The development of speech-in-noise perception in Hebrew-speaking school-age children

Michal Kedmy; Topaz Topper; Ravit Cohen-Mimran; Karen Banai

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2013-0055

Article

The development of speech-in-noise perception in Hebrew-speaking school-age children

Michal Kedmy , Topaz Topper , Ravit Cohen-Mimran and Karen Banai

Published/Copyright: July 19, 2013

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 24 Issue 3

Abstract

Background: Several studies suggest that auditory perception in general and the perception of speech in noise in particular continue to develop until late childhood or early adolescence. It remains unclear, however, whether this prolonged development results from the maturation of the cognitive factors associated with the performance of auditory tasks or from the slow development of auditory sensory processing.

Methods: We investigated the perception of monosyllabic words embedded in white noise in Hebrew-speaking school-age children and adults.

Results: Although identification thresholds did not become adult-like until 11 years of age, we found no evidence linking this prolonged development to non-sensory factors associated with performance consistency.

Conclusions: Therefore, we suggest that similar to the development of amplitude and frequency modulation detection thresholds, this protracted development is related to the maturation of auditory sensory processing.

Keywords: auditory processing; development; perception; speech in noise

Corresponding author: Dr. Karen Banai, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel

We thank Moria Federman and Asnakech Barkau for help with data collection. Yuval Yifat programmed the adaptive interface. This study was supported by an ISF grant 1842-07 to Karen Banai.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. Research support played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

Research funding: None declared.

Employment or leadership: None declared.

Honorarium: None declared.

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Received: 2013-4-28

Accepted: 2013-6-26

Published Online: 2013-07-19

Published in Print: 2013-09-01

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2013-0055

Keywords for this article

auditory processing; development; perception; speech in noise