The investigators will examine the effectiveness of selected over-the-counter personal sound amplifiers in addressing functional hearing problems in middle-aged listeners with mild hearing loss. Many people are unlikely to pay several thousand dollars for hearing aids but they likely would be more willing to try a possible solution that is less expensive. When faced with counseling these individuals, audiologists are at a loss regarding whether or not to suggest that they try this type of technology, since there is virtually no research available to verify that these devices actually are helpful, particularly for individuals with mild hearing loss. The hypothesis being tested is that personal sound amplifiers can improve functional hearing and decrease cognitive load in complex auditory environments.
The field trials in this project will require you to use OTC hearing devices for a specified period of time in both ears simultaneously, and in just one ear, with periodic lab-based re-evaluation. Each field trial will continue until asymptotic performance is identified (up to a maximum of 12 weeks). You will return to the lab for assessment every 2 weeks. During each visit, speech perception and subjective listening effort will be assessed. Depending upon the specific field trial, the investigators also will complete measures of cognitive load (via dual-task paradigms), spatial release from masking, and localization ability during each lab visit.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Individuals will use commercially-available over-the-counter hearing devices for specified periods of time.
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
Speech Perception
The change in the ability to understand sentences presented in background noise
Time frame: every two weeks until asymptotic performance is noted (up to 12 weeks)
Cognitive Load
The change in the ability to remember speech that has previously been presented in background noise
Time frame: every two weeks until asymptotic performance is noted (up to 12 weeks)
Localization Ability
The change in the ability to indicate where a sound is coming from when presented in background noise
Time frame: every two weeks until asymptotic performance is noted (up to 12 weeks)
Self-Perceived Listening Effort
Changes in how difficult it is to understand speech in background noise
Time frame: every two weeks until asymptotic performance is noted (up to 12 weeks)
Self-perceived hearing device benefit
The situations in which participants find the hearing aids to be beneficial
Time frame: daily during field trial (up to 12 weeks)
Overall perceived benefit from hearing device
The extent to which participants believe the hearing devices help them
Time frame: every two weeks until asymptotic performance is noted (up to 12 weeks)
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