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.

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