Manchester Picture Test

This test was first developed in 1957 and has long been regarded as the most comprehensive picture test for children and young adults. It was updated by Dr Esther Harper in 2002 to include new words and a completely revised colour picture set.

The test consists of six word lists each containing six test words. Each word being represented in a matrix of four pictures, i.e. test word and three distracters.

The Manchester Picture Test is used mainly with older children for whom the toy tests are not thought to be appropriate

The Manchester Picture Test is in the format of 6 word lists, each of which has 6 test words.

List 1	List 2	List 3	List 4	List 5	List 6
Bee	Dog	Ghost	Bed	Door	Gate
Train	Tree	Key	Pig	Pen	Cheese
Flag	Star	Fox	Horse	Fish	Frog
Shop	Slide	Hat	Sweet	Snake	hand
Witch	Leaf	Ring	Whale	Wall	Leg
Man	Nest	Moon	Man	Knife	nine

Any of the 6 lists can be chosen as a practice list in order to familiarize the child with the test procedure and the Parrot. All the test words within a list are tested at the same level.

Each list comprises of 6 picture matrix. These are a single sheet of paper in a booklet showing 4 pictures representing the test word and three distracter pictures in a square. The child is required to identify the correct picture within each matrix.
For example: list 1, matrix 1  shows a picture of a: Queen, Three, Feet, Bee (target word).

In order to achieve a “Pass” at any level a score of 5 or 6 out of 6 ( 83% or greater) must be obtained. If the test is being used to screen hearing the test level should be 40 dB(A). If it is being used as a test of Speech Discrimination, and the hearing thresholds are known, a start level of 20 dB(A) above the PTA Average is used. The level can be increased or decreased until the word discrimination threshold is achieved, (the lowest level at which a pass is obtained).

A trial has been carried out on 30 normally hearing children aged 3 – 6 years, by Dr Esther Harper, Community Paediatrician (Foyle Health & Soc Services Trust) in Northern Ireland. All lists were shown statistically to be of equal difficulty and no individual word was more difficult than any other. The trial compared the scores using a Parrot Speech Discrimination Tester programmed with the McCormick Toy Test with a Parrot programmed with the new Manchester Picture Test.  It was found that there was a strong correlation between the scores of the two tests.

Thus, the Parrot MPT was found to be a reliable test of hearing for speech in young children in a Clinic Setting