title: Working memory training to improve speech perception in noise across languages.
abstract: Working memory capacity has been linked to performance on many higher cognitive tasks, including the ability to perceive speech in noise. Current efforts to train working memory have demonstrated that working memory performance can be improved, suggesting that working memory training may lead to improved speech perception in noise. A further advantage of working memory training to improve speech perception in noise is that working memory training materials are often simple, such as letters or digits, making them easily translatable across languages. The current effort tested the hypothesis that working memory training would be associated with improved speech perception in noise and that materials would easily translate across languages. Native Mandarin Chinese and native English speakers completed ten days of reversed digit span training. Reading span and speech perception in noise both significantly improved following training, whereas untrained controls showed no gains. These data suggest that working memory training may be used to improve listeners' speech perception in noise and that the materials may be quickly adapted to a wide variety of listeners.
authors.affiliation: School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University, 201 West Bloxham Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA.
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ingvalson
authors.affiliation: Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Sumitrajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room G03, Leung Kau Kui Building, Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Patrick C M
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Hanjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult