In order to achieve optimal speech understanding after cochlear implantation, auditory
training is necessary. So far, auditory rehabilitation has been provided mostly face-to-face
in specialized centers. In the future new options have to be ruled out to save resources
and to maintain high-frequency therapy even during restrictions caused by pandemics.
The aim of a research project was to develop a computer-based auditory platform (CBAT)
for adult CI users, and to check usability and efficacy in comparison to face-to-face
therapy.
The prototype included a hierarchically structured and therapist-guided training schedule
which enables individual modifications by continuous adaptivity. Furthermore, an initial
analysis and multiple feedback and motivation elements have been added.
Evaluation has been done in 20 adult CI users (aged 60.7 with a CI experience of 10.3
months) for 3 weeks each. Before and after the training, usability (SUS) as well as
cost analysis were checked and speech comprehension in quiet (Freiburger Speech Intelligibility
Test) and in noise (HSM Tes), Speech Tracking and phoneme differentiation were assessed.
Significant improvements were detected after computer-based auditory training in sentence
comprehension in noise (p=.004), in speech tracking (p=.004) and in phoneme differentiation
(vowels: p=.001, consonants: p=.02). Usability was rated as excellent with a SUS-score
of 87.0. Cost analysis showed an advantage in favour of CBAT.
Computer-based auditory training might be a good alternative to train auditory performance
and should be the subject of further research.
