Comparison of PSAPs in Different Maskers

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study will measure the performance of three personal amplification devices when used by middle-aged adults. Speech understanding will be assessed with two different types of background noises at three different input levels.

Detailed Description
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Speech understanding will be measured both unaided and aided with three different models of Personal Amplification devices (PSAPs). Sentences will be played to the participant from a loudspeaker located in front. Different types of background sounds (noise and other sentences) will be played from loudspeakers located to the right and left of the participant. Participants will be instructed to repeat back the sentence coming from the front. They also will rate subjective effort at the end of each block of trials.

Official Title
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Personal Amplification Devices in Noise and Speech Maskers

Conditions
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Auditory Perception

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Sound World Solutions CS50+
* Device: Tweak Focus
* Device: IQ Earbuds
* Device: Bose Hearphones


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: mild high-frequency hearing loss (pure-tone thresholds of 25 decibels hearing loss - 45 decibels hearing loss between 2000 Hz and 6000 Hz) Exclusion Criteria: history of prior hearing aid use history of neurologic or otologic disorders score of < 26 on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (cognitive screening tool)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 45 Years
Maximum Age: 64 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Each participant will be tested with one of the models of devices.
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Tweak Focus<br>Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Tweak Focus personal sound amplifiers. | Device: Tweak Focus<br>* Participants will be tested using the Tweak Focus hearing devices.<br>|
| Experimental: IQ Earbuds<br>Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the IQEarbuds personal sound amplifiers. | Device: IQ Earbuds<br>* Participants will be tested using the IQ Earbuds hearing devices.<br>|
| Experimental: Sound World Solutions CS50+<br>Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Sound World Solutions CS50+ personal sound amplifiers. | Device: Sound World Solutions CS50+<br>* Participants will be tested using the Sound World Solutions CS 50+ hearing devices.<br>|
| Experimental: Bose Hearphones<br>Speech understanding and listening effort will be assessed using the Sound World Solutions CS50+ personal sound amplifiers. | Device: Bose Hearphones<br>* Participants will be tested using the Bose Hearphones hearing devices.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Comparison of How Four Models of Personal Listening Devices Improve Word Understanding in Noise | Improvement in performance on speech perception task using the Nuheara IQ Buds, Tweak Focus, Bose Hearphones, or the Sound World Solutions CS 50+ personal listening devices, measured by percentage of words accurately recalled in noise with device minus percentage recalled without device. Positive values indicate improvement in performance. | One 2-hour lab session | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Difference in Self-rated Listening Effort | Effect of listening devices on subjective listening effort, measured by rating on ten-point scale (10 = greatest amount of effort) after task performed with device minus rating after task performed without device. Lower scores indicate less listening effort; negative values indicate reduction in effort with device. | One 2-hour session |