Focusing On Positive Listening Experiences Improves Speech Intelligibility In Experienced Hearing Aid Users

The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether focusing on positive listening experiences affects speech intelligibility outcomes in experienced hearing aid (HA) users. Twenty participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or a positive focus (PF) group (N = 2 x 10). Prior to HA fitting, all
participants were asked to fill out the 12-item Speech Spatial & Qualities (SSQ12) questionnaire based on their listening experiences with their own HAs. At the first laboratory visit, they were fitted with study HAs, and speech intelligibility measurements in two noise scenarios were conducted. Both groups then wore the study HAs for two weeks and sent daily text messages reporting hours of HA use to an experimenter. During the 2-week trial period, the PF group was instructed to focus on positive listening experiences and to report them in the daily text messages. After the field trial, all participants filled out the SSQ12 questionnaire based on their experiences with the study HAs. In addition, they completed another round of speech intelligibility measurements. The analyses showed improved outcomes in terms of speech intelligibility in one noise scenario as well as average SSQ12 scores in the PF group but not in the control group. These results point to the importance of asking HA users to focus on positive listening experiences and to reflect upon them to improve both subjective and objective benefits following HA treatment.