The biggest challenge for people with hearing loss is to communicate in noise. Even some normal Even some normal hearing older adults have issues understanding speech in noise.

1. Efficacy of auditory training in adults with hearing loss and
auditory processing disorders
Shivali Appaiah Konganda1,2, Mridula Sharma1,2, Jessica Monaghan1,2, Gitte Keidser2,3,
Joaquin Valderrama2,3, John Newall1,2
1 Macquarie University, Department of Linguistics, 2 The HEARing Cooperative Research Centre, 3 National Acoustics Laboratories
Method:
Multiple baseline randomized control trial.
Outcome measures:
Hypothesis
Expected outcome:
 Identification of factors that influence speech
comprehension in noise which is necessary to better
target auditory training programs.
 If the training module is effective, there is potential for it
to be used for future clinical interventions.
Aim:
.
1) Participants: Native
English speaking adults
30 to 70 years old will be
recruited
2) HI & Listening
concerns
3) Sample size of ~40
acceptable power
(80%).
Screening tests:
1) Montreal Cognitive
Assessment (MoCA)
2) Pure-tone
audiometry
3) Immittance
Auditory Cognitive Self-
reported
linguistic
Temporal
processing,
pitch
perception,
spatial
processing,
SPIN
Executive
process,
selective &
sustained
attention, ST &
WM, statistical
learning
Hearing aid
outcome,
speech and
spatial
processing
abilities
Phonological
processing
Abstract:
The biggest challenge for people with hearing loss (Stenfelt
& Ro, 2009) is to communicate in noise.Even some normal
hearing older adults have issues understanding speech in
noise (Pichora-Fuller & Souza, 2003).
The literature suggests 3 major factors that impact speech
comprehension.
Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the role of
these factors in speech comprehension especially in noise.
Current rehabilitative approaches mainly focus on hearing
aids. However, satisfaction with hearing aids particularly in
background noise is poor ( Barr et al., 2010; Humes et al.,
2002).
The literature on auditory training is limited and mixed,
possibly due to the lack of use of appropriate outcome
measures (Ferguson et al., 2016).
The current study aims to investigate the potential benefits
of auditory training in aided individuals with hearing loss,
and in those with APD.
.
References:
1. Barr, C., Quinn, S., & Williams, C. (2010). Changes in Self-Reported Outcomes With
Hearing Aids Over Time, 32(2), 95–105.
2. Bloomfield, A., Wayland, S. C., Rhoades, E., Linck, J., & Ross, S. (2010). What makes
listening difficult ?
3. Ferguson, M. A., Henshaw, H., Ferguson, M., Ph, D., Henshaw, H., & Ph, D. (2016). How
Does Auditory Training Work ? Joined-Up Thinking and Listening How Does Auditory
Training Work ? Joined-Up Thinking and Listening. http://doi.org/10.1055/s-0035-1564456
4. Pichora-Fuller, M. K., & Souza, P. E. (2003). Effects of aging on auditory processing of
speech. Int J Audiol, 42(Suppl 2), S11–S16. http://doi.org/10.3109/14992020309074638
5. Stenfelt, S., & Ro, J. (2009). Background and Basic Processes The Signal-Cognition
interface : Interactions between degraded auditory signals and cognitive processes.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 385–393. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-
9450.2009.00748.
Auditory factors
(Schneider, 2011)
Cognitive factors
(Pichora-fuller & Singh,
2006)
Linguistic factors
(Bloomfield et al., 2010)
1) To identify the contribution of various factors on
understanding speech in noise.
2) Investigate an auditory training program
specifically aimed at improving auditory
discrimination.
1) Auditory training will improve auditory, cognitive or
linguistic tests & speech comprehension in noise.
2) Improvements in APD on speech in noise
performance after AT will indicate, existing problems
are due to auditory processing deficits.