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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, *Cross-sectional method, *Noise, *Research funding, *Mental health, *Acoustics, *Loneliness, *Psychological well-being, *Audiometry, *Descriptive statistics, *Intelligibility of speech, *Social context, *Sound recordings, *Psychology, *Quality of life, *Speech perception, *Hearing, *Factor analysis, *Data analysis software, *Confidence intervals, *Hearing disorders, *Psychological tests, *Theory, *Auditory perception, *Mental depression, *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]
Database: Academic Search Index
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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="AR" term="%22Jorgensen%2C+Erik%22">Jorgensen, Erik</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> erik.jorgensen@wisc.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Werner%2C+Megan%22">Werner, Megan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Modahl%2C+Lucas%22">Modahl, Lucas</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Misurelli%2C+Sara%22">Misurelli, Sara</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo>
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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="%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="%22Audiometry%22">Audiometry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intelligibility+of+speech%22">Intelligibility of speech</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="%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="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</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="%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>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  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]
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asx&AN=195295688
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00615
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Auditory perception testing
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      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
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      – SubjectFull: Noise
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Acoustics
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      – SubjectFull: Loneliness
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      – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Audiometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intelligibility of speech
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      – SubjectFull: Social context
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sound recordings
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Quality of life
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      – SubjectFull: Speech perception
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing
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      – SubjectFull: Social isolation
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      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: A Moderated Mediation Model Linking Speech-in-Noise Exposure, Speech Perception in Noise Ability, Loneliness, and Depression.
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              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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