What is it about?
Access to spectral cues is a major bottleneck in cochlear implant listeners. There are currently at least ten different measures available for spectral resolution. The main question is which spectral resolution measure predicts speech perception outcomes more consistently? This article critically evaluates existing measures, discussing their strengths, limitations, and implications for both research and clinical practice.
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Why is it important?
Identifying the most appropriate measures of spectral resolution is crucial for both robust research design and informed programming decisions. Without this clarity, researchers and clinicians risk relying on tests that are impractical, provide an incomplete picture of spectral resolution, or fail to isolate it from other contributing factors.
Perspectives
The predictive power of spectral resolution measures for speech perception outcomes varied substantially (R2 = .21–.69), depending on the specific measure used and the type of speech material. Spectral ripple discrimination/detection threshold tasks and their modified versions such as SMRT, on average, show higher predictive capacity for investigating the link between spectral resolution and speech perception.
Samin Ashjaei
University of South Carolina
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: From Spectral Resolution to Speech Perception: A Review of Findings in Postlingually Deafened Adult Cochlear Implant Listeners, American Journal of Audiology, January 2026, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA),
DOI: 10.1044/2025_aja-25-00131.
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