Self-assessment instruments for measuring listening effort in Cochlear Implant users

scope review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-2724.2025v37i4e71308

Keywords:

Cochlear Implant, Listening Effort, Hearing Loss, Patient-reported outcome measures, Questionnaire, Adult

Abstract

Introduction: Speech listening in challenging conditions as in the presence of reverberation and noise increases cognitive demand, posing difficulties for cochlear implant users. This listening effort can be understood as a mental effort, involving the task of listening in unfavorable environments. Objective: To review the national and international literature and identify the main self-report instruments to measure listening effort in Cochlear Implant users. Method: Bibliographical survey of scientific publications published between 2014 and 2024, considering the ​​English, Spanish and Portuguese languages, and delimiting the application of questionnaires to measure Auditory Effort in adults. Articles available in the following electronic databases were selected: Cochrane, SciELO, Scopus and BVS, composed of the LILACS and MEDLINE databases. Our protocol was developed using the PRISMA Core Items for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Review. Publications were considered through metadata analysis, based on the title and abstract, to identify relevance to the research. Studies published more than ten years ago, repeated and discrepant on the topic were excluded. Results: From the electronic search, 600 available articles were identified, with a total of 21 articles included in this study. Conclusion: Ten instruments used to assess listening effort were identified, 4 questionnaires, 5 scales and one qualitative technique. The LEQ-CI is the first and only questionnaire developed specifically to measure the perception of listening effort in daily life situations in adult users and candidates for cochlear implants.

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Author Biographies

Nathalia Porfirio dos Santos, Universidade de São Paulo

Faculdade de Medicina

Maria Valéria Schmidt Goffi-Gomez, Universidade de São Paulo

Faculdade de Medicina

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Published

2025-12-05

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Artigos