Validation of a simple response-time measure of listening effort

J Acoust Soc Am. 2015 Sep;138(3):EL187-92. doi: 10.1121/1.4929614.

Abstract

This study compares two response-time measures of listening effort that can be combined with a clinical speech test for a more comprehensive evaluation of total listening experience; verbal response times to auditory stimuli (RT(aud)) and response times to a visual task (RTs(vis)) in a dual-task paradigm. The listening task was presented in five masker conditions; no noise, and two types of noise at two fixed intelligibility levels. Both the RTs(aud) and RTs(vis) showed effects of noise. However, only RTs(aud) showed an effect of intelligibility. Because of its simplicity in implementation, RTs(aud) may be a useful effort measure for clinical applications.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Audiometry, Speech / methods*
  • Humans
  • Noise / adverse effects
  • Perceptual Masking
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Reaction Time*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Speech Intelligibility*
  • Speech Perception*
  • Time Factors
  • Verbal Behavior*
  • Visual Perception
  • Young Adult