Effects of vowel auditory training on concurrent speech segregation in hearing impaired children

Abstract

Objective: This clinical trial investigated the ability of concurrent speech segregation in hearing impaired children. The auditory behavioral responses and auditory late responses (ALRs) were compared between test and control groups prior to vowel auditory training and after 3 and 6 months of vowel auditory training to find the effects of bottom-up training on concurrent speech segregation in hearing impaired children.

Methods: Auditory behavioral responses for 5 vowels and ALRs for double synthetic vowels, with special physical properties, were recorded in a timetable in 30 hearing impaired children (test group = 15 and control group = 15).

Results: Identification score and reaction time data showed that the test group was approximately proficient for some vowels (P < .05 for vowels /æ/, /e/, and /u:/) and took less time to process after 6 months of training. N1-P2 amplitude indexing of the vowel change detection and reflecting central auditory speech representation without active client participation has been increased in the test group (P < .05).

Conclusion: The present study showed training-related improvements in concurrent speech segregation. This information provided evidence for bottom-up training based on F0, its differences in auditory scene analysis, and neural underpinnings.

Keywords: ASA; auditory scene analysis; concurrent speech segregation; hearing impaired children; vowel auditory training.