SSW test performance-intensity functions for hearing-impaired adults.

The present study investigated the effects of intensity on hearing-impaired adults' performance on the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test. Fifteen adults having mild-to-moderate cochlear hearing losses were administered the 40-item SSW test which was subdivided into four groups of ten items each, and presented at different intensity levels (20, 30, 40, and 50 dB SL re the three-frequency, pure-tone average). Subjects' responses were used to generate performance-intensity functions.

Verification of the corrected Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) score in adults with cochlear hearing loss.

Traditionally, tests of central auditory function have been limited when hearing loss is present. By design the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test incorporates a correction procedure which attempts to account for the effects of peripheral distortion. Results obtained in the present study, based on 92 adult males with bilateral, cochlear hearing loss, showed no significant change in corrected SSW (C-SSW) scores in cases with a pure-tone average less than 50 dB.

Staggered Spondaic Word Test performance in a group of older adults: a preliminary report.

The upper age limit for the norms on the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) Test in older adults has not been defined. Current suggested age norms are 11 to 60 years with interpolation for performance of children 7 to 11 years. In the present study, the SSW Test was administered to a group of older adults (N = 156) with no history of central auditory problems and compared with the performance of a group of younger adults (N = 86) with bilateral cochlear hearing loss.

Patterns in the performance-intensity functions for phonetically balanced word lists and synthetic sentences in aged listeners.

The performance intensity-phonetically balanced (PI-PB) and performance intensity-synthetic sentence identification (PI-SSI) functions were determined for 62 elderly patients (100 ears) with presbyacusis. A comparison of these functions was performed to determine whether patients older than 60 years exhibited peripheral or central PI-PB/PI-SSI patterning. Fifty-eight ears of the 100 ears examined showed central patterning.

Errors on the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) Test in a group of adult normal listeners.

The Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) Test was developed as a means to assess central auditory function. In the present study, the SSW Test was administered to a group of normal-hearing young adults (N = 86) with nor history of centra auditory problems in an attempt to evaluate previous normative data and the types of errors made by this group. Mean number of errors for corrected (C-SSW) scores were consistent with the "normal" category established by Katz.