ABSTRACT
Introduction
The Masking level difference is a behavioral test that evaluates the mechanism of binaural interaction of auditory processing.
Purpose
Describe the masking level difference in adults, to contribute to the establishment of reference values for the test.
Methods
109 women with normal audiometry and without hearing complaints were evaluated. The version of masking level difference used was Auditec of Saint Louis, which consists in the presentation of 33 segments of narrow-band noise in one ear for at least three seconds whether or not in the presence 500 Hz pure tone. Three different conditions were used: pure tone and narrow-band noise in phase in both ears (homophasic signal/noise condition - SoNo), inverted phase pure tone in one of the ears and noise in phase in both ears (signal/noise condition - SπNo) and noise without the presence of pure tone (no tone - NT). The task for the participants was to indicate if they have heard the tone or not.
Results
The average value in homophasic condition (SoNo) was 12 dB, with a standard error of 0.284, and in antiphasic condition (SπNo) was 22.77 dB, with standard error of 0.510. The average value resulting from the difference between the two conditions, masking level difference, was 10.83 dB with standard error of 0.316.
Conclusion
The mean masking level difference obtained from 109 normal hearing young female individuals was 10.83 dB.
Hearing; Auditory perception; Hearing disorder; Hearing tests