Effects of focusing on positive listening experiences on speech intelligibility in hearing-aid users

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether focusing on and sharing positive listening experiences during hearing aid treatment affects speech intelligibility outcomes for experienced hearing aid users. Twenty experienced hearing aid users were randomly split into two groups, a positive focus (PF) group and a control group (N = 2 x 10). Prior to hearing aid fitting, all participants were asked to fill out the 12-item Speech Spatial & Qualities (SSQ12) questionnaire based on their listening experiences with their own hearing aids. At the first laboratory visit, they were fitted with study hearing aids, and completed speech intelligibility measurements in stationary speech-shaped noise (HINT) and competing speech (DAT). Both groups were asked to wear the study hearing aids for two weeks, and to send daily text messages reporting hours of hearing aid use to an experimenter. Additionally, the PF group was asked to focus on positive listening experiences throughout the day, and to report these in the same text messages. After the 2-week field trial, the SSQ12 questionnaire and the speech tests were repeated. The results showed that there was an improvement in HINT for the PF group but not the control group. This indicates that asking hearing aid users to focus on positive listening experiences and to share them can improve objective hearing aid outcomes.