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A factor analysis of the SSQ (Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale)

Akeroyd, Michael A.; Guy, Fiona H.; Harrison, Dawn L.; Suller, Sharon L.

Authors

Fiona H. Guy

Dawn L. Harrison

Sharon L. Suller



Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing questionnaire (SSQ) is a self-report test of auditory disability. The 49 items ask how well a listener would do in many complex listening situations illustrative of real life. The scores on the items are often combined into the three main sections or into 10 pragmatic subscales. We report here a factor analysis of the SSQ that we conducted to further investigate its statistical properties and to determine its structure.
DESIGN:

Statistical factor analysis of questionnaire data, using parallel analysis to determine the number of factors to retain, oblique rotation of factors, and a bootstrap method to estimate the confidence intervals.
STUDY SAMPLE:

1220 people who have attended MRC IHR over the last decade.
RESULTS:

We found three clear factors, essentially corresponding to the three main sections of the SSQ. They are termed "speech understanding", "spatial perception", and "clarity, separation, and identification". Thirty-five of the SSQ questions were included in the three factors. There was partial evidence for a fourth factor, "effort and concentration", representing two more questions.
CONCLUSIONS:

These results aid in the interpretation and application of the SSQ and indicate potential methods for generating average scores.

Citation

Akeroyd, M. A., Guy, F. H., Harrison, D. L., & Suller, S. L. (2014). A factor analysis of the SSQ (Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale). International Journal of Audiology, 53(2), https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2013.824115

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 3, 2013
Online Publication Date Sep 9, 2013
Publication Date Feb 1, 2014
Deposit Date Apr 4, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal International Journal of Audiology
Print ISSN 1499-2027
Electronic ISSN 1708-8186
Publisher Taylor & Francis Open
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 53
Issue 2
DOI https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2013.824115
Keywords Psychoacoustics/hearing science, behavioral measures, hearing aids, speech perception
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/720591
Publisher URL https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/14992027.2013.824115