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A comparison of video versus conventional visual reinforcement in 7- to 16-month-old infants
Kristy J Lowery1, Deborah von Hapsburg, Erin L Plyler
1Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, University of Tennessee, 424 South Stadium Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996-0740, USA. klowery2@utk.edu
Insights
Video visual reinforcement audiometry (VVRA) and conventional visual reinforcement audiometry (CVRA) show similar response patterns in infants aged 7-16 months. VVRA is a viable hearing test option for infants, but further research is needed for those with hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric audiology
- Hearing assessment
Background:
- Infant hearing screening is crucial for early detection and intervention.
- Conventional visual reinforcement audiometry (CVRA) is a standard method for assessing infant hearing.
- Video visual reinforcement audiometry (VVRA) offers a potentially engaging alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of VVRA and CVRA in infants aged 7-16 months.
- To evaluate response patterns, including head turns, hit rate, and false alarm rate, for both methods.
- To determine if VVRA is a suitable alternative to CVRA for infant hearing assessment.
Main Methods:
- A repeated measures design was employed with 14 normal-hearing infants (7-16 months).
- Each infant underwent testing with both VVRA and CVRA across separate sessions.
- Key metrics evaluated included total head turns, hit rate (response consistency), false alarm rate, and sensitivity.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed between VVRA and CVRA for any measured response parameter.
- Infants demonstrated comparable head turn counts, hit rates, false alarm rates, and sensitivity across both reinforcement conditions.
- The study found no difference in infant responses between the two visual reinforcement methods.
Conclusions:
- Infants aged 7-16 months exhibit similar response patterns to both VVRA and CVRA.
- VVRA presents a promising and viable tool for audiological assessments in infants.
- Further investigation into VVRA's effectiveness in infants with hearing loss is recommended before widespread clinical adoption.
Purpose:
To compare response patterns to video visual reinforcement audiometry (VVRA) and conventional visual reinforcement audiometry (CVRA) in infants 7-16 months of age.
Method:
Fourteen normal-hearing infants aged 7-16 months (8 male, 6 female) participated. A repeated measures design was used. Each infant was tested with VVRA and CVRA over 2 different sessions. The total number of head turns prior to habituation, hit rate (response consistency), false alarm rate, and sensitivity for each reinforcement condition were evaluated.
Results:
No significant differences were found between the 2 reinforcement methods for total number of head turns, hit rate, false alarm rate, or sensitivity. Overall, results showed no difference between the 2 reinforcer conditions in infants 7-16 months of age.
Conclusion:
The results of the present study suggest that infants in the 7- to 16-month-old age range respond similarly to VVRA and CVRA as measured by response consistency and false alarm rate. VVRA is, therefore, a viable option for testing hearing in infants. However, prior to clinical implementation, the effectiveness of VVRA should be explored in infants with hearing loss.
