The Influence of the Individual Auditory-cognitive Need on the Aided Benefit Using Different Feature Settings

Upon enrollment, each participant will be allocated to one of three research groups and participants will remain unaware of their group assignment. This groups will undergo a slight modification, namely frequency compression turned off, to the basic setting.

Upon enrollment, each participant will be allocated to one of three research groups and participants will remain unaware of their group assignment. This groups will undergo a slight modification, namely noise reduction turned off, to the basic setting.

The Dutch Montreal Cognitive Assessment will be assessed. The Snellen Eye Test will be used to screen for normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

Three audiological tests are included: 1) Tympanometry to assess the middle ear status, 2) Pure-tone audiometry with headphone to evaluate the hearing thresholds, 3) Speech audiometry in free field to assess the ability to understand spoken sentences in quiet and in the presence of background noise.

"Three questionnaires are included:~1. The HAVICOP questionnaire to assess the hearing-related quality of life (Ceuleers, D., Baudonck, N., Keppler, H., Kestens, K., Dhooge, I., \& Degeest, S. (2023). Development of the hearing-related quality of life questionnaire for auditory-visual, cognitive and psychosocial functioning (hAVICOP). Journal of communication disorders, 101, 106291.)~2. the FAS (fatigue assessment scale) to assess how you usually feel~3. the EEAS (extended effort assessment scale) to assess how you experience listening in everyday life."

Four cognitive functions, important for speech understanding, will be assessed both audibly and visually: divided attention, working memory, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility and inhibition.

This test will give an objective assessment of the hearing aids' configuration.