Effects of Auditory Fatigue on Central Auditory Processing in Adults With Normal Hearing

This study aims to investigate how auditory fatigue caused by a prolonged and demanding listening task affects central auditory processing abilities in adults with normal hearing. Central auditory processing refers to how the brain processes and interprets sounds, including the ability to recognize differences in sound timing and patterns. A total of 60 adults aged 18-40 years will participate. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their occupational listening demands. One group will include 30 individuals working in professions that require frequent and sustained verbal communication, such as simultaneous interpreters, speech and language therapists, special education teachers, and psychologists. The comparison group will include 30 individuals whose occupations do not require intensive and continuous verbal communication. All participants will undergo hearing assessments and central auditory processing tests before and after a 60-minute listening task involving Turkish speech materials presented with background noise from multiple speakers. Participants will also rate their perceived auditory fatigue, listening effort, and task demands before and after the listening task. The study will examine changes in auditory processing performance following the listening task and determine whether these changes differ between the two occupational groups. The findings may help researchers and clinicians better understand how auditory fatigue influences auditory processing test results.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged between 18 and 40 years. * Willingness to participate in the study and provision of written informed consent. * Completion of the online participation form. * Sufficient proficiency in Turkish to understand instructions and complete the auditory assessments. * Bilaterally normal otoscopic findings. * Normal middle ear function as determined by tympanometric assessment. * Normal hearing thresholds on pure-tone audiometry. * For the high occupational listening demands group: Current employment as a simultaneous interpreter, speech and language therapist, special education teacher, or psychologist, with regular occupational responsibilities requiring sustained verbal communication, active speech listening, and auditory attention. Psychologists must actively conduct client consultations. * For the comparison group: Current employment in occupations that do not require intensive and sustained verbal communication or continuous active speech listening. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of peripheral hearing loss. * Active external or middle ear pathology. * History of a known neurological disorder that may affect central auditory processing performance. * Any condition that may prevent reliable completion of the auditory assessments or experimental listening protocol.