spraakaudiometrie

Spraakaudiometrie is a set of auditory tests designed to measure how well a person understands spoken language, complementing traditional pure-tone audiometry. The goal is to quantify speech perception and communication ability in everyday listening conditions, informing diagnosis, rehabilitation, and device fitting.

Key components include speech reception threshold (SRT) and word recognition score (WRS). SRT identifies the lowest intensity at which a person can correctly repeat about 50% of presented speech material, commonly spondaic words, and is expressed in decibels hearing level. WRS is a supra-threshold measure of how accurately a person repeats words (often monosyllabic or phonetically balanced lists) at a comfortable listening level, reported as a percentage. Additional tests assess speech intelligibility in noise to reflect real-world listening; these may use standardized sentences and varying signal-to-noise ratios. Tests can be conducted with headphones, insert earphones, or in a sound-field setup to accommodate different patient needs, including children and those using hearing aids or cochlear implants. Materials may be recorded or live-voiced, depending on the protocol and language.

Interpretation of results supports several clinical decisions, such as estimating functional hearing, determining candidacy for amplification or cochlear implants, selecting appropriate hearing aid settings, and guiding auditory rehabilitation. Performance is influenced by language proficiency, cognitive function, attention, and test materials, so results are considered alongside pure-tone thresholds and other clinical data. Spraakaudiometrie thus provides a functional perspective on hearing beyond detection thresholds.