Predictors of Listening-Related Fatigue Across the Adult Life Span. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McGarrigle, Ronan; Knight, Sarah; Hornsby, Benjamin W. Y.; Mattys, Sven
• Is Part Of: Psychological science. Volume 32:Number 12(2021)
• Page Start: 1937
• Page End: 1951
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: listening-related fatigue -- effortful listening -- cognitive aging -- speech perception -- open data -- preregistered; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.5
• DOI: 10.1177/09567976211016410
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7976

Abstract

Listening-related fatigue is a potentially serious negative consequence of an aging auditory and cognitive system. However, the impact of age on listening-related fatigue and the factors underpinning any such effect remain unexplored. Using data from a large sample of adults ( N = 281), we conducted a conditional process analysis to examine potential mediators and moderators of age-related changes in listening-related fatigue. Mediation analyses revealed opposing effects of age on listening-related fatigue: Older adults with greater perceived hearing impairment tended to report increased listening-related fatigue. However, aging was otherwise associated with decreased listening-related fatigue via reductions in both mood disturbance and sensory-processing sensitivity. Results suggested that the effect of auditory attention ability on listening-related fatigue was moderated by sensory-processing sensitivity; for individuals with high sensory-processing sensitivity, better auditory attention ability was associated with increased fatigue. These findings shed light on the perceptual, cognitive, and psychological factors underlying age-related changes in listening-related fatigue.