Reading Behind the Lines: The Factors Affecting the Text Reception Threshold in Hearing Aid Users

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Cognitive Science
• Speech Perception

Background:

• The visual Text Reception Threshold (TRT) test assesses modality-general factors for speech perception in noise.
• The TRT test has gained widespread adoption in audiology research globally.
• Understanding factors influencing TRT is crucial for interpreting speech perception in noise results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key predictors of interindividual differences in the Text Reception Threshold (TRT) test.
• To examine the relationship between the TRT and speech reception thresholds (SRTs) across various auditory conditions.
• To investigate the TRT's association with subjective reports of hearing difficulties.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review identified potential TRT predictors.
• A prediction model was applied to data from 180 hearing aid users.
• Association models analyzed TRT relationships with SRTs and subjective hearing difficulties, controlling for confounders.

Main Results:

• Sentence completion, lexical access speed, and working memory capacity significantly predicted TRT scores.
• Higher age and poorer pure-tone hearing acuity were moderately associated with poorer TRTs.
• Better TRTs correlated with improved SRTs in a challenging 4-talker babble and better subjective speech perception ratings.

Conclusions:

• The TRT test measures processes like speeded lexical decision-making and working memory capacity.
• TRT performance is linked to speech reception in challenging conditions and daily-life speech perception difficulties.
• The TRT test is a valuable tool for speech perception research, aiding in result interpretation.