The spatial hearing questionnaire: data from individuals with normal hearing.

Purpose: Although a number of questionnaires are available to assess hearing aid benefit and general hearing disability, relatively few investigate spatial hearing ability in more complex listening situations. The aim of this study was to document the performance of individuals with normal hearing using the Spatial Hearing Questionnaire (SHQ; Tyler, Perreau, & Ji, 2009) and to compare performance with published data from cochlear implant (CI) users.

Method: Fifty-one participants with normal hearing participated. All participants completed the 24-item SHQ. Also, a factor analysis and reliability tests were performed.

Results: Performance on the SHQ was high (87%) for the participants with normal hearing. Subjective ratings varied across different listening situations: Understanding speech in quiet (98%) was rated higher than sound localization (84%) and understanding speech in a background of noise (85%). Compared with previously published data (Tyler, Perreau, & Ji, 2009), listeners with normal hearing rated their spatial hearing ability significantly better than bilateral and unilateral CI users. Results confirmed that the SHQ is a reliable measure of spatial hearing ability for listeners with normal hearing.

Conclusions: Overall, results indicated that the SHQ is able to capture expected differences between individuals with normal hearing and CI users. These new data can be used as targets following the provision of hearing devices.