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The relation between stimulus context, speech audibility, and perception for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired
P G Stelmachowicz1, B M Hoover, D E Lewis
1Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE 68131, USA. stelmach@boystown.org
Summary
Young children need better audibility for sentence recognition compared to adults. Semantic context aids performance, especially for older children and adults, impacting hearing aid fitting strategies.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Speech Perception
- Child Development
Background:
- Understanding sentence recognition in children is crucial for auditory development.
- Audibility and semantic context significantly influence speech perception.
- Age-related differences in auditory processing are well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of stimulus context and audibility on sentence recognition in children and adults.
- To determine audibility index (AI) and sound pressure level (SPL) requirements for 70% performance.
- To compare performance between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired children.
Main Methods:
- Assessed sentence recognition using performance-intensity (PI) functions in 60 normal-hearing children, 23 hearing-impaired children, and 20 normal-hearing adults.
- Utilized semantically correct and anomalous sentences at various presentation levels.
- Calculated AI and fitted logistic functions to determine audibility needs.
Main Results:
- A significant age-related shift in PI functions was observed; young children require higher AI for adult-equivalent performance.
- Semantic context significantly improved performance only in 5-year-old normal-hearing children and adults.
- Hearing-impaired children exhibited age-related trends similar to normal-hearing peers.
Conclusions:
- Young children require greater audibility for optimal sentence recognition than adults.
- Semantic context plays a role in speech perception, with varying effects across age groups.
- Findings inform hearing aid fitting strategies for pediatric populations.
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