Comparison of verbal fluency performance among individuals with normal hearing, hearing impairment without hearing aid usage, and hearing aid users

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Speech Language and Hearing

Abstract

The word retrieval ability is one of the core cognitive-linguistic processes that can be affected by auditory deprivation due to the increased cognitive load and reduced phonological processing abilities. There is a limited understanding of how hearing status influences an individual's word retrieval ability. Therefore, the current study compares the verbal fluency performance of individuals with normal hearing, hearing impairment without hearing aid usage, and hearing aid users. Using a cross-sectional study design, verbal fluency was tested for two tasks: phonemic fluency (/a/, /p/, and /k/ phonemes) and semantic fluency (animals, vehicles, and food categories), among 38 adults within the age group of 40–60 years. The total number of correct words and clustering-switching measures were computed and compared across the three groups. Effects of socio-demographic variables on verbal fluency performance were also noted across the three groups. Results indicated statistically significant differences in verbal fluency performance between the three groups. Individuals with hearing impairment without hearing aid usage had poorer performance due to difficulty in acquiring and updating vocabulary in memory. Hearing aid users performed better in phonemic and some of the semantic tasks, indicating delayed cognitive decline. In terms of socio-demographic variables, positive educational effects were noted only for phonemic fluency performance in all three groups. The current study provides information on the impact of hearing impairment and the advantage of hearing aid usage on the cognitive-linguistic task of verbal fluency. Study findings suggest the inclusion of verbal fluency testing in the auditory assessment and aural rehabilitation protocol in routine practice. Trial registration:Clinical Trials Registry India identifier: CTRI/2022/11/047503.

DOI

10.1080/2050571X.2025.2556598

Publication Date

1-1-2025

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