Perception of timbre in adult Cochlear implant users: Comparison of Iranian and Western musical instruments

Abstract

Objectives

Cochlear implants (CI) have dramatically improved speech perception for patients with sensorineural hearing impairment. However, listening to music is a great challenge for them. This study examined the perception and appraisal of Iranian musical instruments comparing with similar Western instruments.

Methods

Eleven adult CI users and 25 normal hearing (NH) individuals participated in this study. Musical stimuli of three commonly heard instrument pairs were prepared. Participants were asked to identify the instruments and rate their appraisal on a ten-point Likert scale (0 = dislike very much, 10 = like very much).

Results

The instrument recognition rate was 40.6% among the CI users, and the mean appraisal score was 5.2 ± 2.7. NH listeners had none significant higher scores on both tasks with a recognition rate of 50.0% and the mean appraisal score of 6.9 ± 1.5. Iranian instruments were more recognized in both groups. Regarding their appraisal, the mean score for both types was almost equal in the NH group, while CI users more appraised Iranian instruments.

Conclusion

In addition to better recognition of Iranian instruments, they were particularly better appraised in the CI group. Iranian instruments provide suitable musical pieces for CI recipients that can be considered in rehabilitation programs.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• Pre-lingually deafened
• Post-lingually deafened
• Perception
• Musical instrument

Supplementary data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed doi:10.1080/14670100.2022.2137909.

Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate the cooperation of the patients involved in this study.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Funding None.

Conflicts of interest None.

Ethics approval None.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shayan Dasdar

Shayan Dasdar is a Postdoc Researcher at the Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Azam Nasresfahani

Azam Nasresfahani is a MD graduated from Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Nika Kianfar

Nika Kianfar is a Postdoc Researcher at the Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Masoud Motesadi Zarandi

Masoud Motesadi Zarandi is a professor of otology and skullbase surgery at the Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Farzad Mobedshahi

Farzad Mobedshahi is an audiologist at the cochlear implant center at Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Sasan Dabiri

Sasan Dabiri is an associate professor of Otorhinolaryngology at the Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Ali Kouhi

Ali kouhi is an associate professor of neurotology and skullbase surgery at the Amir-A'lam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.