Hi Robert, Thank you for pointing us to this problem. The HCP Words in Noise score is indeed the NIH Toolbox Words in Noise (WIN) Test computed score, rather than the Toolbox Hearing Threshold Test that was erroneously used for the description in the Data Dictionary. We will fix the data dictionary with the upcoming data release of the corrected 7T fMRI data slated to occur within the month.
Here's the full description for the Words in Noise measure from the NIH Toolbox Interpretation Guide from the 2012 version we used for HCP: NIH Toolbox Words-in-Noise Test (WIN)Description: This test measures a person’s ability to recognize single words presented amid varying levels of background noise. It measures how much difficulty a person might have hearing in a noisy environment. A recorded voice instructs the participant to listen to and then repeat words. The task becomes increasingly difficult as the background noise gets louder, thus reducing the signal-to-noise ratio. The test is recommended for participants ages 6-85 and takes approximately six minutes to administer. Scoring Process: The examiner scores the participant’s responses as correct or incorrect, and a total raw score (out of a maximum of 35 points) is calculated by the software for each ear. A percent correct is calculated, which is then translated into a threshold score for each ear, in decibels of signal-to-noise ratio (dB S/N), using a look-up table (see Appendix C). Alternatively, the following equation can be used to calculate the S/N score based on the raw score, in lieu of the look-up table. For each ear:WIN_Score = 26-0.8*WIN_NCorrect Thus, the best score that can be attained (35 correct) for either ear is -2.0 dB S/N, and the worst score (0correct) is 26.0 dB S/N. Lower scores, therefore, are indicative of better performance on this test. In the Toolbox Assessment Scores output file, the score for the better ear is provided in the Computed Score column. Interpretation: Assessment of the ability to understand speech in a noisy background yields an ecologically valid measure of hearing because a substantial portion of communication in the real world occurs in less-than-ideal environments. Moreover, speech perception in noise is often difficult to predict from pure-tone thresholds or from speech perception in quiet settings. The NIH Toolbox version of the Words-in-Noise Test is newly released, so the interpretive guidelines provided are preliminary and may need further adjustment as future studies are conducted.As noted above, the range of possible scores for each ear is -2.0 to 26.0 dB S/N, with lower scores indicative of better performance and, conversely, higher scores potentially suggestive of hearing difficulties. For score interpretation with ages 13 and above, a cutoff of 10 dB S/N is recommended for the Toolbox version of this measure. Participants with a score higher than this cutoff should follow up with a hearing professional, specifically an otolaryngologist, who would then refer to an audiologist as needed. Users should note that the cutoff suggested here is slightly higher than other published versions of this test because other versions were conducted in quieter environments. Again, sorry for the oversight. Let me know if you have further questions. Best, Jenn Jennifer Elam, Ph.D. Scientific Outreach, Human Connectome Project Washington University School of Medicine Department of Neuroscience, Box 8108 660 South Euclid Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 314-362-9387<tel:314-362-9387> e...@wustl.edu<mailto:e...@wustl.edu> www.humanconnectome.org<http://www.humanconnectome.org/> ________________________________ From: hcp-users-boun...@humanconnectome.org <hcp-users-boun...@humanconnectome.org> on behalf of Robert Becker <em...@robertbecker.info> Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2018 8:41:06 AM To: hcp-users@humanconnectome.org Subject: [HCP-Users] Correct interpretation of NIH battery test 'Words-in-Noise' in HCP subjects Dear all, we have trouble understanding what the above test actually tests in the context of HCP data. Despite its suggestive name, this test is described (in the updated HCP Data Dictionary and its previous version), as a pure-tone thresholding test that seems to have nothing to do with understanding words embedded in noise or any similar scenario. The description in the Data Dictionary is pretty clear and excludes any such interpretation, it is just that the naming seems confusing and also, there actually is a NIH toolbox test called '"Words-in-Noise" that does test how subjects comprehend one-syllable words. Can anyone comment on the exact nature of this test and help us out? Thanks for your help! Robert -- Robert Becker, PhD Universität Zürich Psychologisches Institut Binzmühlestrasse 14 8050 Zürich Tel: +41 44 63 57234 em...@robertbecker.info<mailto:em...@robertbecker.info> _______________________________________________ HCP-Users mailing list HCP-Users@humanconnectome.org http://lists.humanconnectome.org/mailman/listinfo/hcp-users _______________________________________________ HCP-Users mailing list HCP-Users@humanconnectome.org http://lists.humanconnectome.org/mailman/listinfo/hcp-users
