title: On the use of the distortion-sensitivity approach in examining the role of linguistic abilities in speech understanding in noise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Researchers have used the distortion-sensitivity approach in the psychoacoustical domain to investigate the role of auditory processing abilities in speech perception in noise (van Schijndel, Houtgast, & Festen, 2001; Goverts & Houtgast, 2010). In this study, the authors examined the potential applicability of the distortion-sensitivity approach for investigating the role of linguistic abilities in speech understanding in noise.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors applied the distortion-sensitivity approach by measuring the processing of visually presented masked text in a condition with manipulated syntactic, lexical, and semantic cues and while using the Text Reception Threshold (George et al., 2007; Kramer, Zekveld, & Houtgast, 2009; Zekveld, George, Kramer, Goverts, & Houtgast, 2007) method. Two groups that differed in linguistic abilities were studied: 13 native and 10 non-native speakers of Dutch, all typically hearing university students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, the non-native subjects showed substantially reduced performance. The results of the distortion-sensitivity approach yielded differentiated results on the use of specific linguistic cues in the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show the potential value of the distortion-sensitivity approach in studying the role of linguistic abilities in speech understanding in noise of individuals with hearing impairment.
authors.affiliation: VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. st.goverts@vumc.nl
authors.forename: S Theo
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Goverts
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huysmans
authors.forename: Sophia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Annette M B
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Tammo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Houtgast
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008037:Linguistics; D008875:Middle Aged; D019303:Multilingualism; D009622:Noise; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D011932:Reading; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult