title: Speech perception enhancement in elderly hearing aid users using an auditory training program for mobile devices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of the present study was to develop an auditory training program using a mobile device and to test its efficacy by applying it to older adults suffering from moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among the 20 elderly hearing-impaired listeners who participated, 10 were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) and 10 were assigned to a non-training group (NTG) as a control. As a baseline, all participants were measured by vowel, consonant and sentence tests. In the experiment, the TG had been trained for 4 weeks using a mobile program, which had four levels and consisted of 10 Korean nonsense syllables, with each level completed in 1 week. In contrast, traditional auditory training had been provided for the NTG during the same period. To evaluate whether a training effect was achieved, the two groups also carried out the same tests as the baseline after completing the experiment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that performance on the consonant and sentence tests in the TG was significantly increased compared with that of the NTG. Also, improved scores of speech perception were retained at 2 weeks after the training was completed. However, vowel scores were not changed after the 4-week training in both the TG and the NTG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result pattern suggests that a moderate amount of auditory training using the mobile device with cost-effective and minimal supervision is useful when it is used to improve the speech understanding of older adults with hearing loss. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 61-68.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.|Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Graduate School, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jyaehyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Convergence Software, Graduate School, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hanjae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Convergence Software, College of Information and Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Changgeun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Research Institute of Audiology and Speech Pathology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Woojae
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: auditory training; elderly with hearing loss; hearing aids; mobile device-assisted therapy; neural plasticity; speech perception