Improving Spatial Perception and Speech Understanding in Multitalker Mixtures

NCT05260307 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 4218ER01DC015760
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 220
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate several approaches for improving spatial perception and speech intelligibility in multitalker listening situations for hearing-aid users. The hypotheses are that spatial perception and speech intelligibility will be improved by (1) increased high-frequency audibility, (2) speech envelope enhancement, and/or (3) appropriate sound image externalization.

Conditions

Hearing Loss

Keywords

Hearing Aids; Speech Intelligibility; Spatial Hearing; Cocktail Party; Audibility; Sound Image Externalization; Speech Envelope

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Speech intelligibility at baseline

  Speech intelligibility scores will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent correct (0-100%).

  Baseline

• Speech intelligibility post-intervention

  Speech intelligibility scores will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent correct (0-100%).

  Up to 4 hours

• Speech reception threshold at baseline

  Speech reception thresholds will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in decibels (the level of the target speech relative to the masker speech needed to identify 50% of the words in a sentence).

  Baseline

• Speech reception threshold post-intervention

  Speech reception thresholds will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in decibels (the level of the target speech relative to the masker speech needed to identify 50% of the words in a sentence).

  Up to 4 hours

• Interaural time difference discrimination at baseline

  Thresholds for the discrimination of interaural time differences in speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in microseconds.

  Baseline

• Interaural time difference discrimination post-intervention

  Thresholds for the discrimination of interaural time differences in speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in microseconds.

  Up to 4 hours

• Externalization rating at baseline

  Externalization judgments for speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of different hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent (0-100%).

  Baseline

• Externalization rating post-intervention

  Externalization judgments for speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of different hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent (0-100%).

  Up to 4 hours

Study Arms (1)

Experimental condition

OTHER

Participants will be presented with sound stimuli under a number of experimental conditions that simulate different hearing-aid conditions.

Other: hearing aid condition

Interventions

hearing aid condition OTHER

The intervention will be a hearing aid or a modification to the sound stimulus that simulates a hearing aid configuration, style, or processing strategy.

Experimental condition

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• to 35 years of age
• Audiometric thresholds that do not exceed 20 dB HL at any frequency from 250 to 8000 Hz
• Able to provide informed consent and understand experimental instructions
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• to 80 years of age
• Documented sensorineural hearing loss
• Able to provide informed consent and understand experimental instructions
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

You may not qualify if:

• Non-native speakers of English

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Boston University Charles River Campus: lead
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hearing Loss; Speech Intelligibility

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hearing Disorders; Ear Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Sensation Disorders; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Speech; Verbal Behavior; Communication; Behavior

Study Officials

• Virginia A Best, PhD

  Boston University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Virginia A Best, PhD

CONTACT

(617) 353-2622; ginbest@bu.edu

Christine Mason

CONTACT

cmason@bu.edu; cmason@bu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: While participants will not be informed about the specific experimental condition being tested, certain acoustical changes may be perceptible to them and thus strict masking is impossible.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: All participants will be tested under a number of experimental conditions that simulate different hearing aid conditions. They will act as their own control.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2022
• First Posted: March 2, 2022
• Study Start: March 9, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Last Updated: September 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: The data will be made available at the time of the relevant publication.

Locations

US (1)