Choir Benefits for Older Adults with Hearing Loss
This study is looking at whether group singing (a 12-week choir program) can help older adults with unaddressed mild-to-moderate age-related hearing loss. It compares the choir program to an audiobook club. The study aims to see if participating in a choir can improve how well you understand speech in noisy environments, your ability to understand emotional speech, and your overall quality of life. You might be able to join if you are 60 or older, have mild-to-moderate hearing loss in both ears, and do not currently use hearing aids or other listening devices. The study is currently recruiting 210 participants.
- Study design
- This is a randomized controlled trial involving 210 participants across multiple locations. Participants will be assigned to either a choir program or an audiobook club.
- What's involved
- Participants will attend 1.5 hours of in-person instruction or discussion per week for 12 weeks. Measurements will be taken at the beginning (baseline) and at the end of the 13th week.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Participants will be followed until the completion of the 13-week program.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Benefits of Choir for Older Adults With Unaddressed Hearing Loss (WP2)
At a glance
Conditions
Where it's being run
7 sites across 7 statesStudy leadership
- Frank Russo, PhD · STUDY_DIRECTOR · Toronto Metropolitan University
Who to contact
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What this trial measures
- Speech-in-noise perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Coordinate Response Matrix (CRM) generates signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A lower SNR is indicative of better speech-in-noise perception.
- Emotional speech perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The EmoHI is calculated as the mean accuracy of correct responses as a percentage (0 to 100%).
- Quality of Life/WellnessBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The 12-item short-form survey version 2 (SF-12v2) from the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) generates a Physical Summary and a Mental Summary of patient quality of life. Scores range from 0 to 100, where a zero score indicates the lowest level of health and 100 indicates the highest level of health.
- Anxiety and DepressionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) provides a score between 0 and 21, with higher scores indicative of higher levels of anxiety or depression.
- Self EsteemBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Collective Self-Esteem Scale (CSES) consists of four scales: Membership self-esteem, Private collective self-esteem, Public collective self-esteem, and Importance to Identity. Each scale is scored between 1 and 7, with a higher score indicating high levels of self-esteem.
- Social ConnectednessBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The revised Social Connectedness Scale (SCS-R) is scored as a total between 8 and 48 points, with higher scores indicating higher levels of social connectedness.
- Pitch perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Frequency Difference Limen (FDL) task evaluates pitch perception threshold. A lower threshold indicates better pitch perception abilities.
- Rhythm perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Beat Alignment Test (BAT) measures rhythm perception accuracy between 0 and 100%.
- Timbre perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Spectral-temporally Modulated Ripple Test (SMRT) is a proxy measure of timbre perception. It generates a threshold based on performance. A higher ripple-per-octave threshold is indicative of better spectro-temporal (timbre) perception.
- Higher-level Music perceptionBaseline and completion (week 0 and week 13)
The Music-in-Noise Task (MINT) is an auditory stream segregation task that is a proxy measure of higher-level music perception. It is scored as proportion correct between 0 and 1.
- Positive and Negative AffectPre- and post-session (week 2, 7, 11)
The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) consists of a positive and negative outcome measure; each ranging between 10 and 50. For the positive scale, a higher score represents higher levels of positive affect. One the negative scale, a lower score represents lower levels of negative affect.
- Anxiety and DiscomfortPre- and post-session (week 2, 7, 11)
The Subjective Units of Discomfort Scale (SUDS) is scored between 0 and 100, with descriptive anchor points. 0 = "no anxiety, calm, relaxed"; 25 = "mild anxiety, alert, able to cope"; 50 = "moderate anxiety, some trouble concentrating"; 75 = "severe anxiety, thoughts of leaving"; and 100 = "very severe anxiety, worst ever experienced".
- Social closenessPre- and post-session (week 2, 7, 11)
The Inclusion of Other in the Self Scale (IOS) is scored between 1 and 7, with a higher score representing more social closeness.