Age Impacts Speech-in-Noise Recognition Differently for Nonnative and Native Listeners.

Area of Science:

• Auditory Neuroscience
• Speech Perception
• Aging Research

Background:

• Auditory function changes with age.
• Native and nonnative language background may influence auditory processing.
• Limited research exists on age-related auditory differences between native and nonnative English speakers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in suprathreshold auditory function between native and nonnative English speakers.
• To examine how age impacts speech recognition abilities in different speaker groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of data from 5,572 participants (ages 18-65).
• Utilized three suprathreshold auditory tests: binaural tone detection, digit identification, and sentence recognition.
• Compared performance between self-identified native and nonnative English speakers.

Main Results:

• A significant interaction between age and speaker group was found for speech-based tests (digit strings, sentences), but not for tone detection.
• Speech recognition differences emerged in early adulthood.
• Age-related declines in word recognition were significantly faster for nonnative speakers (2.9-3.3 times faster) than for native speakers.

Conclusions:

• Aging has a differential impact on auditory speech recognition based on native language background.
• Older nonnative English speakers may experience more pronounced deficits in speech-in-noise perception.
• Findings suggest potential clinical implications for audiological assessment and intervention for nonnative English speakers.