현대인들은 다양한 소음 속에서 일상생활을 하고 있으며 난 청인은 물론 정상 청력을 가진 청자 또한 소음 속에서 어음을 인지할 때 어려움을 갖는다. 난청인의 어음인지 능력을 측정하 기 위해 임상에서는 대부분 조용한 상황에서 일음절 단어를 제시하고 인지도를 측정하고 있다. 이를 통해 청자의 단어인지 능력을 객관적으로 분석하고 단어 내 음소 오류를 파악하는 데 유리한 장점이 있다. 그러나 단어만을 제시하고 인지도를 측정 할 경우 청자의 일상생활 속 의사소통 능력을 예측하기에는 한 계가 있다. 이러한 한계점을 극복하기 위해 고정된 신호대잡음 비(signal-to-noise ratio, SNR)에서 혹은 SNR을 조절해 가며 소음 하 문장인지도를 측정할 수 있다.
Purpose: Speech understanding in the background noise is one of the common complaints of listeners with hearing loss. Since the routine speech audiometry conducted in quiet usually does not provide sufficient information about a listener’s everyday communication ability, the importance of sentence-in-noise recognition tests has been emphasized. Given a limited adaptive sentence-in-noise test in Korea, the ability of sentence-in-noise recognition has been evaluated at a fixed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For the efficient and reliable diagnosis using the Korean Matrix Sentences, it is necessary to analyze the reliability and the validity of the materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the sentence-in-noise recognition scores at fixed SNRs. Methods: Fourteen subjects with bilaterally symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss participated. All the listeners have used bilateral hearing aids, and their aided puretone threshold average was 38 dB HL. The materials of the Korean Standard Sentence Lists for Adults (KS-SL-A) and the Korean Matrix sentences were presented at 80 dB SPL through loudspeakers while wearing listener’s hearing aids. Listeners’ sentence recognition score was measured in quiet and three noise conditions (6, 3, 0 dB SNRs) at 10-week interval. The Korean Hearing in Noise Test was also administered for the purpose of validity test. Results: The results exhibited the strong test-retest reliability for each material, regardless of listening conditions (quiet, 6, 3, 0 dB SNR). The concurrent validity of each material was also determined between results of the KS-SL-A and the Korean Matrix sentences. However, some subjects could not recognize sentences in noise for the KS-SL-A and the K-HINT tests, indicating difficulty in adjusting test level. Conclusion: When evaluated at the fixed SNRs, the sentence-in-noise scores of the Korean Matrix sentences showed a good test-retest reliability test-retest reliability and concurrent validity. More studies are needed to determine the reliability and the validity for the materials of adaptive sentence-in-noise tests.
INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS DISCUSSIONS REFERENCES
