Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) and Spatial Hearing Questionnaire (SHQ) Changes Over Time in Adults With Simultaneous Cochlear Implants.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the changes over time of the Spatial Hearing Questionnaire (SHQ; Tyler, Perreau, & Ji, 2009) and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ; Gatehouse & Noble, 2004) in adults with simultaneous bilateral cochlear implants by collecting data for 2 years after implantation.


METHODS
Nineteen postlingual subjects participated in this study. Average age at implant was 63 years. The subjects' data were included in this retrospective analysis only if they completed both questionnaires. We compared subjects' SSQ and SHQ scores to word recognition and sound localization performances.


RESULTS
The study showed SHQ and SSQ scores continuously improved up to 1 year postimplantation, with the most improvement occurring within the first 6 months of implantation. After 1 year, the scores reached a plateau. This is consistent with laboratory tests from the same 19 subjects, and they showed high correlations (p < .05). The present study also showed a high degree of correlation between SHQ and SSQ scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the SSQ and SHQ scores improved up to 12 months postimplantation, with the most improvement during the first 6 months of implantation. Both were consistent with laboratory tests. There was a high degree of correlation between SHQ and SSQ scores.
Juan
J
Zhang
Richard
R
Tyler
Haihong
H
Ji
Camille
C
Dunn
Ningyu
N
Wang
Marlan
M
Hansen
Bruce
B
Gantz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013017:Sound Localization; D013067:Speech Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult