Scene-Specific Self-Tuning of Hearing Aids Enhances Perceived Speech Quality

Individual older adults with hearing loss often have unique communication needs that vary across different listening conditions. The current study examined whether user-directed fine-tuning of hearing aid programs specifically for different sound scenes would improve perceived speech quality.

Thirty older adult participants were recruited based on self-reported hearing challenges or pure-tone audiometry indicating a hearing loss. Participants self-tuned the hearing aid frequency-gain characteristics while listening to continuous speech embedded in background noise, presented as simulated real-world sound scenes. The self-tuning procedure was conducted in two sound scenes, "Noisy Indoor" and "Noisy Outdoor," with an average speech level at 60 dB(A) and signal-to-noise ratios of +5 dB and +10 dB, respectively. Speech quality ratings were collected for each scene using an interface inspired by the Multiple Stimuli with Hidden Reference and Anchor method. In each sound scene, participants rated four programs: two self-tuned, one standard prescription based, and one poor-quality anchor. The order of presentation was randomized and blinded.

Results showed that participants rated their self-tuned programs tailored to specific scenes significantly higher compared to both the prescription-based program and their self-tuned program for the other scene.

User-driven self-tuning procedures can be useful to capture scene-specific preferences for hearing aid settings and improve the perceived speech quality.

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.30359560.