Application of ABRs to the hearing-aid selection process: Preliminary data

This paper describes preliminary data on the use of click-evoked ABRs in the hearing aid selection process. Four normal-hearing and 4 hearing-impaired subjects were tested with a hearing aid set at three different frequency response settings. Estimates of gain were calculated using shifts in Wave V thresholds, shifts in Wave V latency-level functions, acoustic-reflex measurements, coupler gain measurements, and measurements of functional gain. Results suggest that the click-evoked ABR does not distinguish between amounts of low-frequency gain, although reasonable estimates of high-frequency gain appear possible. Also discussed are technical factors that must be considered when using the ABR in the hearing aid evaluation process.