Speech perception with cochlear implants as measured using a roving-level adaptive test method.
OBJECTIVE
This paper uses a new method of speech testing where the hearing aid or cochlear implant (CI) users are tested in a more realistic listening situation.


METHODS
Groups of 11 subjects matched for performance with 5 different CI systems, for a total of 55 subjects, were tested with an adaptive test regime where the presentation level of the speech signal roved by ±10 or ±15 dB.


RESULTS
Speech reception thresholds varied widely between -4.8 and 17.3 dB with the ±15 dB roving condition being more difficult than the ±10 dB roving condition. We also found significant differences in speech reception threshold between groups using different devices.


CONCLUSIONS
The test method used in our study, which attempts to test CI users in a more realistic listening situation, is sensitive to the effects of various subject-specific and technical parameters on everyday speech perception with CIs.
Haumann
Sabine
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany. haumann.sabine@mh-hannover.de
Lenarz
Thomas
T
Büchner
Andreas
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013067:Speech Perception