Personal Amplification Devices in Noise and Speech Maskers
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Enrollment
- 48
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Comparison of How Four Models of Personal Listening Devices Improve Word Understanding in Noise
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study will measure the performance of three personal amplification devices when used by middle-aged adults. Speech understanding will be assessed with two different types of background noises at three different input levels.
Detailed Description
Speech understanding will be measured both unaided and aided with three different models of Personal Amplification devices (PSAPs). Sentences will be played to the participant from a loudspeaker located in front. Different types of background sounds (noise and other sentences) will be played from loudspeakers located to the right and left of the participant. Participants will be instructed to repeat back the sentence coming from the front. They also will rate subjective effort at the end of each block of trials.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Non Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 45 Years to 64 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •mild high-frequency hearing loss (pure-tone thresholds of 25 decibels hearing loss - 45 decibels hearing loss between 2000 Hz and 6000 Hz)
Exclusion Criteria
- •history of prior hearing aid use
- •history of neurologic or otologic disorders
- •score of < 26 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (cognitive screening tool)
Arms & Interventions
Tweak Focus
Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Tweak Focus personal sound amplifiers.
Intervention: Tweak Focus (Device)
IQ Earbuds
Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the IQEarbuds personal sound amplifiers.
Intervention: IQ Earbuds (Device)
Sound World Solutions CS50+
Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Sound World Solutions CS50+ personal sound amplifiers.
Intervention: Sound World Solutions CS50+ (Device)
Bose Hearphones
Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Sound World Solutions CS50+ personal sound amplifiers.
Intervention: Bose Hearphones (Device)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Comparison of How Four Models of Personal Listening Devices Improve Word Understanding in Noise
Time Frame: One 2-hour lab session
Improvement in performance on speech perception task using the Nuheara IQ Buds, Tweak Focus, Bose Hearphones, or the Sound World Solutions CS 50+ personal listening devices, measured by percentage of words accurately recalled in noise with device minus percentage recalled without device. Positive values indicate improvement in performance.
Secondary Outcomes
- Difference in Self-rated Listening Effort(One 2-hour session)
Investigators
Karen Helfer
Principal Investigator
University of Massachusetts, Amherst