Normative Data for a Rapid, Automated Test of Spatial Release From Masking.
Kasey M Jakien, Frederick J Gallun
PMID 30458523WHAT IT FOUND
For normal-hearing adults, age predicts how well you hear one voice in noise, but hearing loss predicts how much benefit you get from spatial separation.
These norms let clinicians compare a patient's score to expected values for their age and hearing level.
Key findings
01Age was the only significant predictor of performance in the colocated condition, while hearing loss (PTA) was the only significant predictor of spatial release from masking.
02Both age and hearing loss significantly predicted performance in the spatially separated condition.
03The normative functions are valid for adults aged 18 to 80 years with hearing thresholds (PTA) of 40 dB HL or less.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study excluded children and adults older than 80 years, so the norms cannot be applied to these populations. Participants were required to have hearing thresholds of 45 dB or below, limiting the validity of the norms for those with greater hearing loss. Fewer than 20 participants had hearing thresholds greater than 20 dB, making it difficult to confirm if the linear model accurately predicts performance for those with more significant hearing loss. The test method may underestimate performance for listeners with very good hearing abilities.
Declared interests
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the VA RR&D National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use these norms for patients with hearing loss greater than 40 dB HL or for those outside the age range of 18 to 80 years. The linear functions were not validated for these groups, and performance in those with greater hearing loss may not follow the same pattern.