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Poor Spectral Modulation Sensitivity Disrupts Development of Phonological Sensitivity: Evidence from Children with Histories of Chronic Otitis Media

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Title: Poor Spectral Modulation Sensitivity Disrupts Development of Phonological Sensitivity: Evidence from Children with Histories of Chronic Otitis Media
Language: English
Authors: Susan Nittrouer (ORCID 0000-0002-3235-1724), Heather Starr, Halle Kurit, Thomas Schrepfer
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2025 68(10):5067-5085.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Diseases, Chronic Illness, Children, Adults, Auditory Perception, Phonology, Hard of Hearing, Perceptual Development, Age Differences, Vocabulary, Language Acquisition
Geographic Terms: Florida
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00017
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: This study tested the hypotheses that (a) sensitivity to spectral modulation has a protracted course of development; (b) its development can be disrupted by diminished auditory experience early in life, as children with chronic otitis media often encounter; and (c) delays in development of spectral modulation sensitivity put children at risk for delays in development of phonological sensitivity, but not vocabulary acquisition. Method: Participants were 22 children with significant, documented histories of otitis media before 3 years of age, 16 children with negative histories of otitis media, and 21 adults. Thresholds of 70.7% were obtained for detection of spectral modulation in signals with low modulation rates (0.5-2.0 cycles per octave) using transformed up-down procedures. Standard scores for vocabulary and percent correct scores for phonological sensitivity were also obtained. Results: The three hypotheses were supported: (a) Even children with no significant histories of otitis media had higher (poorer) spectral modulation detection thresholds than adults; (b) children with significant histories of otitis media had higher spectral modulation detection thresholds than children without those histories; and (c) Spectral modulation detection thresholds were strongly correlated with phonological sensitivity, but not with vocabulary size for children. Conclusions: The central auditory pathways have a protracted developmental course that can be disrupted by temporary hearing loss early in life. This disruption in auditory development has cascading effects on suprathreshold functions, as well as on the language phenomena dependent upon development of those suprathreshold functions. These findings have implications beyond children with histories of otitis media.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1486757
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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  Data: Poor Spectral Modulation Sensitivity Disrupts Development of Phonological Sensitivity: Evidence from Children with Histories of Chronic Otitis Media
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Susan+Nittrouer%22">Susan Nittrouer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3235-1724">0000-0002-3235-1724</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Heather+Starr%22">Heather Starr</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Halle+Kurit%22">Halle Kurit</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thomas+Schrepfer%22">Thomas Schrepfer</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 68(10):5067-5085.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: 19
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diseases%22">Diseases</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chronic+Illness%22">Chronic Illness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+Perception%22">Auditory Perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonology%22">Phonology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hard+of+Hearing%22">Hard of Hearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Perceptual+Development%22">Perceptual Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary%22">Vocabulary</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Florida%22">Florida</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Expressive+One+Word+Picture+Vocabulary+Test%22">Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00017
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  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This study tested the hypotheses that (a) sensitivity to spectral modulation has a protracted course of development; (b) its development can be disrupted by diminished auditory experience early in life, as children with chronic otitis media often encounter; and (c) delays in development of spectral modulation sensitivity put children at risk for delays in development of phonological sensitivity, but not vocabulary acquisition. Method: Participants were 22 children with significant, documented histories of otitis media before 3 years of age, 16 children with negative histories of otitis media, and 21 adults. Thresholds of 70.7% were obtained for detection of spectral modulation in signals with low modulation rates (0.5-2.0 cycles per octave) using transformed up-down procedures. Standard scores for vocabulary and percent correct scores for phonological sensitivity were also obtained. Results: The three hypotheses were supported: (a) Even children with no significant histories of otitis media had higher (poorer) spectral modulation detection thresholds than adults; (b) children with significant histories of otitis media had higher spectral modulation detection thresholds than children without those histories; and (c) Spectral modulation detection thresholds were strongly correlated with phonological sensitivity, but not with vocabulary size for children. Conclusions: The central auditory pathways have a protracted developmental course that can be disrupted by temporary hearing loss early in life. This disruption in auditory development has cascading effects on suprathreshold functions, as well as on the language phenomena dependent upon development of those suprathreshold functions. These findings have implications beyond children with histories of otitis media.
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        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00017
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Diseases
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      – SubjectFull: Chronic Illness
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      – SubjectFull: Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test
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      – TitleFull: Poor Spectral Modulation Sensitivity Disrupts Development of Phonological Sensitivity: Evidence from Children with Histories of Chronic Otitis Media
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