Development of the Profile of Hearing Aid Performance (PHAP)

Abstract

This paper reports the development of the Profile of Hearing Aid Performance (PHAP), a 66-item self-administered inventory that quantifies performance with a hearing aid in everyday life using both seven-score and four-score profiles. The profiles assess experience with amplification in terms of speech communication in three types of listening situations and in terms of reactions to amplified environmental sounds. The PHAP has been evaluated using groups consisting mainly of elderly hearing aid wearers having mild to moderate hearing impairments. Internal consistency reliability of the scales and subscales ranges from .70 to .91. Test-retest correlations range from .66 to .88. Ninety percent and 95% critical differences are presented to facilitate evaluation of differences between scores for the same individual under different conditions. It is envisioned that the PHAP will have its principal application in research evaluating and comparing different approaches to hearing aid fittings. In addition, the inventory can be used clinically to assess existing hearing aid fittings.