Verbal fluency in adults with postlingually acquired hearing impairment

Abstract

This study examined verbal retrieval in participants with acquired moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing impairment (M age = 63, M education level = 13 years) compared to participants with normal hearing thresholds (M age = 62, M education level = 14 years) using the letter and category fluency tasks. Analyses of number of words produced, clustering, and switching, were conducted. There was no significant difference between the groups in category fluency performance. In letter fluency, however, the participants with hearing impairment produced significantly fewer words than the normal hearing participants and their production was characterized by fewer switches. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between demographic, auditory, and cognitive variables and letter fluency performance in the two groups. Phonological skills and auditory acuity predicted letter fluency output only in participants with hearing impairment and a hearing-related link between phonological skills, working memory capacity, and letter fluency switching was found.