SPiN, listening effort, hearing, and cognition (Stenbäck et al., 2022)

Purpose: The study aimed to assess the relationship between (a) speech recognition in noise, mask type, working memory capacity (WMC), and inhibitory control and (b) self-rated listening effort, speech material, and mask type, in older adults with and without hearing impairment. It was of special interest to assess the relationship between WMC, inhibitory control, and speech recognition in noise when informational maskers masked target speech.
Method: A mixed design was used. A group (N = 24) of older (Mage = 69.7 years) individuals with hearing impairment and a group of age normal–hearing adults (Mage = 59.3 years, SD = 6.5) participated in the study. The participants were presented with auditory tests in a sound-attenuated room and with cognitive tests in a quiet office. The participants were asked to rate listening effort after being presented with energetic and informational background maskers in two different speech materials used in this study (i.e., Hearing In Noise Test and Hagerman test). Linear mixed-effects models were set up to assess the effect of the two different speech materials, energetic and informational maskers, hearing ability, WMC, inhibitory control, and self-rated listening effort.
Results: Results showed that WMC and inhibitory control were of importance for speech recognition in noise, even when controlling for pure-tone average 4 hearing thresholds and age, when the maskers were informational. Concerning listening effort, on the other hand, the results suggest that hearing ability, but not cognitive abilities, is important for self-rated listening effort in speech recognition in noise.
Conclusions: Speech-in-noise recognition is more dependent on WMC for older adults in informational maskers than in energetic maskers. Hearing ability is a stronger predictor than cognition for self-rated listening effort.
Supplemental Material S1. Variables removed using backward stepwise deletion. SNR as dependent variable.
Supplemental Material S2. Variables removed using backward stepwise deletion. Effort as dependent variable.
Stenbäck, V., Marsja, E., Hällgren, M., Lyxell, B., & Larsby, B. (2022). Informational masking and listening effort in speech recognition in noise: The role of working memory capacity and inhibitory control in older adults with and without hearing impairment. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00674

目的：本研究旨在评估噪声中的语音识别、掩蔽类型、工作记忆容量（WMC）及抑制控制与自我评估的听用力、语音材料及掩蔽类型之间的关系，特别是在有及无听力障碍的老年人中。特别关注的是，当信息掩蔽器掩盖目标语音时，WMC、抑制控制与噪声中语音识别之间的关系。方法：本研究采用混合设计。一组（N = 24）老年听力障碍者（平均年龄为69.7岁）和一组年龄正常听力成年人（平均年龄为59.3岁，标准差为6.5）参与了研究。受试者在隔音室内接受听觉测试，在安静办公室接受认知测试。受试者在被呈现两种研究用语音材料（即听力噪声测试和Hagerman测试）中的能量和信息掩蔽器后，被要求评估听用力。线性混合效应模型被建立以评估两种不同语音材料、能量和信息掩蔽器、听力能力、WMC、抑制控制和自我评估听用力的影响。结果：结果显示，即使在控制纯音平均4听力阈值和年龄的情况下，当掩蔽器为信息型时，WMC和抑制控制对于噪声中的语音识别仍然至关重要。另一方面，关于听用力，结果提示听力能力而非认知能力对于噪声中语音识别的自我评估听用力更为重要。结论：对于老年人而言，在信息掩蔽器中，语音在噪声中的识别比在能量掩蔽器中更依赖于WMC。听力能力比认知能力更能预测自我评估的听用力。补充材料S1：使用逐步后退删除法去除的变量。信噪比作为因变量。补充材料S2：使用逐步后退删除法去除的变量。努力作为因变量。Stenbäck, V., Marsja, E., Hällgren, M., Lyxell, B., & Larsby, B. (2022). 信息掩蔽和噪声中语音识别的听用力：工作记忆容量和抑制控制在有及无听力障碍的老年人中的作用。言语、语言和听力研究杂志。在线预发表。https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_JSLHR-21-00674