Clinical Applications of 3-D Auditory Tests

Abstract

One of the primary goals of any audiological evaluation is to assess the impact of the hearing impairment on the communication ability of the individual in everyday listening situations. However, there are presently no clinical tests available that measure these abilities in realistic environments. To fill this gap, two three-dimensional (3-D) auditory tests measuring localization and speech intelligibility in noise are being developed for clinical use. These tests eliminate many of the problems inherent in free-field testing while providing a means for measuring performance in typical listening situations. The procedures used to create the stimuli needed in these tests and the methods for administering these tests are described. Results of these 3-D tests for adults with normal hearing are shown to illustrate typical results obtained with these tests. Some preliminary data obtained in an ongoing research project with children with a history of recurrent otitis media are also shown for comparison. These 3-D tests of localization and speech intelligibility in noise are easy to administer and score. Further testing is being conducted to prepare these tests for clinical use.