SSW test performance-intensity functions for hearing-impaired adults

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Hearing Science
• Speech Perception

Background:

• Hearing impairment affects speech understanding, particularly in noisy environments.
• The Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test is a common tool for assessing auditory processing abilities.
• Understanding the impact of presentation intensity on test performance is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how varying presentation intensity affects hearing-impaired adults' performance on the SSW test.
• To determine if low sensation levels impact speech perception abilities measured by the SSW test.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen adults with mild-to-moderate cochlear hearing loss participated.
• The 40-item SSW test was administered at four intensity levels: 20, 30, 40, and 50 dB SL.
• Performance-intensity functions were generated and scores analyzed for overall, competing, and noncompeting conditions.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in SSW test performance across the tested intensity levels.
• Listeners' scores at low sensation levels (20-40 dB SL) were comparable to those at the standard 50 dB SL.

Conclusions:

• Presentation intensity, within the tested range, does not significantly alter SSW test performance in adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
• These findings suggest that the SSW test may be robust to variations in sensation level for this population.