Department of Audiology Faculty Articles

Title

Test–Retest Reliability of In Situ Unaided Thresholds in Adults

ResearchID/ORCID ID

0000-0002-9662-1092, 0000-0001-6770-4377

ISBN or ISSN

2381-473X

Volume

15

Issue

1

Publication Date / Copyright Date

6-2006

First Page

75

Last Page

80

Publisher

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

DOI Number

10.1044/1059-0889(2006/009)

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine test–retest reliability of in situ unaided thresholds measured using a handheld hearing aid programmer coupled to a hearing aid transducer in adults with normal hearing.

Method Randomized in situ thresholds at 4 octave frequencies were established in 1 ear of 43 adults twice using the Widex Diva SP3 device with the stimulus generated by and transduced through a Widex Diva SD-9 behind-the-ear hearing aid. Insert earphone tips were used in each of the measures to couple the hearing aid/transducer to the ear canal.

Results Mean decibel differences between the test and retest thresholds were less than 1 dB at each frequency. Using an 80% statistical test criterion, results revealed test–retest reliability within 5 dB for all frequencies: 98% at 500 Hz, 100% at 1000 and 2000 Hz, and 93% at 4000 Hz.

Conclusions Test–retest reliability of in situ unaided thresholds using the SP3/SD-9 device is equivalent to that of currently accepted audiometric procedures.

Disciplines

Communication Sciences and Disorders | Medicine and Health Sciences | Speech and Hearing Science | Speech Pathology and Audiology

Keywords

adults, test-retest reliability, unaided thresholds

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