The Effects of Hearing-Aid Amplification and Noise on Conversational Dynamics Between Normal-Hearing and Hearing-Impaired Talkers.

ABSTRACT: There is a long-standing tradition to assess hearing-aid benefits using lab-based speech intelligibility tests. Towards a more everyday-like scenario, the current study investigated the effects of hearing-aid amplification and noise on face-to-face communication between two conversational partners. Eleven pairs, consisting of a younger normal-hearing (NH) and an older hearing-impaired (HI) participant, solved spot-the-difference tasks while their conversations were recorded. In a two-block randomized design, the tasks were solved in quiet or noise, both with and without the HI participant receiving hearing-aid amplification with active occlusion cancellation. In the presence of 70 dB SPL babble noise, participants had fewer, slower, and less well-timed turn-starts, while speaking louder wi

SUBMITTER: Petersen EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9310272 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature