Date of Completion
12-14-2017
Embargo Period
12-14-2017
Keywords
Listening Effort
Major Advisor
Kathleen Cienkowski
Associate Advisor
Diane Brackett
Associate Advisor
Kristina English
Associate Advisor
Lendra Friesen
Associate Advisor
Suzanne Wilson
Field of Study
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Open Access
Open Access
Abstract
Increased effort and fatigue are common complaints of individuals with hearing loss, however the listening effort (LE) experience from the patient perspective is not well understood. Current models note the importance of cognitive factors in LE. Research, that is largely quantitative in nature, has shown equivocal findings regarding auditory signals that may cause increased LE, technologies that may ameliorate the LE experience, and the effects of LE on sensory systems. Very limited work has explored the personal aspects of LE. As a whole, however, investigations of LE fail to define the experience from the patient’s view or offer suggestions for clinical treatment. In order to elucidate this phenomenon, a qualitative examination of LE was conducted. Nineteen adults users of hearing aids were interviewed. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed for common themes. Unique characteristics of listening effort and mediators of listening effort emerged as themes. Evidence from this study suggests a need for further research regarding factors intrinsic to the individual as mediators of listening effort.
Recommended Citation
Marinelli, Alison, "A Qualitative Examination of the Listening Effort Experience of Adults with Hearing Loss" (2017). Doctoral Dissertations. 1670.
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/dissertations/1670