Headphone Listening Levels, Attitudes to Noise, and Auditory Symptoms Among Children and Adolescents

Music listening with headphones and at high sound levels is common among young people. Risky music listening may be influenced by behavioral factors, and investigating these could have implications for more effective prevention. The aim is to describe participants' hearing health and music listening habits and explore associations between attitudes to noise and measured sound pressure levels (SPLs) from participants' headphones and between perceived auditory symptoms with hearing and SPL measurements.

This is a cross-sectional study including audiometry (0.125-16 kHz), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), SPL measurements, and a questionnaire. The participants were 10-20 years old. Out of 71 respondents to the questionnaire, 53 also participated in the hearing and SPL measurements.

Positive attitudes to noise were significantly associated with higher measured SPLs. Participants ≥ 15 years old had more positive attitudes, higher measured SPLs, and reported longer durations of headphone music listening. Most auditory symptoms were significantly correlated with self-reported music listening habits but not with measured SPLs, audiometry, or DPOAEs. Participants experiencing a greater need for auditory recovery had higher variation in DPOAE amplitude for both ears.

Attitudes to noise may play a role in shaping risky music listening behaviors. Perceived auditory symptoms may occur before detectable audiometric threshold shifts. Addressing these aspects could promote safer music listening behaviors.

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.30781904.