Comparison of Intensity Discrimination between Children Using Cochlear Implants and Typically Developing Children

Differential sensitivity of intensity is known to be important for the perception of the relative distance of sounds in the environment, emotions of speakers, and localize sounds. However, a few features in listening devices, such as cochlear implants, used by individuals with hearing loss alter the output intensity heard by them. This makes soft sounds loud and loud sounds soft. Hence, the aim of the present study was to compare the intensity discrimination of children using cochlear implants with that of typically developing children.

Intensity discrimination of 30 children (15 using cochlear implants and 15 typically developing children) was obtained for three warble tones (500 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 4000 Hz) and three vowels (/a/, /i/, and /u/). The responses of the two participant groups, obtained using a 3-alternative forced-choice technique, were compared.

Children using cochlear implants performed significantly poorer than typically developing children for the 4000 Hz warble tone and for the vowels /a/ and /u/. However, there was no significant difference for the remaining stimuli.

The study indicated that the intensity discrimination threshold varies as a function of the frequency of the signals in children using cochlear implants. Intensity discrimination for high-frequency tones was significantly poorer for typically developing children, but not for low-frequency tones. In contrast, children using cochlear implants performed similarly to typically developing children for the high-frequency vowel but not for the mid- and low-frequency vowel.