Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence

Auditory training involves active listening to auditory stimuli and aims to improve performance in auditory tasks. As such, auditory training is a potential intervention for the management of people with hearing loss. Objective This systematic review (PROSPERO 2011: CRD42011001406) evaluated t...

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Main Authors: Henshaw, Helen, Ferguson, Melanie
Format: Article
Published: Public Library of Science 2013
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2554/
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author Henshaw, Helen
Ferguson, Melanie
author_facet Henshaw, Helen
Ferguson, Melanie
author_sort Henshaw, Helen
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Auditory training involves active listening to auditory stimuli and aims to improve performance in auditory tasks. As such, auditory training is a potential intervention for the management of people with hearing loss. Objective This systematic review (PROSPERO 2011: CRD42011001406) evaluated the published evidence-base for the efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training to improve speech intelligibility, cognition and communication abilities in adults with hearing loss, with or without hearing aids or cochlear implants. Methods A systematic search of eight databases and key journals identified 229 articles published since 1996, 13 of which met the inclusion criteria. Data were independently extracted and reviewed by the two authors. Study quality was assessed using ten pre-defined scientific and intervention-specific measures. Results Auditory training resulted in improved performance for trained tasks in 9/10 articles that reported on-task outcomes. Although significant generalisation of learning was shown to untrained measures of speech intelligibility (11/13 articles), cognition (1/1 articles) and self-reported hearing abilities (1/2 articles), improvements were small and not robust. Where reported, compliance with computer-based auditory training was high, and retention of learning was shown at post-training follow-ups. Published evidence was of very-low to moderate study quality. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that published evidence for the efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for adults with hearing loss is not robust and therefore cannot be reliably used to guide intervention at this time. We identify a need for high-quality evidence to further examine the efficacy of computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss.
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spelling nottingham-25542020-05-04T16:36:59Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2554/ Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence Henshaw, Helen Ferguson, Melanie Auditory training involves active listening to auditory stimuli and aims to improve performance in auditory tasks. As such, auditory training is a potential intervention for the management of people with hearing loss. Objective This systematic review (PROSPERO 2011: CRD42011001406) evaluated the published evidence-base for the efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training to improve speech intelligibility, cognition and communication abilities in adults with hearing loss, with or without hearing aids or cochlear implants. Methods A systematic search of eight databases and key journals identified 229 articles published since 1996, 13 of which met the inclusion criteria. Data were independently extracted and reviewed by the two authors. Study quality was assessed using ten pre-defined scientific and intervention-specific measures. Results Auditory training resulted in improved performance for trained tasks in 9/10 articles that reported on-task outcomes. Although significant generalisation of learning was shown to untrained measures of speech intelligibility (11/13 articles), cognition (1/1 articles) and self-reported hearing abilities (1/2 articles), improvements were small and not robust. Where reported, compliance with computer-based auditory training was high, and retention of learning was shown at post-training follow-ups. Published evidence was of very-low to moderate study quality. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that published evidence for the efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for adults with hearing loss is not robust and therefore cannot be reliably used to guide intervention at this time. We identify a need for high-quality evidence to further examine the efficacy of computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss. Public Library of Science 2013-05-10 Article PeerReviewed Henshaw, Helen and Ferguson, Melanie (2013) Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence. PLoS ONE, 8 (5). e62836/1-e62836/18. ISSN 1932-6203 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0062836 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062836 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062836
spellingShingle Henshaw, Helen
Ferguson, Melanie
Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title_full Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title_fullStr Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title_short Efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
title_sort efficacy of individual computer-based auditory training for people with hearing loss: a systematic review of the evidence
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2554/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2554/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2554/