COMPLEX LISTENING SKILLS IN SCHOOL-AGE HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN

项目摘要/摘要 现在，许多听力损失(CHL)儿童在出生后的头几个月就会接受早期干预。连 然而，在早期干预下，一些戴助听器的CHL并没有充分发挥其发展潜力。 在学习和社交环境中，挑战变得更加复杂，因为大多数倾听环境 以背景噪音为特征的。CHL经历的困难比正常儿童大得多 听力(CNH)，在嘈杂的情况下理解言语。佩戴助听器的CHL是一名未成年人- 研究人群，导致我们对其潜在机制的认识存在很大差距 在噪音不足的情况下说话。对噪声中语音识别机制的有限理解阻碍了 制定有针对性的干预战略，以减少这些赤字。目前的提案将确定 在使用助听器的学龄儿童中，噪声中语音识别的变异性的基础因素。这 建议的前提是选择性注意、工作记忆和语言支持过程 这对于噪声中的语音识别是至关重要的。目前的提案试图测试CHL与 更好的选择性注意力、工作记忆和语言能力将拥有更强的光谱分辨率， 语音的知觉权重，对信息掩蔽的敏感度较低。这些技能的优势 将与在噪音中更好的语音理解有关。提出了三个具体目标：目标1。 研究选择性注意、工作记忆和频谱分辨率对语音识别的影响 噪音。目的2.表征选择性注意和语言对言语知觉加权的影响 在嘈杂声中。目的3.评价选择性注意对言语掩蔽者语音识别的预测作用。在目标1中， 我们将考察选择性注意力、工作记忆和语音频谱分辨率的测量方法 噪声中CNH和CHL的识别。我们预测选择性注意和工作记忆支持 儿童的频谱分辨率，这反过来又支持噪音中的语音识别。在目标2中，感知权重 对于语言复杂程度不同的语音刺激，将对其功能进行测量。我们预测CNH和CHL 随着更强的选择性注意力，工作记忆和语言技能将具有知觉权重 集中在中频频段，反映了成熟和选择性的倾听，不太容易受到噪音的影响。 在目标3中，我们将评估选择性注意对使用语音掩蔽器的语音识别的影响 产生信息掩蔽。我们预测，选择性注意技能较强的CNH和CHL将 与技能较差的同龄人相比，他们对信息掩饰的敏感度较低，但这种影响是中介的 由孩子的语言和工作记忆能力决定。从该提案生成的数据将通知 CNH和CHL中有关语音识别的理论模型。拟议的研究还将提供 为儿童制定个性化的助听器处方策略的经验证据 是基于儿童的个人认知和语言技能。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Many children with hearing loss (CHL) now receive early intervention within the first few months of life. Even with early intervention, however, some CHL with hearing aids do not reach their full developmental potential. Challenges are compounded in learning and social environments because most listening environments are characterized by background noise. CHL experience significantly greater difficulty than children with normal hearing (CNH) with understanding speech in noisy situations. CHL who wear hearing aids are an under- studied population, leading to substantial gaps in our knowledge regarding the underlying mechanisms for their speech in noise deficits. A limited understanding of the mechanisms for speech recognition in noise hinders the development of targeted intervention strategies to reduce these deficits. The current proposal will identify factors that underlie variability in speech recognition in noise in school-age CHL who use hearing aids. This proposal is based on the premise that selective attention, working memory, and language support processes that are crucial for speech recognition in noise. The current proposal seeks to test the hypothesis that CHL with better selective attention, working memory, and language abilities will have stronger spectral resolution, perceptual weighting for speech, and less susceptibility to informational masking. Advantages in these skills will be associated with better speech understanding in noise. Three specific aims are proposed: Aim 1. Examine the effects of selective attention, working memory, and spectral resolution on speech recognition in noise. Aim 2. Characterize the effects of selective attention and language on perceptual weighting for speech in noise. Aim 3. Evaluate selective attention as a predictor of speech recognition in speech maskers. In Aim 1, we will examine measures of selective attention, working memory, and spectral resolution on speech recognition in noise for CNH and CHL. We predict that selective attention and working memory support spectral resolution in children, which in turn support speech recognition in noise. In Aim 2, perceptual weighting functions will be measured for speech stimuli that vary in linguistic complexity. We predict that CNH and CHL with stronger selective attention, working memory, and language skills will have perceptual weights concentrated in mid-frequency bands, reflecting mature and selective listening that is less susceptible to noise. In Aim 3, we will assess the effects of selective attention on speech recognition with speech maskers that produce informational masking. We predict that CNH and CHL who have stronger selective attention skills will have less susceptibility to informational masking than peers with poorer skills, but that this effect is mediated by the child's language and working memory abilities. The data generated from this proposal will inform theoretical models regarding speech recognition in CNH and CHL. The proposed studies will also provide empirical evidence for the development of individualized strategies for prescribing hearing aids for children that are based on the child's individual cognitive and linguistic skills.