Projects per year
Abstract
Purpose
The digits-in-noise (DIN) test is used widely in research and, increasingly, remote hearing screening. The reported study aimed to provide basic evaluation data for browser-based DIN software, which allows remote testing without installation of an app. It investigated the effects of test language (Arabic versus English) and test environment (lab versus home) on DIN thresholds and test-retest reliability. It also
examined the effects of test language on the correlations between DIN and audiometric thresholds.
Method
Fifty-two bilingual adults with normal hearing aged 18-35 completed Arabic and English diotic DIN tests (two sessions in the lab and two sessions at home via the web). Effects of language and environment on DIN thresholds were assessed via paired t-tests, while intra-class and Pearson’s/Spearman’s correlation coefficients quantified test-retest reliability and relations to audiometric thresholds.
Results
DIN thresholds were 0.74 dB higher (worse) for Arabic than English stimuli. Thresholds were 0.52 dB lower in the lab than at home, but the effect was not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Intra-class and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were too low for meaningful analysis, due to use of a
normal-hearing sample with low between-subject variability in DIN and audiometric thresholds. However, exploratory analysis showed that absolute test-retest differences were low (<1.2 dB, on average) for both languages and both test environments.
Conclusions
Arabic DIN thresholds were a little higher than English thresholds for the same listeners. Employing home-based rather than lab-based testing may slightly elevate DIN thresholds, but the effect was marginal. Nonetheless, both factors should be considered when interpreting DIN data. Test-retest differences were low for both languages and environments. To support hearing screening, subsequent research in audiometrically diverse listeners is required, testing the reliability of DIN thresholds and relations to hearing loss.
The digits-in-noise (DIN) test is used widely in research and, increasingly, remote hearing screening. The reported study aimed to provide basic evaluation data for browser-based DIN software, which allows remote testing without installation of an app. It investigated the effects of test language (Arabic versus English) and test environment (lab versus home) on DIN thresholds and test-retest reliability. It also
examined the effects of test language on the correlations between DIN and audiometric thresholds.
Method
Fifty-two bilingual adults with normal hearing aged 18-35 completed Arabic and English diotic DIN tests (two sessions in the lab and two sessions at home via the web). Effects of language and environment on DIN thresholds were assessed via paired t-tests, while intra-class and Pearson’s/Spearman’s correlation coefficients quantified test-retest reliability and relations to audiometric thresholds.
Results
DIN thresholds were 0.74 dB higher (worse) for Arabic than English stimuli. Thresholds were 0.52 dB lower in the lab than at home, but the effect was not significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Intra-class and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were too low for meaningful analysis, due to use of a
normal-hearing sample with low between-subject variability in DIN and audiometric thresholds. However, exploratory analysis showed that absolute test-retest differences were low (<1.2 dB, on average) for both languages and both test environments.
Conclusions
Arabic DIN thresholds were a little higher than English thresholds for the same listeners. Employing home-based rather than lab-based testing may slightly elevate DIN thresholds, but the effect was marginal. Nonetheless, both factors should be considered when interpreting DIN data. Test-retest differences were low for both languages and environments. To support hearing screening, subsequent research in audiometrically diverse listeners is required, testing the reliability of DIN thresholds and relations to hearing loss.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 388-398 |
| Journal | Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2025 |
Keywords
- Digits-in-Noise
- Arabic
- Remote assessment
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NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre
Bruce, I. (PI), Lord, G. (CoI), Lennon, R. (CoI), Black, G. (CoI), Wedge, D. (CoI), Morris, A. (CoI), Hussell, T. (CoI), Sharrocks, A. (CoI), Stivaros, S. (CoI), Buch, M. (CoI), Gough, J. (CoI), Kostarelos, K. (CoI), Thistlethwaite, F. (CoI), Kadler, K. (CoI), Barton, A. (CoI), Hyrich, K. (CoI), Mcbeth, J. (CoI), O'Neill, T. (CoI), Vestbo, J. (CoI), Simpson, A. (CoI), Singh, S. (CoI), Smith, J. (CoI), Felton, T. (CoI), Murray, C. (CoI), Griffiths, C. (CoI), Cullum, N. (CoI), Rhodes, L. (CoI), Warren, R. (CoI), Paus, R. (CoI), Dumville, J. (CoI), Viros Usandizaga, A. (CoI), Keavney, B. (CoI), Tomaszewski, M. (CoI), Allan, S. (CoI), Body, R. (CoI), Cartwright, E. (CoI), Heagerty, A. (CoI), Kalra, P. (CoI), Miller, C. (CoI), Rutter, M. (CoI), Smith, C. (CoI), Trafford, A. (CoI), Evans, D. (CoI), Crosbie, E. (CoI), Crosbie, P. (CoI), Harvie, M. (CoI), Howell, S. (CoI), Renehan, A. (CoI), Dive, C. (CoI), Blackhall, F. (CoI), Landers, D. (CoI), Krebs, M. (CoI), Cook, N. (CoI), Clarke, R. (CoI), Taylor, S. (CoI), Jorgensen, C. (CoI), Lorigan, P. (CoI), Jayson, G. (CoI), Valle, J. (CoI), Mccabe, M. (CoI), Armstrong, A. (CoI), Freitas, A. (CoI), Illidge, T. (CoI), Choudhury, A. (CoI), Hoskin, P. (CoI), West, C. (CoI), Van Herk, M. (CoI), Faivre-Finn, C. (CoI), Bristow, R. (CoI), Kirkby, K. (CoI), Birtle, A. (CoI), Mackay, R. (CoI), Radford, J. (CoI), Linton, K. (CoI), Higham, C. (CoI), Munro, K. (CoI), Plack, C. (CoI), Arden Armitage, C. (CoI), Bruce, I. (CoI), Moore, D. (CoI), Saunders, G. (CoI), Stone, M. (CoI), Haddock, G. (CoI), Lewis, S. (CoI), Elliott, R. (CoI), Green, J. (CoI), Lovell, K. (CoI), Morrison, A. (CoI), Shaw, J. (CoI), Bucci, S. (CoI), Ainsworth, J. (CoI), Webb, R. (CoI), Newman, W. (CoI), Banka, S. (CoI), Clayton-Smith, J. (CoI), Payne, K. (CoI), Moldovan, R. (CoI), Wynn, R. (CoI) & Jones, S. (CoI)
1/12/22 → 30/11/27
Project: Research
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Understanding the Consequences of Recreational Noise Exposure
Plack, C. (PI), Kluk-De Kort, K. (CoI), Millman, R. (CoI), Munro, K. (CoI), Prendergast, G. (CoI), Roberts, S. (CoI) & Guest, H. (CoI)
1/04/21 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD)
Munro, K. (PI), Millman, R. (PI), Lamb, W. (Support team), Dawes, P. (PI), Plack, C. (PI), Stone, M. (PI), Kluk-De Kort, K. (PI), Moore, D. (PI), Morton, C. (PI), Prendergast, G. (PI), Couth, S. (PI), Schlittenlacher, J. (PI), Chilton, H. (PI), Visram, A. (Researcher), Dillon, H. (PI), Guest, H. (Researcher), Heinrich, A. (PI), Jackson, I. (Researcher), Littlejohn, J. (Researcher), Jones, L. (PI), Lough, M. (Researcher), Morgan, R. (Researcher), Perugia, E. (Researcher), Roughley, A. (Researcher), Whiston, H. (Researcher), Wright, C. (Support team), Saunders, G. (PI), Kelly, C. (PI), Cross, H. (Researcher), Loughran, M. (Researcher), Hoseinabadi, R. (PI) & Vercammen, C. (PI)
Project: Research