Premium
Using a multi‐feature paradigm to measure mismatch responses to minimal sound contrasts in children with cochlear implants and hearing aids
Author(s) -
Uhlén Inger,
Engström Elisabet,
Kallioinen Petter,
Nakeva von Mentzer Cecilia,
Lyxell Björn,
Sahlén Birgitta,
Lindgren Magnus,
Ors Marianne
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1111/sjop.12391
Subject(s) - mismatch negativity , audiology , psychology , active listening , cochlear implant , hearing loss , medicine , communication , electroencephalography , psychiatry
Our aim was to explore whether a multi‐feature paradigm (Optimum‐1) for eliciting mismatch negativity ( MMN ) would objectively capture difficulties in perceiving small sound contrasts in children with hearing impairment ( HI ) listening through their hearing aids ( HA s) and/or cochlear implants ( CI s). Children aged 5–7 years with HA s, CI s and children with normal hearing ( NH ) were tested in a free‐field setting using a multi‐feature paradigm with deviations in pitch, intensity, gap, duration, and location. There were significant mismatch responses across all subjects that were positive (p‐ MMR ) for the gap and pitch deviants ( F (1,43) = 5.17, p = 0.028 and F (1,43) = 6.56, p = 0.014, respectively) and negative ( MMN ) for the duration deviant ( F (1,43) = 4.74, p = 0.035). Only the intensity deviant showed a significant group interaction with MMN in the HA group and p‐ MMR in the CI group ( F (2,43) = 3.40, p = 0.043). The p‐ MMR correlated negatively with age, with the strongest correlation in the NH subjects. In the CI group, the late discriminative negativity ( LDN ) was replaced by a late positivity with a significant group interaction for the location deviant. Children with severe HI can be assessed through their hearing device with a fast multi‐feature paradigm. For further studies a multi‐feature paradigm including more complex speech sounds may better capture variation in auditory processing in these children.