Psychoacoustic thresholds measured using the Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART) iPad application in a large cohort of older listeners

Abstract

Traditional methods used to assess the auditory processing capabilities of individuals have limited clinical applications as they are time consuming and require specialized hardware. Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART) is a free application that allows various clinical assessments to be conducted in an automated and rapid fashion using commercially available consumer headphones. Use of this platform in an uncontrolled listening environment has been validated in young listeners with normal hearing, yielding thresholds similar to those reported in laboratory studies. Here, we report auditory processing capabilities measured using PART in a large cohort of older listeners with varying hearing capabilities. Psychoacoustic thresholds for gap detection, spectrotemporal modulation detection, dichotic and diotic frequency modulation detection, and spatial release from masking were obtained from 70 older listeners (age range: 40—75 years; 3-frequency PTA: 8.33—48.33 dB HL). Initial analyses revealed that the thresholds obtained using PART were similar to thresholds obtained in a laboratory environment. Results demonstrate that PART can be used with older listeners with minimal instruction and validate the use of a consumer platform and rapid techniques for the assessment of auditory processing capabilities in older adults with a range of hearing ability.