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Development of a 500-Hz masking-level difference protocol for clinic use
Richard H Wilson1, Deborah W Moncrieff, Elizabeth A Townsend
1James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Mountain Home, Tennessee 37684, USA.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|July 2, 2003
Summary
This study developed a simple 500-Hz masking-level difference (MLD) protocol for clinical use. The protocol effectively assesses auditory perception, yielding reliable MLDs in listeners with normal hearing.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Auditory Perception
- Psychoacoustics
Background:
- The masking-level difference (MLD) is a key measure of binaural hearing.
- Clinical assessment of auditory perception requires efficient and reliable protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple, 500-Hz masking-level difference (MLD) protocol for easy clinical implementation.
- To assess auditory perceptual abilities using an audio compact disc.
Main Methods:
- Five 300-ms tones embedded in noise bursts.
- Homophasic and antiphasic conditions with decreasing signal-to-noise ratios.
- Single-interval 'yes/no' task administered to 24-28 normal-hearing listeners.
Main Results:
- Mean MLDs of approximately 13 dB for SoNo and SpiNo conditions.
- A 10.0-dB MLD was observed for the SoNpi condition.
- High test-retest reliability (<0.5 dB) for SoNo and SpiNo thresholds.
Conclusions:
- The developed 500-Hz MLD protocol is simple and effective for clinical use.
- The protocol reliably assesses auditory perceptual abilities.
- 95% of listeners achieved SpiNo MLDs greater than or equal to 10 dB.