Audiology Research最新文献

{"title":"Rehabilitation Strategies for Pediatric Single-Sided Deafness, Including Children with Asymmetric Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Daniele De Seta, Elisabetta Oliva, Stefano Manca di Villahermosa, Pietro De Luca, Patrizia Mancini, Hilal Dincer D'Alessandro, Fernanda Asprella-Libonati, Rosaria Turchetta, Francesca Yoshie Russo","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050129","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050129","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives:</b> This study aimed to analyze in a comprehensive systematic review the hearing rehabilitation strategies for single-sided deafness (SSD) and asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) in children. Current rehabilitative options include contralateral routing of signal (CROS) devices, bone conduction devices, and cochlear implantation (CI). <b>Methods:</b> A systematic review of PubMed/MEDLINE was performed to identify studies on pediatric SSD and AHL rehabilitation published up to 7 July 2025. Reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, and animal studies were excluded. Eligible studies included pediatric populations treated with rehabilitative devices, with outcomes focused on speech perception, auditory performance, binaural hearing, quality of life, and questionnaire-based measures. Study selection followed PRISMA principles. <b>Results:</b> A total of 1527 records were identified by three authors through PubMed/MEDLINE (2003-July 2025) after duplicate removal. Title screening retained 581 studies, and abstract screening retained 267 studies. Fifty-eight full-text papers were assessed for eligibility; 10 were excluded due to overlapping patient cohorts, leaving 48 papers for the qualitative synthesis. Overall, 1622 children were analyzed; 43 studies focused on SSD and five on AHL. <b>Conclusions:</b> Available evidence supports rehabilitation in pediatric SSD and AHL. CROS systems offer a non-surgical and reversible option with benefits in selected listening situations but limited effects on localization. Bone conduction devices may improve hearing in noise and some functional outcomes, especially in conductive indications. CI appears to provide the greatest opportunity to restore bilateral auditory input, particularly when performed early in congenital SSD.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600006/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-Related Increase in Skull Vibration-Induced Nystagmus Slow-Phase Velocity in a Clinical Population with Normal vHIT and VEMP: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis.","authors":"Melissa Blanco-Pareja, Ruth Escudero-Medina, Nicolás Pérez-Fernández","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050128","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Skull vibration-induced nystagmus (SVIN) is a reproducible marker of vestibular asymmetry, but its relationship with age in patients with normal conventional tests remains unclear. We evaluated whether age is associated with the presence of SVIN and with its slow-phase velocity (SVIN-SPV). <b>Methods:</b> In this retrospective cross-sectional analysis, 164 patients with dizziness or vertigo and normal video head impulse test (vHIT) and VEMPs were studied (107 SVIN-positive, 57 SVIN-negative). Logistic regression tested whether age predicted SVIN positivity; among the 107 positive patients, SVIN-SPV was analyzed by correlation and multivariable linear regression. <b>Results:</b> Age did not predict a positive SVIN (odds ratio 1.01 per year, <i>p</i> = 0.28), whereas male sex did (odds ratio 2.31, <i>p</i> = 0.02). Among positive patients, mean SVIN-SPV was 3.0°/s and correlated with age (r = 0.25, <i>p</i> = 0.009); age was the only significant covariate in multivariable regression (β = 0.035°/s per year, <i>p</i> = 0.010), and patients aged ≥60 years showed higher SVIN-SPV (<i>p</i> = 0.028). <b>Conclusions:</b> Thus, age was not associated with whether SVIN was present but with its intensity once present, compatible with possible age-related changes in vestibular asymmetry or central compensation, although the underlying mechanism was not directly assessed; these findings should not be generalized to physiological vestibular aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600048/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal Listening Difficulties in Children Initially Presenting with Speech Sound Disorder: Two Case Reports.","authors":"Yoriko Fujimoto, Hirokazu Sakamoto, Tomoe Sekido","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050127","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050127","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background and Clinical Significance:</b> Children may experience substantial listening difficulty (LiD) despite clinically normal pure-tone thresholds. The longitudinal course of LiD in children initially referred for speech sound disorder (SSD) is not well documented. <b>Case Presentation:</b> We retrospectively reviewed two individuals first evaluated during the preschool years for SSD and followed through adolescence or adulthood. Available preschool records showed air-conduction thresholds no poorer than 20 dB HL. Tympanometry showed type C1 in the right ear and type A in the left ear in Case 1 and bilateral type-A tympanograms in Case 2; bone-conduction thresholds and objective auditory tests were not documented in the reviewed records. Both cases later showed reduced word recognition in speech noise relative to their good performance in quiet, although the quiet and noise presentation levels were not identical in Case 2. A Japanese mishearing checklist yielded 6/60 in Case 1 and 24/60 by caregiver report and 45/60 by self-report in Case 2. Preschool and school-age assessments identified broader phonological, language, memory, or sequential-processing weaknesses. Serial Auditory Processing Test (APT) findings were heterogeneous. Original numerical source data were retrieved for all four serial APT assessments: Case 1 at ages 11 and 14 years and Case 2 at ages 16 and 20 years. All APT findings are interpreted descriptively, not as evidence of improvement or a diagnosis of auditory processing disorder (APD). Both cases received speech-language intervention. Case 1 later received school accommodations, whereas Case 2 continued to require compensatory strategies and adjustments in educational and workplace settings. <b>Conclusions:</b> These cases describe the co-occurrence of early speech-language difficulties and later clinically significant LiD but do not establish causality, predictive markers, or an APD diagnosis. Their value is descriptive: they show how functional listening needs and support requirements changed across development in two selected clinical cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600137/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Postural Balance, Hearing Loss, and Cognitive Executive Function in the Elderly: Are They Related?","authors":"Carla Rodríguez-Zanetti, Janaina Patricio de Lima, Manuel Manrique, Diego Calavia, Raquel Manrique-Huarte","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050125","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: There might be a significant association between hearing loss (HL) and cognitive performance or postural imbalance, but how they relate to each other remains unknown. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of these relationships. <b>Methods</b>: An observational prospective study with subjects ≥ 55 years old divided into groups: normal hearing (group A), untreated HL > 20 decibel hearing level (dBHL) (group B), and patients with treated HL > 20 dBHL (group C). At the initial visit and follow-up, participants underwent tests and questionnaires evaluating hearing, balance, and cognition. Statistical analyses-including relative risk, Spearman's Rho correlation, interaction, and adjusted models-were performed using Stata 17; a <i>p</i>-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. <b>Results</b>: In total, 714 subjects were initially recruited: 210 in group A, 302 in group B, and 202 in group C. A mean follow-up time of 3.6 years was completed by 101 individuals. Compared with the normal-hearing group, hearing loss increased the probability of unsteadiness by 1.4-fold in group B and 4.1-fold in group C. Poorer performance on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test was predicted by lower scores on both cognitive executive function tests, with correlations of -0.4 and 0.34 (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Regarding confounding factors, statistically significant differences were found for age and education in cognitive performance; age in the TUG results; and sex, cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), and education in HL. <b>Conclusions</b>: Postural imbalance and cognitive executive function are related to HL. However, there is no evidence linking dizziness to cognitive executive function, although an association with TUG results was found. Therefore, HL is correlated with both balance and cognition, and cognition is also related to balance.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600209/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Hyperacusis and Tinnitus: Analysis of Prevalence and Impact on Daily Functioning.","authors":"Snežana Babac, Aleksandar Perić, Vladan Milutinović, Jasmina Stojanović, Ivana Ilić-Savić, Emilija Živković Marinkov, Svetlana Valjarevic, Luka Čučić, Zorana Radin","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050126","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050126","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Hyperacusis is a common, but often underrecognized comorbidity in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Reduced sound tolerance is associated with a greater tinnitus-related burden, impaired communication, reduced social participation, and poorer daily functioning. However, published data regarding its prevalence and clinical impact remain limited and inconsistent. <b>Objectives</b>: To determine the prevalence of hyperacusis in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus and to assess its association with tinnitus-related handicap, uncomfortable loudness levels, and degree of hearing loss and daily functioning. <b>Methods</b>: This cross-sectional study included 194 patients aged 21-85 years with chronic subjective tinnitus. Hyperacusis was assessed using a structured clinical interview that included questions on decreased sound tolerance and sound-induced ear pain and uncomfortable loudness level measurements (ULLs). Patients were categorized into two groups: tinnitus with hyperacusis (T + H; <i>n</i> = 32) and tinnitus without hyperacusis (T; <i>n</i> = 162). The impact of tinnitus on daily functioning was evaluated using a standardized and clinically validated questionnaire-the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Data were analyzed using appropriate parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. <b>Results</b>: Hyperacusis was identified in 32 of 194 patients with chronic tinnitus (16.5%). Patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis (T + H) had significantly higher THI scores than those with isolated tinnitus, indicating greater tinnitus-related handicap (76.3 vs. 41.9; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Patients with hyperacusis also demonstrated significantly lower ULL values than those without hyperacusis (<i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions</b>: Although the reported prevalence of hyperacusis among patients with tinnitus varies across the literature, our findings indicate that hyperacusis is a common comorbidity associated with significantly greater tinnitus-related handicap. Routine assessment of hyperacusis, including ULL measurements, should be incorporated into the clinical evaluation of patients with tinnitus to facilitate comprehensive diagnosis and optimize management. These findings highlight the importance of systematic assessment of hyperacusis in patients with tinnitus in routine audiological practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600134/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Skull Vibration-Induced Nystagmus Reveals Hidden Vestibular Asymmetry Dissociated from vHIT, VEMPs and Velocity-Storage-Related Responses: A Clinical-Physiological Case Series and Temporal-Domain Hypothesis.","authors":"Leonardo Manzari","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050123","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Skull vibration-induced nystagmus (SVIN) is a robust sign of vestibular asymmetry, yet its relationship with tests of impulsive canal function, short-latency otolithic reflexes, and sustained visuo-vestibular processing remains incompletely defined. To describe four clinical-physiological cases in which SVIN was dominant or disproportionate relative to the canal, otolithic-reflex, and sustained-domain profiles, and to propose a temporal-domain interpretation of this physiological non-congruence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four patients with persistent disequilibrium, episodic vertigo, or selective vestibular-reflex dissociation underwent multidomain neuro-otological assessment, including bedside examination, video head impulse test/head impulse paradigm (vHIT/HIMP), suppression head impulse paradigm (SHIMP) when available, cervical and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs and oVEMPs), rotatory or caloric testing when available, and optokinetic or other visuo-vestibular paradigms. SVIN was elicited by 100-Hz mastoid vibration and characterized by direction, dimensionality, stimulation-site dependence, reproducibility, and slow-phase velocity when available.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SVIN remained clinically informative across patients with preserved, minimally abnormal, or selectively dissociated canal and otolithic-reflex findings. The recurring feature was not normality of all conventional tests, but physiological non-congruence between the vibration-induced ocular response and the canal, otolithic-reflex, or sustained-domain profile. One patient showed normal six-canal vHIT and symmetric VEMPs despite an exceptionally large fixed-direction SVIN; another showed selective cVEMP absence with preserved oVEMPs and normal vHIT. Atypical multidimensional SVIN coexisted with marked optokinetic directional asymmetry in the adolescent case.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>SVIN is not a surrogate for vHIT, VEMPs, caloric, rotatory, or velocity-storage-related testing. It should be interpreted as a distinct phase-locked probe of vibration-sensitive vestibular imbalance. Irregular afferents provide the supported physiological framework, whereas dimorphic afferents represent a plausible, hypothesis-generating bridge population capable of contributing to otherwise unexplained clinicophysiological dissociations.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extremely High Fitting Range and Dangerous Levels Permitted by the Current FDA Guidelines for OTC Hearing Aids and the Need to Consider RECDs.","authors":"King Chung","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050124","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050124","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objective</b>: One of the missions of the United States FDA is \"protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products.\" The current guidelines for OTC hearing aids impose an output limit of 111 dB SPL for linear hearing aids and 117 dB SPL for compression hearing aids when measured using 90 dB SPL pure tones in a 2 cc coupler. This means that the sound pressure level at the ear drum at a frequency would be 111 or 117 dB SPL plus the real-ear-to-coupler difference (RECD) of the 2 cc coupler at the frequency. <b>Methods</b>: The maximum aidable hearing thresholds by hypothetical OTC-compression hearing aids that are compliant with the current FDA guidelines were explored using NAL-NL2 and DSLv5 prescriptive methods. The theoretical maximum permissible overall output levels in the ear canal were also calculated. Additionally, the fitting range of OTC-compression hearing aids with a maximum of 117 dB SPL output level at the ear drum was explored. <b>Results</b>: The current FDA guidelines allow OTC-compression hearing aids to provide sufficient gain and headroom to fit individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. In the presence of a loud wideband signal, the maximum overall output level can reach 164.5 dB SPL in the ear canal for an OTC-compression hearing aid with a bandwidth of 5657 Hz. When the maximum output levels are defined at the ear drum (i.e., the RECD is already considered), however, the fitting range is lowered to moderate hearing loss and the maximum overall output level is lowered by 10 dB. <b>Conclusions</b>: These findings identified potential regulatory vulnerability in the current FDA guidelines and suggest the need to take the measurement coupler and its corresponding RECDs into account when setting the guidelines for OTC hearing aids. Other alternative strategies to prevent potential abuses of the guidelines are also discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600033/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Temporal Resolution Needed for Speech Intelligibility Assessed with Mosaic Speech: Effects of Block Duration, Age, and Word Familiarity.","authors":"Gerard B Remijn, Yuna Uzuhashi, Emi Hasuo, Kazuo Ueda, Yoshitaka Nakajima","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050122","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Mosaic speech was used to further investigate the auditory system's temporal resolution needed for speech intelligibility. Mosaic speech is a form of degraded speech segmented in frequency × time blocks with no discernible temporal fine structure and with degraded amplitude envelope cues. <b>Methods</b>: We performed a listening experiment with mosaic speech consisting of 20 frequency bands segmented into 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 ms. Younger listeners (<25 years; <i>n</i> = 20), with self-reported normal hearing and having passed a limited screening test, and elderly listeners (>65 years; <i>n</i> = 19) with hearing thresholds ranging from normal hearing to moderate hearing loss listened to Japanese low- and high-familiarity mosaic words and wrote down what they heard. The original words were included as control stimuli. <b>Results</b>: Although younger listeners had significantly higher intelligibility scores, elderly listeners could integrate and parse coarse blocks of mosaic speech of 20 ms and 40 ms with intelligibility scores of 84% or higher for high-familiarity words. For longer block durations, however, the elderly listeners' intelligibility dropped rapidly for both high- and low-familiarity words. In both the young and the elderly listener groups, intelligibility reached the floor for block durations of 160 and 320 ms. Word familiarity strongly affected intelligibility scores. For blocks up to 80 ms, intelligibility was significantly higher for high-familiarity words than for low-familiarity words in both age groups, with a 10-30% difference. <b>Conclusions</b>: Elderly listeners (<i>n</i> = 19) with normal hearing to moderate hearing loss could maintain relatively high intelligibility for mosaic words segmented in blocks of 20 or 40 ms, provided the words had a high familiarity level.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600226/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Audiologists in India Towards Audiological Care of Individuals with Cognitive Impairments-A Preliminary Exploratory Study.","authors":"Dhanshree R Gunjawate, Poorva Advait Patki, Twinkle Lijo Kirianthan, Rohit Ravi","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16050121","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16050121","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: The present study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of audiologists in India towards audiological care of individuals with cognitive impairments. <b>Methods</b>: The questionnaire was adapted from a previously published questionnaire designed to explore knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding comorbid hearing loss and cognitive impairment among Australian allied hearing healthcare professionals. Participants included audiologists with at least a bachelor's degree in audiology and speech-language pathology, a minimum of one year of work experience and registration with the Rehabilitation Council of India. An online questionnaire was created using Google Forms and disseminated via social media and personal emails. Continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviation, while categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages. <b>Results</b>: A total of 140 audiologists participated in the study. Overall, the responses indicated a generally positive awareness towards managing individuals with comorbid hearing loss and cognitive impairment. Most respondents were mindful about the coexistence of hearing loss and cognitive impairment while working with older adults, with 74.3% either agreeing or strongly agreeing. This self-reported awareness was not consistently reflected in reported practice, with only 31.4% having used a formal cognitive screening test as part of their clinical practice. <b>Conclusions</b>: Overall, the findings suggest that while audiologists report a degree of self-perceived awareness regarding cognitive impairment, this does not consistently translate into practice. Notable gaps remain in training, awareness of appropriate screening tools, and actual implementation of cognitive screening, highlighting the need for greater clinical support, structured training, and clearer referral pathways to bridge the gap between self-reported awareness and evidence-based practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600061/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149031676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Music-Related Quality of Life (MuRQoL) Questionnaire: Adaptation and Validation into the German Fragebogen zu Musik und Lebensqualität.","authors":"Nadia Giarbini, Eleonora Catalano, Christian Streitberger, Maria Elena Flacco, Francesco Stomeo","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16040120","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16040120","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose:</b> Growing interest in music perception among cochlear implant (CI) users has led to increasing research in this area. To support cross-cultural studies, this work aimed to adapt and validate the Music-Related Quality of Life (MuRQoL) questionnaire into German (MuRQoL-De). <b>Methods:</b> The MuRQoL was translated and culturally adapted into German following established guidelines for hearing-related instruments. The final version (\"Fragebogen zu Musik und Lebensqualität\") was completed by 32 adult CI users and 43 normal-hearing (NH) individuals. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was evaluated through group comparisons and exploratory regression analyses examining demographic and clinical factors. <b>Results:</b> The MuRQoL-De demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values exceeding 0.80 for both Frequency and Importance scales and their subdomains. NH participants reported significantly higher scores than CI users on the Frequency scale, especially in the Music Perception subscale (<i>p</i> < 0.01). No significant group differences were observed for the Importance scale. Regression analyses did not identify statistically significant predictors of MuRQoL scores, though trends suggested potential associations with age, education, and musical experience. <b>Conclusions:</b> The MuRQoL-De is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating music-related quality of life in German-speaking adults. It effectively differentiates between CI users and NH individuals in terms of musical participation, while also emphasizing the shared importance of music. Its application may support individualized rehabilitation strategies that include musical engagement, addressing an important but often neglected aspect of auditory well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13509632/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148833355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}