Social network characteristics impact the recognition of degraded speech by adult cochlear implant users

Abstract

Social networks influence the quantity and quality of linguistic input experienced in everyday listening environments. In normal-hearing listeners, the variable linguistic input provided by larger and more diverse social networks has been shown to support speech processing. However, for adult cochlear implant (CI) users, limitations in the perception of linguistic and talker details may limit input variability benefits. The current study examined the effects of social network size and diversity on the recognition of spectrotemporally degraded speech by adult CI users. Twenty-six postlingually deafened adult CI users completed a detailed questionnaire about their regular communication partners. Social network size was calculated as the number of regular communication partners, and social network diversity was calculated as the degree of age, education, and accent heterogeneity among communication partners. Social network metrics were compared to vowel, word, and sentence recognition accuracy scores, also controlling for basic auditory ability. Results showed that social network age diversity was moderately to strongly correlated with word and sentence recognition accuracy. Social network size and other diversity metrics were not related to word or sentence recognition accuracy. These findings suggest that more diverse input from different age groups facilitates spoken word recognition in adult CI users.