Comparison of speech i̇n noise and masking level difference test performance adults with hearing loss

Most people complain about understanding speech in noisy environments. This complaint depends on the type, level and other characteristics of the ambient noise. Individuals with normal hearing have difficulty understanding speech in noise, but individuals with hearing loss have more difficulty understanding speech in noise. Binaural hearing has an important role in detecting and understanding stimuli in the presence of noise. Individuals with hearing loss may have impairments in the mechanism that allows them to understand the target stimulus in noisy environments. Our aim is to distinguish speech in noise in hearing impaired individuals and to evaluate auditory processing skills at brain stem level. This study was conducted with 30 adult sensorineural hearing loss and 30 conductive hearing loss adult participants. Masking level difference test (MLD) was used to measure auditory processing at the brainstem level, and speech-in-noise test was used to measure speech ability in noise. MLD values and speech-in-noise test scores of adults with normal hearing and adults with hearing loss were compared. And there was a decrease in MLD values and speech-in-noise test scores of adults with hearing loss compared to adults with normal hearing and was statistically significant. While there was no correlation between MLD values and speech-in-noise test scores in adults with sensorinoral hearing loss and adults with normal hearing, there was a correlation between MLD values at 500 Hz with speech-in-noise test scores in adults with conductive hearing loss. As a result of this study, it has been shown that adults with hearing loss have a negative effect on noise discrimination and speech processing at brain stem level. Keywords; masking level difference, speech in noise Keywords; masking level difference, speech in noise