Speech and music perception in cochlear implant users

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate speech and music perception in postlingual adults with cochlear implants (CI). Material and Methods: Thirty-four unilateral CI listeners with at least 6 months of CI experience participated in the study. The sample ranged in age from 25 to 62 years (mean age=45years, SD=11.1). The speech perception protocol included two audio files (a female versus a male speaker) and a speech quality questionnaire. The music perception protocol was based on three audio files (Classical, Jazz and Pop music) and a music quality questionnaire. Speech and music appreciation were evaluated for four subjective aspects: Clarity, Pleasantness, Naturalness and General Quality of Sounds. Results: Significant correlations (rs=0.43, p=0.011) and performance differences (Z=-4.5, p<0.001) were found between speech and music perception. Duration of CI use had a significant positive effect on naturalness of speech sounds (rs=0.40, p=0.019). Conclusion: Most CI users described speech sounds as clear, pleasant and natural; but their scores for music quality were significantly lower. Significant effects of duration of CI use on the naturalness of speech emphasized that CI listeners may need time to adapt to sounds that they heard with the implant. Significant correlations between speech and music perception observed in this study supported similarities in their processing. It was remarkable that music perception correlated even with speech understanding in quiet for a qualitative measure such as sound quality.