Optimizing Sound Quality Improves Hearing Aid Users’ Moods and Listening-Related Fatigue

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sound quality on ratings of mood (esteem-related affect, vigor, and fatigue), listening-related fatigue, and perceived hearing-related experiences (speech intelligibility, perceived disability, participation, concentration). Thirty adults (51-80 years old) with bilateral hearing loss and at least six months of hearing aid experience participated in this crossover study. They adjusted hearing aids based on sound quality in a laboratory setting, creating a preferred program (good sound quality) and a non-preferred program (tolerable sound quality). After a cooling-off period, they wore each hearing aid program (counterbalanced) home for approximately one week each. During the home trial, they provided ratings of hearing aid sound quality, mood, and hearing-related experiences daily. After each home trial, they rated their listening-related fatigue retrospectively. Sound quality ratings were significantly related to hearing-related experiences and mood ratings during the home trial. Nineteen of the participants preferred their "good" program during the home trial, while the remaining 11 preferred the "tolerable" program. For the participants whose program preference was consistent between the lab and home experiences, listening-related fatigue and mood were significantly better during the week with the "good" program. These results highlight the importance of sound quality for listening-related fatigue and mood for adult hearing aid users.