Dual Task, Noise, and The Speech-Language Pathologist: A Clinical Guideline for Adult Multi-Tasking Intervention With Noise

Abstract

The field of Cognitive Hearing Science examines the relationship between cognitive, linguistic, and hearing functions. Although these areas are of particular importance to speech-language pathology, few studies have investigated applications of cognitive hearing science to clinical practice. The purpose of this review article is to (1) explore and present a summary of cognitive hearing science techniques for dual-task and hearing-in-noise procedures and implications to speech-language pathology, and (2) provide a clinical guide for speech-language pathology in adult multitasking intervention with noise. It is well understood that areas of cognitive skill and hearing function decline with age; therefore, additional understanding of the relationship of these functions is of particular importance to speech-language pathologists working with older individuals. This article meets the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA's) Special Interest Group (SIG) 15's mission of “research-to-practice” professional development by “promoting understanding of the effects of normal and pathological aging on cognition, language […] and hearing” (ASHA, 2017), and is intended to be of interest to the SIG 15 readership.