COMPARISON OF PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING THRESHOLDS AND MAXIMUM ACCEPTABLE LOUDNESS LEVELS WITH THE NUCLEUS COCHLEAR IMPLANT SYSTEM

Two stimulus paradigms and two presentation methods were combined to f orm three procedures (keyboard, knob, and ascending loudness judgments with know [ALJK]) to obtain detection thresholds and maximum acceptab le loudness levels (MALs) from 11 adults with the Nucleus cochlear imp lant. Thresholds at which subjects correctly counted the number of sti mulus bursts also were obtained. Keyboard detection thresholds were hi gher (Scheffe, p = .01) than knob and ALJK detection thresholds. Count ed thresholds were obtained most efficiently by using keyboard detecti on thresholds as the initial level for testing. Keyboard MALs were hig hest, knob MALs intermediate, and ALJK MALs lowest (Scheffe, p = .001) . MALs were obtained most efficiently with the ALJK procedure. Implica tions of these results for clinical practice are discussed.