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J Am Acad Audiol 2001; 12(08): 423-433
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1745629
Original Article

Evaluation of a Revised Speech in Noise (RSIN) Test

Robyn M. Cox
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and School of Audiology and Speech Pathology. The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
,
Ginger A. Gray
School of Audiology and Speech Pathology. The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
,
Genevieve C. Alexander
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and School of Audiology and Speech Pathology. The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
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Abstract

A revised version of the Speech in Noise (SIN) test was developed by reallocating the recorded test material on the compact disc into different lists (blocks). The goal was to increase the equivalence and reliability of the test blocks to enhance their usefulness in research settings. The Revised Speech in Noise test has four blocks of sentences. Each block comprises twice as many sentences as in the original SIN test. There are also practice sentences for each condition. Forty-two elderly subjects with normal hearing for their age and gender provided data on the equivalence of the new test blocks. The remaining inequalities in mean scores were mostly eliminated using score weighting. Critical differences were developed to promote interpretation of scores from the same individual under different conditions. The revisions substantially improved the equivalence of test blocks and their sensitivity to performance changes. Increased test time is the associated drawback.

Abbreviations: CD = critical difference, MDB = modified dual block, RAU = rationalized arcsine unit, RSIN = Revised Speech in Noise test, SBR = signal-to-babble ratio, SBR-50 = the signal-to-babble ratio corresponding to a score of 50 percent correct, SIN = Speech in Noise test, WRAU = weighted rationalized arcsine unit

Keywords

Hearing aid - hearing loss - noise - speech understanding


Publication History

Article published online:
04 March 2022

© 2001. American Academy of Audiology. This article is published by Thieme.

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  • 1Note that this reasoning is valid only when a pattern of consistent differences is observed between the tested conditions and you wish to determine the likelihood that this pattern of differences is owing to chance. Also, the joint probability computed with this method is an estimate rather than a precise value.
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