Factors in Subjective Hearing Disability

Abstract

This report describes an approach to identify different factors in hearing disability. On the basis of interviews and case studies, the Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap was developed. It consists of 30 questions, dealing with a variety of everyday listening situations. Reports of 274 hearing-impaired subjects are presented. Item and factor analysis on the questions resulted in five factors, interpreted as five basic auditory disabilities: distinction of sounds, intelligibility in noise, auditory localization, intelligibility in quiet and detection of sounds. Investigation of one excluded item showed that 'intolerance of noise' may be a sixth aspect.