Abstract
The fixed-frequency Békésy tracing was found to be an efficient indicator of nonorganic hearing loss when the off-time of the pulsed signal was lengthened from 200 to 800 msec. The Lengthened Off-Time (LOT-Békésy), Stenger and Doerfler-Stewart (D-S) tests were administered, when appropriate, to 725 clinic patients. The LOT-Békésy test correctly identified 96% of the 225 nonorganics vs 77% for the D-S test and only 48% for the Stenger test. Among 500 organically-impaired patients the LOT-Békédsy test, when applicable, was 98% correct, the Stenger test was 86% correct, and the D-S was 79% correct. In terms of applicability, the LOT-Békésy test could be employed with 99% of the total 725 patients, the Stenger test with 57%, and the D-S test was appropriate with only 38% of the patients.