There is no abstract available for this thesis.

Seven monaural hearing aid users and four binaural hearing aid users (10 to 50 years old) were administered a hearing evaluation with earphones. Measures recorded were pure tone average (PTA), speech reception threshold (SRT), and speech discrimination scores. These results were compared with the results of an evaluation conducted one or more years previously. A t test was applied to the mean score differences from initial test to retest of the aided ears versus the unaided ears to determine the stability of speech discrimination in the unaided ear of persons with a bilateral loss of hearing sensitivity.PTA and SRT decreased minimally from initial test to retest indicating good threshold stability. Speech discrimination mean scores decreased, with a larger decrease observed for the unaided ears than the aided ears of monaural and binaural subjects. However, the larger decrease was not statistically significant. Therefore the data indicated that an ear which is not stimulated by amplification, with a hearing loss of sensitivity of 50dB HL to 80dB HL, does not have a significant decrease of speech discrimination as compared to an aided ear with a similar loss of hearing sensitivity.

The purpose of this study was to indicate norms for most comfortable loudness levels (MCLs) and to investigate the relationships among MCL and related measures. In addition MCL values for males and MCL values for females were separated to see if any differences existed between sexes.A pure tone average (PTA) and a spondee threshold (ST) were obtained for each of 54 subjects (23 males, 31 females) to assure normal hearing. The following measures were then obtained on all subjects: 1.) The MCL was obtained using a bracketing method. 2.) A Bekesy audiometer was used to determine MCL using both a 2.5 dB/second and a 5 dB/second attenuation rate. 3.) The lower limit of the most comfortable loudness range (LLMCR) was determined using a nonBekesy procedure. 4.) The upper limit of the most comfortable loudness range (MCR). Again, both 2.5 dB/second and 5 dB/second attenuation rates were used. The Bekesy MCR tracings also provided the ULMCR and the LLMCR values for Bekesy obtained MCRs. Four analyses of variance (ANOVA) were computed for various MCL and MCR measures to investigate the relationships among these measures. It was concluded that no significant differences occurred between males and females in all MCL and related measures.Averages were presented for each individual MCL procedure which ranged from 51.29 dB to 56.77 dB HL. Average MCRs (actual ranges) were 30.54 to 42.78 dB. Some significant differences were found among specific procedures which are discussed in the text, however, these differences may not be significant from a clinical standpoint. In general, non-Bekesy procedures were recommended for use clinically because they produced the least variability in subjects and they require the least amount of time in administration.

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Bibliography: leaves 121-125.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toledo, 2009. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Master of Arts in Psychology." "A thesis entitled"--at head of title. Bibliography: leaves 28-30.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-53).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [98]-103).

Honors Project--Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-121).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1972. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-74).

Honors Project--Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-58).