CURRENT/RECENT PROJECTS:

The Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale (VFS-CHL) 

We are working to develop a short questionnaire to identify and quantify listening-related fatigue in children with hearing loss and other communication disorders. We’ve been busy interviewing children with hearing loss and their parents and teachers to learn more about their experiences with listening-related fatigue. Here’s some of what we’ve learned so far. Collaboration with the Listening and Learning Lab.  If you are interested in participating please contact us moodandlisteningstudy@gmail.com

R21 Quantifying the “Fatigue Factor”: Hearing Loss, Speech Processing and Fatigue

The purpose of this study is to 1) identify optimal test conditions to objectively quantify mental fatigue resulting from speech understanding difficulties and 2) define relationships between degree of hearing loss and mental fatigue. The outcomes of this research will guide efforts towards identifying at risk individuals and evaluating interventions to reduce these significant negative effects.  If you are interested in participating please contact us moodandlisteningstudy@gmail.com

Development of the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults with Hearing Loss (VFS-AHL)

The purpose of this study is to develop a valid, sensitive and reliable, measurement scale to assess hearing-related fatigue in adults with hearing loss. Please help us by completing the Fatigue Scale.

Fatigue and Listening in Young Adults

This study compares listening fatigue and stress responses resulting from listening to speech in background noise in young adults with and without hearing loss. The listener’s stress response is measured through saliva sample analysis and questionnaires and behavioral responses to measure listening fatigue and mood. The goal is to describe the stress and listening fatigue experienced by young adults with hearing loss when listening in difficult situations.

Subjective Fatigue in Cochlear Implant Candidates and Users
Description: The purpose of this study is to quantify fatigue and vigor deficits of cochlear implant users both before and after implantation through the POMS fatigue and vigor subscales and the MFSI-SF subjective fatigue scales. Data is analyzed to determine whether, and how, fatigue ratings change with cochlear implant intervention and what individual factors motivate that change.

Measuring listening-related effort and fatigue in school-aged children using pupillometry

Individuals with hearing loss commonly report the experience of ‘effortful’ listening and fatigue. This project will to use ‘pupillometry’ – measurement of changes in the size of the eye’s pupil – to measure moment-to-moment physiological changes in listening-related effort and fatigue. By monitoring changes in pupil size while individuals listen in challenging conditions (e.g., with lots of background noise), we aim to determine the amount of cognitive effort they are exerting and how this changes over time (e.g., when individuals become fatigued). A physiological measure of listening-related effort and fatigue may provide useful additional information about the disability associated with listening for individuals with hearing loss.