Information and Consent Form

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1. Title of the research project

Prosody perception in hearing impaired listeners: effect of hearing aid processing and noise

2. Name of the researchers

Lead investigator:
Christian Giguère, Ph.D.
Full Professor, Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Program
Guindon Hall, room 3056, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5
Email: cgiguere@uottawa.ca Phone: (613) 562-5800 ext. 4649

Co-investigator:
Hilmi Dajani, Ph.D.
Full Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
STE, room 5102, 800 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5
Email: hdajani@uOttawa.ca Phone: 613-562-5800 ext. 6217

Ph.D. student:
Maryam Karimi Boroujeni Email: mkari052@uottawa.ca

3. Invitation to take part in research study

Many people experience difficulties in understanding speech such as perceiving rhythm and intonation of speech, also known as prosody, specifically in adverse listening situations such as noisy environments. This research study focuses on how hearing loss, hearing aid processing, and background noise can intensify this problem. Also, the relationship between prosody perception and speech in noise understanding will be assessed in both people with normal hearing and hearing-impaired individuals.

4. Your involvement in the research study

The first phase of this study is related to the screening process through which interested individuals are assessed for eligibility. To do this, four screening questionnaires will be emailed to you. The following is the list of questionnaires that you will be asked to fill out:

i. Questionnaire about the general development history: You will be asked to fill out a general development questionnaire, including past or current problems involving language development, attention, and hearing. This information, as well as your results on the hearing test, will allow us to determine the influence of these different factors on speech perception performance in noise.

ii. Questionnaire on language and music experience: Given the high number of bilingual individuals within the Canadian population, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire on linguistic experience at home, school, work and during leisure activities. Only native English speakers will be included in the data collection.

iii. Questionnaire on music experience: Since the performance of musicians on prosodic features would be potentially different from non-musicians, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire on music experience. Your answers will help to exclude musicians from the study.

iv. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA): This questionnaire consists of 30 questions which target several cognitive functions, including short term memory, visuospatial abilities, executive functions, attention, concentration and working memory, language, and orientation to time and place. If you do not meet the inclusion criteria on MoCA of a score above 25, you will be ineligible and invited to follow up with a health professional if you wish.

In the screening phase, that one is deemed ineligible, their data will be removed and not used in the study. Those deemed eligible will be invited to continue by attending a data collection session.

Should you accept to take part in the research study, which is also a requirement for the Ph.D.’s research project of the student mentioned on the first page, you will be asked to take part in a 90-110 minute test session at the Hearing Research Laboratory of the University of Ottawa. This session will include the following measures:

1) Audiometric assessment

This measure is similar to what is done in audiology clinics and allows us to verify your hearing status. Using an otoscope, your auditory canals will be examined to ensure that nothing could prevent you from taking part in the study (for example earwax blockage or active ear infection). Your hearing will be checked by having you listen to soft sounds presented through headphones.

Finally, to assess your ability to understand speech in noise, you will be asked to repeat sentences presented in background noise.

2) Measure of emotion identification
You will be asked to identify series of emotions embedded in sentences presented through headphones, in quiet and in background noise. You will be encouraged to guess the given emotion when unsure of what was heard. These tests will be presented simultaneously with background noise, one ear at a time or in both ears. The competing background noise consists of babble noise (many people talking at once).

Results of the hearing assessment will be explained. However, results on the measures of prosody perception will not be communicated to you since the data analysis will occur at a later time and will performed on pooled data from all participants.

5. Benefits

You will be receiving a free hearing test. You will also be contributing to general knowledge in the field of Audiology, particularly a better understanding of prosody perception and difficulties understanding speech in background noise. This test will allow determining if prosodic deficit and difficulties understanding speech in background noise can be explained by hearing loss, or hearing aid processing. Your participation will also result in paving the path for providing or developing better diagnostic or rehabilitation tools for people with hearing loss in the future.

6. Risks and inconvenience

There are no risks involved with your participation in this research study. However, you could experience slight stress of fatigue. To minimize fatigue, short breaks are planned throughout the testing session, and additional breaks can be taken if required.

7. Confidentiality

All data collected during this research study will be kept confidential. Your name will be replaced by an identification number on all forms. All information and data will be kept in a locked file at the Hearing Research Laboratory at Guindon Hall and will be destroyed five years after the publication of results. However, to verify the proper conduct of this research and the management of data, a representative from the Ethics Research Board may ask to review the data. You will also receive a copy of the signed consent form for your personal records. In the event that data from this research study is published or presented at a professional conference, none of your personal information will be revealed.

8. Voluntary participation

Your participation is fully voluntary. You can, at any time and without consequence, refuse to take part in the study or cancel your appointment. Should you choose to withdraw from the study, the data collected will be destroyed immediately.

9. Declaring responsibility

By signing this form, you are not releasing the researchers or the organization of their legal and professional responsibilities should an event occur that causes you any harm or prejudice.

10. Further questions or in the case of difficulties

For any additional information regarding this research study, you can contact the lead researcher, Christian Giguère, at (613) 562-5800 ext. 4649. For questions or additional information about the ethical aspects of this research, please contact the Protocol Officer for Research Ethics, University of Ottawa, Tabaret Hall, 550 Cumberland Street, room 154, (613) 562-5387 or ethics@uottawa.ca.

11. Consent

The nature and purpose of this study, as well as what will be required from me, have been explained. I’ve reviewed the consent form. I’ve also had ample opportunity to ask questions, in which case adequate answers were provided. By signing this form, I agree to take part in the research study.

Name of participant:

Signature of participant:

Age (at time of participation): Date:

12. Consent from the person in charge, the researcher or its representative

The research study and what is expected from the participant have been explained. A member of the research group has answered all questions asked and has informed the participant that their participation is fully voluntary. The research team is also committed to respect everything laid out in this consent form.

Name of researcher (or representative):

Signature of researcher (or representative):

Date: