals in the field. The exam is often times a requirement to receive licensing or certification in Audiology. This exam consists of 120 multiple choice questions that are divided into eight categories as follows:

32 questions covering Basic Communication Processes
15 questions covering Behavioral Assessment/Interpretation
13 questions covering Rehabilitative Assessment
13 questions covering Rehabilitative Technology
13 questions covering Rehabilitative Management
12 questions covering Prevention/ID
12 questions covering Professional Issues, Psychometrics, Research
10 questions covering Electrophysiological Measurements/Interpretation

The area of Basic Communication Processes will cover a variety of topics including acoustics, anatomy and development, pathologies, physiology, psychoacoustics, speech-language sciences, and syndromes and genetics. These topics will be related to the mechanisms, functions, and/or testing associated with speech and hearing.

The questions regarding Behavioral Assessment/Interpretation will focus on testing procedures in the areas of behavioral speech and behavioral tone, and the use of case histories and physical examinations in hearing assessments.

The Rehabilitative Assessment questions will concentrate on methods of testing and therapy, ways of evaluating data gathered from tests, and selecting the appropriate type of hearing aid.

Questions pertaining to Rehabilitative Technology will cover assistive devices, the protocol for cochlear implants, and the functions and effectiveness of hearing aids. The area of Rehabilitative Management covers the methods and use of therapy for specific age groups, techniques for counseling and for discussing treatment and issues related to treatment. This section also covers evaluation of patients' progress.

The Prevention/ID questions concentrate on hearing conservation, screening, ototoxicity and the need to check hearing, and ways to keep infections under control.

The questions regarding Professional Issues, Psychometrics, and Research will cover professional ethics, legislation and standards associated with the field of Audiology, the effects that social status and culture have on speech, the management of business, and criteria and methods of research.

The questions that address Electrophysiological Measurement/Interpretation focus on the testing and data associated with auditory and vestibular diseases and conditions.

The multiple choice questions may relate to case studies and articles that will be provided as part of the exam. The purpose is to measure the ability of the examinee to employ his or her knowledge in a real life scenario or to process new facts and understand how to implement those facts in relevant situations.

PRAXIS II Audiology Practice Questions

1. Which of the following is not necessarily a factor in speech development if a child has a hearing problem?

A. Speech is delayed or disabled.
B. Trouble communicating
C. Behavioral issues
D. Functioning independently
E. Difficulty learning to read

2. Sensorineural hearing impairment:

A. occurs in the cochlea
B. may be helped with a hearing aid
C. affects the ability to hear sounds
D. affects the ability to understand speech
E. All of the above

3. Which of the following is not a medical term to define hearing loss?

A. Mild
B. Total deafness
C. Moderate
D. Severe
E. Profound

4. Some causes of hearing impairment and deafness include:

A. family history
B. lack of oxygen during birth
C. excessive noise
D. head injury
E. All of the above

5. The impact on children with hearing impairments includes:

A. delayed cognitive development
B. influence on educational opportunities
C. difficulty performing required tasks
D. interference with social integration
E. All of the above

Answer Key For Audiology

1. Answer: C

The ability to speak develops in the first few years. If a child has a hearing problem, speech will be delayed or disabled. He will have trouble communicating and difficulty learning the skills necessary to function independently. (If a child is profoundly hearing impaired {deaf}, sign language and Braille are available to enable communication.) The earlier a hearing problem is recognized, diagnosed, and treated, the better the chance to avoid life-long problems with speech and hearing issues.

Hearing impairment causes difficulty with learning to read, which leads to difficulty with the mechanics of writing (penmanship) and the ability to write (express thoughts, ideas, and emotions in written words). A person who hears and knows how to speak won't lose his ability to read if he develops a hearing problem later in life. However, if a person never hears well enough to learn to speak, he will rarely be able to read proficiently.

2. Answer: E

The American Heritage College Dictionary defines deafness as "partially or completely lacking in the sense of hearing." It can affect one or both ears but always means a complete loss of the ability to perceive sound.

The dictionary defines hearing impairment as "having a diminished or defective sense of hearing." The degree can be mild, moderate, severe, or profound. There are three types:

CONDUCTIVE HEARING IMPAIRMENT occurs in the outer or middle ear and reduces the person's ability to hear sound efficiently. It is often possible to treat this type medically and/or surgically.
SENSORINEURAL hearing impairment occurs in the inner ear (cochlea) and sometimes impacts the hearing nerve that goes from the inner ear to the brain. It is usually permanent but may be helped with a hearing aid. This type of loss not only affects the ability to hear sounds clearly but the ability to understand speech as well.
MIXED HEARING LOSS is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing impairment.

3. Answer: B

The configuration of the hearing loss defines which frequency (high or low) is affected by the loss. It can affect one or both. The degree of hearing loss refers to the severity of the impairment. There are five levels measured in decibels (dB):

NORMAL RANGE: 0 dB to 20dB
MILD LOSS: 20dB to 40dB
MODERATE LOSS: 40dB to 60dB
SEVERE LOSS: 60dB to 80dB
PROFOUND LOSS: 80dB or more

There are other terms used to describe hearing impairment:

UNILATERAL: Hearing loss in one ear
BILATERAL: Hearing loss in both ears
SYMMETRICAL: Degree and configuration are the same in both ears.
ASYMMETRICAL: Degree and configuration are different in each ear.
PROGRESSIVE: Hearing is lost over a period of time.
SUDDEN: Loss that is acute and quick and usually requires immediate medical attention

4. Answer: E

Deafness can be inherited. If a parent or close relative is born deaf, there is a higher risk the children may be born deaf. Many factors can cause deafness in newborns:

The mother contracts rubella, syphilis, or other diseases during pregnancy.
Premature birth
Lack of oxygen during the birth process
Jaundice can damage the hearing nerve.

Many infectious diseases such as meningitis, measles, mumps, and chronic ear infections can lead to hearing loss at any age. Using ototoxic drugs (some antibiotic and antimalarial drugs) incorrectly at any time, especially by the mother during pregnancy, can damage the inner ear. A head or ear injury, wax, or foreign bodies blocking the ear canal can cause hearing problems at all ages.

Exposure to excessive noise on the job, loud music at concerts and sounds on the street (jackhammers, lawn mowers explosions, gunfire, etc.) damages the inner ear and lead to impaired hearing. As people age, the long-term effects of loud noises can and often does lead to hearing loss and sometimes deafness.

5. Answer: E

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 278 million people have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears; the number is rising because of an expanding world population and longer life expectancy. Eighty percent (80%) of the people with hearing issues live in low and middle-income countries. WHO estimates the annual production of hearing aids meets less than ten percent (10%) of the need and fewer than one in forty people in developing countries who need a hearing aid actually have one.

The impact on children with a hearing impairment can be enormous. It can delay speech, language and cognitive development, influence educational opportunities and interfere with social integration and acceptance. Hearing impairment in adults affects the ability to find employment, perform required tasks, and keep jobs. For both young and old, hearing issues can lead to social isolation. When poverty is factored into the equation, there are added burdens such as the inability to afford preventative health care (prenatal visits, childhood immunizations, etc.) and hearing aids, and the lack of access to special education and training programs.