The role of cognition in acclimatisation to hearing aids
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The contribution of cognition to speech perception in first time hearing aid users over time
IRAS ID
171010
Contact name
Helen Henshaw
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 27 days
Research summary
The most common intervention for individuals with a hearing loss is amplification with hearing aids, which improve the audibility of sounds.
The process of learning to use the sound provided by hearing aids is known as acclimatisation. Typically, research has assessed acclimatisation by measuring changes in speech perception performance over time (such as before and after a hearing aid fitting). However, research evidence for improvements in speech perception performance as a clinically significant predictor of acclimatisation is mixed. Self-report measures however, have shown improvements in the ease of speech understanding with acclimatisation, even where objective measures of speech perception remain unchanged.
Speech perception is a complex task that draws upon the use of cognitive resources, particularly for adverse listening conditions such as listening in noise, or when there are competing talkers. Working memory has been shown to be highly associated with speech perception. However, few studies have assessed the role cognitive factors, such as executive function and attention, that may also be important for first time hearing aid users. Further research is required to identify how the contribution of cognitive resources to speech perception may change over time.
A longitudinal study of first-time hearing aid users will assess the contribution of the subcomponents of working memory (based on the model by Baddeley (2000), and other cognitive measures (attention and listening effort), to speech perception performance. The study will also assess any change in self-reported hearing during the first six months of hearing aid use.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0156
Date of REC Opinion
27 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion