A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.

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Title: A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.
Authors: Jorgensen, Erik1 erik.jorgensen@wisc.edu, Werner, Megan1, Modahl, Lucas1, Misurelli, Sara2
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Jul2026, Vol. 69 Issue 7, p3483-3500. 18p.
Subject Terms: *Auditory perception testing, *Audiometry, *Intelligibility of speech, *Quality of life, *Speech perception, *Hearing, *Factor analysis, *Hearing disorders, *Psychological tests, *Theory, *Auditory perception, *Mental depression, Cross-sectional method, Noise, Research funding, Mental health, Acoustics, Loneliness, Psychological well-being, Descriptive statistics, Social context, Sound recordings, Psychology, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals, Regression analysis, Nonparametric statistics, Social isolation, Psychosocial factors
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Purpose: Hearing loss is associated with elevated levels of loneliness and depression, but the factors accounting for these associations remain unclear. This study examined whether real-world hearing behaviors—time spent in speech-in-noise (SiN) environments and speech perception in noise (SPIN) ability—are associated with loneliness and depression in young adults with normal hearing, using a moderated mediation model. Method: Fifty-four participants with audiometrically normal hearing completed standardized assessments of SPIN ability (Quick Speech-in-Noise test), loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Participants wore audio recorders for 1 week, and an open-source deep neural network (Yet Another Mobile Network) classified recordings to estimate SiN exposure time. Regression-based moderated mediation analyses tested whether the association between SiN exposure and depression was mediated by loneliness and moderated by SPIN ability. Results: Greater time in SiN was associated with lower loneliness, particularly among individuals with average or better SPIN ability. In contrast, participants with poorer SPIN ability showed weaker associations, with high exposures sometimes associated with greater loneliness. Loneliness was positively associated with depression scores. A significant moderated mediation association emerged: The indirect association between SiN exposure and depression via loneliness was statistically significant only for individuals with approximately average or better SPIN ability. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with a person–environment fit perspective: Individuals whose hearing abilities align well with the demands of their environments tend to show better social–emotional health outcomes, whereas those with a mismatch between SPIN ability and SiN exposure show weaker or even reversed associations. This study illustrates how hearing-related behaviors and hearing abilities may be associated with social–emotional well-being and underscores the importance of considering both individual ability and everyday listening environments when designing and evaluating hearing health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 69 Issue 7, p3483-3500. 18p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+perception+testing%22">Auditory perception testing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Audiometry%22">Audiometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligibility+of+speech%22">Intelligibility of speech</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quality+of+life%22">Quality of life</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+perception%22">Speech perception</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing%22">Hearing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Factor+analysis%22">Factor analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing+disorders%22">Hearing disorders</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+tests%22">Psychological tests</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory%22">Theory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+perception%22">Auditory perception</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+depression%22">Mental depression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Noise%22">Noise</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Acoustics%22">Acoustics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Loneliness%22">Loneliness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+well-being%22">Psychological well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+context%22">Social context</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sound+recordings%22">Sound recordings</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Regression+analysis%22">Regression analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nonparametric+statistics%22">Nonparametric statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+isolation%22">Social isolation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychosocial+factors%22">Psychosocial factors</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Hearing loss is associated with elevated levels of loneliness and depression, but the factors accounting for these associations remain unclear. This study examined whether real-world hearing behaviors—time spent in speech-in-noise (SiN) environments and speech perception in noise (SPIN) ability—are associated with loneliness and depression in young adults with normal hearing, using a moderated mediation model. Method: Fifty-four participants with audiometrically normal hearing completed standardized assessments of SPIN ability (Quick Speech-in-Noise test), loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Participants wore audio recorders for 1 week, and an open-source deep neural network (Yet Another Mobile Network) classified recordings to estimate SiN exposure time. Regression-based moderated mediation analyses tested whether the association between SiN exposure and depression was mediated by loneliness and moderated by SPIN ability. Results: Greater time in SiN was associated with lower loneliness, particularly among individuals with average or better SPIN ability. In contrast, participants with poorer SPIN ability showed weaker associations, with high exposures sometimes associated with greater loneliness. Loneliness was positively associated with depression scores. A significant moderated mediation association emerged: The indirect association between SiN exposure and depression via loneliness was statistically significant only for individuals with approximately average or better SPIN ability. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with a person–environment fit perspective: Individuals whose hearing abilities align well with the demands of their environments tend to show better social–emotional health outcomes, whereas those with a mismatch between SPIN ability and SiN exposure show weaker or even reversed associations. This study illustrates how hearing-related behaviors and hearing abilities may be associated with social–emotional well-being and underscores the importance of considering both individual ability and everyday listening environments when designing and evaluating hearing health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00615
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Auditory perception testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Audiometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intelligibility of speech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quality of life
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hearing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Factor analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hearing disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Auditory perception
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental depression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Noise
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Acoustics
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      – SubjectFull: Loneliness
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      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social context
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      – SubjectFull: Sound recordings
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals
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      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Nonparametric statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Social isolation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.
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              Text: Jul2026
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