Nicole L Marrone

Interests

Teaching

Audiologic Rehabilitation Across the LifespanAmplification II

Research

Hearing, audiology, rehabilitation, health disparities, aging, disability, speech perception, hearing aids, cochlear implants

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Coco, L., Piper, R., & Marrone, N. (2021). Feasibility of community health workers as teleaudiology patient-site facilitators: a multilevel training study. International journal of audiology, 1-13.
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  We evaluated the feasibility of a multi-level teleaudiology patient-site facilitator training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) at a partnering health centre in southern Arizona.
• Davidson, A., Marrone, N., Wong, B., & Musiek, F. (2021). Predicting Hearing Aid Satisfaction in Adults: A Systematic Review of Speech-in-noise Tests and Other Behavioral Measures. Ear and hearing.
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  Adults with hearing loss report a wide range of hearing aid satisfaction that does not significantly correlate to degree of hearing loss. It is not clear which auditory behavioral factors do contribute to hearing aid satisfaction. While poor speech understanding in noise is known to contribute to dissatisfaction, there are many categories of this type of assessment. The purpose of this systematic review is to answer the question, "Are behavioral pre-fitting measures using speech and nonspeech materials related to hearing aid satisfaction among adults?"
• Pittman, C. A., Roura, R., Price, C., Lin, F. R., Marrone, N., & Nieman, C. L. (2021). Racial/Ethnic and Sex Representation in US-Based Clinical Trials of Hearing Loss Management in Adults: A Systematic Review. JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery.
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  Although the National Institutes of Health (NIH) mandated the inclusion and reporting of women and racial or ethnic minority groups in NIH-funded research in 1993, little is known regarding the representation of women and racial or ethnic minority groups in trials that investigate hearing loss management.
• Suen, J. J., Han, H. R., Peoples, C. Y., Weikert, M., Marrone, N., Lin, F. R., & Nieman, C. L. (2021). A Community Health Worker Training Program to Deliver Accessible and Affordable Hearing Care to Older Adults. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 32(1), 37-49.
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  Community leaders collaborated with human-centered design practitioners and academic researchers to co-develop a community health worker (CHW) training program for delivering community-based hearing care to fellow older adults. When implemented by CHWs, clients' communication function improved comparably with outcomes following professional interventions. Community-based models offer opportunities to advance hearing health.
• Coco, L. S., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2018). Qualitative Research Methods to Investigate Communication within an Aural Rehabilitation Intervention. American Journal of Audiology.
• Coco, L., Coco, L., Davidson, A., Davidson, A., Marrone, N., & Marrone, N. (2020). The Role of Patient-Site Facilitators in Teleaudiology: A Scoping Review. American journal of audiology, 29(3S), 661-675.
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  Purpose Teleaudiology helps improve access to hearing health care by overcoming the geographic gap between providers and patients. In many teleaudiology encounters, a facilitator is needed at the patient site to help with hands-on aspects of procedures. The aim of this study was to review the scope and nature of research around patient-site facilitators in teleaudiology. We focused on identifying the facilitators' background, training, and responsibilities. Method To conduct this scoping review, we searched PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase. To be included, studies needed to address teleaudiology; be experimental/quasi-experimental, correlational/predictive, or descriptive; be published in English; and include the use of a facilitator at the patient location. Results A total of 82 studies met the inclusion criteria. The available literature described a number of different individuals in the role of the patient-site facilitator, including audiologists, students, and local aides. Fifty-seven unique tasks were identified, including orienting the client to the space, assisting with technology, and assisting with audiology procedures. The largest number of studies ( = 42) did not describe the facilitators' training. When reported, the facilitators' training was heterogenous in terms of who delivered the training, the length of the training, and the training content. Conclusions Across studies, the range of duties performed by patient-site facilitators indicates they may have an important role in teleaudiology. However, details are still needed surrounding their background, responsibilities, and training. Future research is warranted exploring the role of the patient-site facilitator, including their impact on teleaudiology service delivery. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12475796.
• Cone, B. K., Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., Everett, A. J., & R, P. (2019). Sensitivity and specificity of pure-tone and subjective hearing screenings using Spanish-language questions.. American Journal of Audiology, 12.
• Everett, A., Wong, A., Piper, R., Cone, B., & Marrone, N. (2020). Sensitivity and Specificity of Pure-Tone and Subjective Hearing Screenings Using Spanish-Language Questions. American journal of audiology, 1-15.
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  Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivities and specificities of different audiometric hearing screening criteria and single-item and multi-item hearing disability questionnaires among a group of Spanish-speaking adults in a rural community. Method Participants were 131 predominantly older (77% 65+ years) Hispanic/Latinx adults (98%). A structured Spanish-language interview and pure-tone threshold test data were analyzed for each participant. The sensitivities and specificities of three single questions and the Hearing Handicap Index for the Elderly-Screening (HHIE-S; Ventry & Weinstein, 1983) in Spanish, as well as three audiometric screening criteria, were evaluated in relation to the pure-tone threshold test for detecting hearing loss. Results Sensitivity and specificity of audiometric screening criteria varied, but the highest sensitivity was found for the criterion of > 25 dB HL at 1-4 kHz in either ear. The single self-perception question, " ( was shown to be the most sensitive self-report screening compared to other single-item questions and the HHIE-S. This single question was as sensitive as an audiometric screening to detect a moderate hearing loss (> 40 dB HL in either ear). Results from the Spanish HHIE-S indicated poor performance to detect hearing loss in this population, consistent with previous research. Conclusions Among older Spanish-speaking adults, self-reported hearing status had varying sensitivities depending on the question asked. However, of the tools evaluated, the self-perception question proved to be a more sensitive and specific tool than a multi-item screen. Objective audiometric testing (> 25 dB HL) resulted in the highest sensitivity to detect a mild hearing loss.
• Ingram, M., Marrone, N. L., & Bell, M. L. (2018). Self-reported hearing difficulty and its association with general, cognitive, and psychosocial health in the state of Arizona, 2015. BMC Public Health.
• Marrone, N. L., & Davidson, A. (2020). A clinically valuable interaction in the midst of COVID-19 and beyond: A viewpoint on the importance of patient-centered outcomes in rehabilitative audiology. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups.
• Marrone, N. L., & Wong, A. A. (2020). Taking the Pulse of Hispanic Hearing Health. JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery.
• Moor, J., Norrix, L. W., & Marrone, N. L. (2017). The Effects of Background Noise onMultitasking. Journal of Speech, Language, Hearing Research.
• Coco, L., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. (2019). Qualitative research methods to investigate communication within a group aural rehabilitation intervention. International journal of audiology, 1-10.
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  Aural Rehabilitation (AR) aims to minimise negative effects of hearing loss. However, there has been limited study of the lived experience of clients receiving Aural Rehabilitation services, particularly for disparity populations. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the use of an innovative qualitative approach to investigating communication in an AR setting among Hispanic/Latino older adult dyads. We developed a qualitative phenomenology approach using observation methods to document and analyse how individuals experience living with acquired hearing loss within group AR. Trained observers collected systematic, detailed notes on observations of participants over the course of a 5-week community-based AR intervention. In partnership with audiologists, Community Health Workers facilitated the intervention, which focussed on decreasing negative communication impacts of hearing loss for families. Audiometric data and subjective hearing disability results, using the HHIE-S Spanish version, are presented as additional context for observation outcomes. Participants were older Hispanic/Latino adults with hearing loss and their frequent communication partners (five dyads). Four themes related to the experience of communication emerged among dyads in the intervention: (i) emotions related to hearing loss (ii) communication dynamics, (iii) self-management of hearing loss, and (iv) hearing health advocacy. A mixed methods approach that includes group observation would contribute substantially to comprehensively evaluating group AR interventions.
• Marrone, N. L., Ingram, M., Bischoff, E., Burgen, K., Carvajal, S., & Bell, M. (2019). Self-reported hearing difficulty and its association with general, cognitive, and psychosocial health in the state of Arizona, 2015. BMC Public Health.
• Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., & Coco, L. (2019). Bolstering Access to Hearing Care for Older Hispanic Adults. The ASHA Leader, 24(Issue 3), 18-20. doi:https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AEA.24032019.18
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  Audiologists collaborate with the community to develop a culturally relevant hearing health program.
• Marrone, N. L., Wong, A., & Coco, L. (2019). Oyendo Bien brings audiology and public health together. ASHA Leader.
• Marrone, N., Ingram, M., Bischoff, K., Burgen, E., Carvajal, S. C., & Bell, M. L. (2019). Self-reported hearing difficulty and its association with general, cognitive, and psychosocial health in the state of Arizona, 2015. BMC public health, 19(1), 875.
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  Hearing loss is among the leading causes of disability in persons 65 years and older worldwide and is known to have an impact on quality of life as well as social, cognitive, and physical functioning. Our objective was to assess statewide prevalence of self-reported hearing ability in Arizona adults and its association with general health, cognitive decline, diabetes and poor psychosocial health.
• Suen, J. J., Bhatnagar, K., Emmett, S. D., Marrone, N., Kleindienst Robler, S., Swanepoel, D. W., Wong, A., & Nieman, C. L. (2019). Hearing care across the life course provided in the community. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 97(10), 681-690.
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  Untreated hearing loss is recognized as a growing global health priority because of its prevalence and harmful effects on health and well-being. Until recently, little progress had been made in expanding hearing care beyond traditional clinic-based models to incorporate public health approaches that increase accessibility to and affordability of hearing care. As demonstrated in numerous countries and for many health conditions, sharing health-care tasks with community health workers (CHWs) offers advantages as a complementary approach to expand health-service delivery and improve public health. This paper explores the possibilities of task shifting to provide hearing care across the life course by reviewing several ongoing projects in a variety of settings - Bangladesh, India, South Africa and the United States of America. The selected programmes train CHWs to provide a range of hearing-care services, from childhood hearing screening to management of age-related hearing loss. We discuss lessons learnt from these examples to inform best practices for task shifting within community-delivered hearing care. Preliminary evidence supports the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of hearing care delivered by CHWs in these varied settings. To make further progress, community-delivered hearing care must build on established models of CHWs and ensure adequate training and supervision, delineation of the scope of practice, supportive local and national legislation, incorporation of appropriate technology and analysis of programme costs and cost-effectiveness. In view of the growing evidence, community-delivered hearing care may now be a way forward to improve hearing health equity.
• Suen, J. J., Marrone, N., Han, H. R., Lin, F. R., & Nieman, C. L. (2019). Translating Public Health Practices: Community-Based Approaches for Addressing Hearing Health Care Disparities. Seminars in hearing, 40(1), 37-48.
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  Epidemiologic studies reveal disparities in hearing health care with lower prevalence of hearing aid use among older adults from racial/ethnic minority groups and lower socioeconomic positions. Recent national reports recommend exploring innovative delivery models to increase the accessibility and affordability of hearing health care, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. With an expected rise in the prevalence of age-related hearing loss over the next four decades due to a rapidly aging population, the condition is a growing public health imperative. This review describes key public health practices for developing and delivering community-based care that characterizes an emerging area of research in novel approaches of hearing loss management programs to reach underserved populations. With evolving technologies that enable care to extend beyond the clinic, adapting a long-utilized community health worker approach presents a strategy for the field of hearing health care to be actively involved in designing and leading initiatives for achieving hearing health equity. Principles from community-based participatory research offer a paradigm for the field to integrate into its research endeavors for addressing disparities. An interdisciplinary approach for engaging these challenges offers hearing health care researchers and providers an opportunity to advance the field and delivery of care.
• Suen, J., Bhatnagar, K., Emmett, S., Marrone, N. L., Robler, K., Swanepoel, S., W., D., Wong, A., & Nieman, C. (2019). Improving access to hearing care across the life course through community-delivered care. WHO Bulletin.
• Coco, L., Titlow, K. S., & Marrone, N. (2018). Geographic Distribution of the Hearing Aid Dispensing Workforce: A Teleaudiology Planning Assessment for Arizona. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AUDIOLOGY, 27(3), 462-473.
• Coco, L., Titlow, K. S., & Marrone, N. (2018). Geographic Distribution of the Hearing Aid Dispensing Workforce: A Teleaudiology Planning Assessment for Arizona. American journal of audiology, 27(3S), 462-473.
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  Teleaudiology helps connect patients in rural and underresourced areas to hearing health care providers, minimizing the barrier of geography (Swanepoel et al., 2010). In the United States, teleaudiology is at the initial stages of implementation (Bush, Thompson, Irungu, & Ayugi, 2016). Telehealth researchers recommend conducting a comprehensive planning assessment to optimize implementation and adoption (AlDossary, Martin-Khan, Bradford, Armfield, & Smith, 2017; Alverson et al., 2008; Krupinski, 2015). A geographic analysis of the hearing aid dispensing workforce served as the initial stage of a teleaudiology planning assessment in Arizona.
• Shehorn, J., Marrone, N., & Muller, T. (2018). Speech Perception in Noise and Listening Effort of Older Adults With Nonlinear Frequency Compression Hearing Aids. EAR AND HEARING, 39(2), 215-225.
• Vitkus, L., Cioltan, H., & Marrone, N. L. (2018). Elder Care: A Resource for Interprofessional Providers. Hearing Loss: Epidemiology and Assessment. The Portal of Geriatric Online Education.
• Vitkus, L., Marrone, N. L., & Glisky, E. (2018). Elder Care: A Resource for Interprofessional Providers. Hearing Loss an Cognitive Assessment. The Portal of Geriatric Online Education.
• Coco, L., Colina, S., Atcherson, S. R., & Marrone, N. (2017). Readability Level of Spanish-Language Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Audiology and Otolaryngology. American journal of audiology, 26(3), 309-317.
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  The purpose of this study was to examine the readability level of the Spanish versions of several audiology- and otolaryngology-related patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and include a readability analysis of 2 translation approaches when available-the published version and a "functionalist" version-using a team-based collaborative approach including community members.
• Colina, S., Marrone, N. L., & Ingram, M. (2016). Translation Quality Assessment in Health Research: Problems of back-translation. Evaluation and the Health Professions.
• Colina, S., Marrone, N., Ingram, M., & Sánchez, D. (2017). Translation Quality Assessment in Health Research: A Functionalist Alternative to Back-Translation. Evaluation & the health professions, 40(3), 267-293.
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  As international research studies become more commonplace, the importance of developing multilingual research instruments continues to increase and with it that of translated materials. It is therefore not unexpected that assessing the quality of translated materials (e.g., research instruments, questionnaires, etc.) has become essential to cross-cultural research, given that the reliability and validity of the research findings crucially depend on the translated instruments. In some fields (e.g., public health and medicine), the quality of translated instruments can also impact the effectiveness and success of interventions and public campaigns. Back-translation (BT) is a commonly used quality assessment tool in cross-cultural research. This quality assurance technique consists of (a) translation (target text [TT1]) of the source text (ST), (b) translation (TT2) of TT1 back into the source language, and (c) comparison of TT2 with ST to make sure there are no discrepancies. The accuracy of the BT with respect to the source is supposed to reflect equivalence/accuracy of the TT. This article shows how the use of BT as a translation quality assessment method can have a detrimental effect on a research study and proposes alternatives to BT. One alternative is illustrated on the basis of the translation and quality assessment methods used in a research study on hearing loss carried out in a border community in the southwest of the United States.
• Hellmann, J., & Marrone, N. L. (2014). The effects of background noise on dual-task performance. International Journal of Audiology.
• Marrone, N. L. (2014). Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Hearing Care Among Older Americans. Journal of Aging and Health.
• Marrone, N. L., Alt, M., Olson, S., Shehorn, J., & DeDe, G. L. (2014). Effects of steady-state noise on verbal working memory in young adults. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.
• Marrone, N., Ingram, M., Somoza, M., Jacob, D. S., Sanchez, A., Adamovich, S., & Harris, F. P. (2017). Interventional Audiology to Address Hearing Health Care Disparities: Oyendo Bien Pilot Study. Seminars in hearing, 38(2), 198-211.
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  Interventional audiology, specifically community-based outreach, can connect people with the hearing health care system. Community-based participatory research methods were applied in two phases of research to: (1) investigate the needs of families affected by hearing loss in a rural Arizona community on the U.S.-Mexico border; and (2) evaluate an outreach program on hearing health. The needs assessment included interviews with persons with hearing loss and focus groups with family members and the greater community. The needs assessment revealed that despite perceived severity of hearing loss, help-seeking for audiologic care was limited due to barriers, stigma, and low self-efficacy. Results informed development of a community-based pilot study conducted as part of an academic-community partnership between audiology, public health, and community health workers of a federally qualified health center. An outreach program, Oyendo Bien (hearing wellness), a 5-week, Spanish-language health education program for older adults (n = 21) incorporated communication strategies and behavioral change techniques. Postprogram focus groups revealed increased self-efficacy and decreased stigma. After 1 year, 7 of 9 participants with hearing loss contacted for follow-up had sought some form of hearing-related health care. Future research should further investigate interventional audiology approaches to address health disparities.
• Moor, J., Hellman, J., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Marrone, N. L., & Marrone, N. L. (2017). The Effects of Background Noise onMultitasking. Journal of Speech, Language, Hearing Research.
• Sanchez, D., Adamovich, S. L., Ingram, M., De Zapien, J. G., Harris, F. P., Colina, S., Sanchez, A., & Marrone, N. L. (2016). The Potential in Preparing Community Health Workers to Address Hearing Loss.. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.
• Sanchez, D., Sanchez, D., Adamovich, S. L., Adamovich, S. L., Ingram, M., Ingram, M., De Zapien, J. G., De Zapien, J. G., Harris, F. P., Harris, F. P., Colina, S., Colina, S., Sanchez, A., Sanchez, A., Marrone, N. L., & Marrone, N. L. (2016). The Potential in Preparing Community Health Workers to Address Hearing Loss.. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.
• Shehorn, J., Marrone, N., & Muller, T. (2017). Speech Perception in Noise and Listening Effort of Older Adults With Nonlinear Frequency Compression Hearing Aids. Ear and hearing.
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  The purpose of this laboratory-based study was to compare the efficacy of two hearing aid fittings with and without nonlinear frequency compression, implemented within commercially available hearing aids. Previous research regarding the utility of nonlinear frequency compression has revealed conflicting results for speech recognition, marked by high individual variability. Individual differences in auditory function and cognitive abilities, specifically hearing loss slope and working memory, may contribute to aided performance. The first aim of the study was to determine the effect of nonlinear frequency compression on aided speech recognition in noise and listening effort using a dual-task test paradigm. The hypothesis, based on the Ease of Language Understanding model, was that nonlinear frequency compression would improve speech recognition in noise and decrease listening effort. The second aim of the study was to determine if listener variables of hearing loss slope, working memory capacity, and age would predict performance with nonlinear frequency compression.
• Sánchez, D., Adamovich, S., Ingram, M., Harris, F. P., de Zapien, J., Sánchez, A., Colina, S., & Marrone, N. (2017). The Potential in Preparing Community Health Workers to Address Hearing Loss. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 28(6), 562-574.
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  In underserved areas, it is crucial to investigate ways of increasing access to hearing health care. The community health worker (CHW) is a model that has been applied to increase access in various health arenas. This article proposes further investigation into the application of this model to audiology.
• Wright, B. A., Baese-Berk, M., Marrone, N. L., & Bradlow, A. (2014). Enhancing speech learning by combining task practice with periods of stimulus exposure without practice. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
• Colina, S., Marrone, N., & Ingram, M. (2016). Translation Quality Assessment in Health Research: Problems of back-translation. Evaluation and the Health Professions.
• Ingram, M., Marrone, N. L., Daisey, S. T., Sander, A., Navarro, C., De Zapien, J. G., Colina, S., & Harris, F. P. (2016). Addressing Hearing Health Care Disparities among Older Adults in a US-Mexico Border Community. Frontiers in Public Health. doi:/dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2016.00169
• Ingram, M., Marrone, N., Sanchez, D. T., Sander, A., Navarro, C., de Zapien, J. G., Colina, S., & Harris, F. (2016). Addressing Hearing Health Care Disparities among Older Adults in a US-Mexico Border Community. Frontiers in public health, 4, 169.
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  Hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline and impairment in daily living activities. Access to hearing health care has broad implications for healthy aging of the U.S.
• Nieman, C. L., Marrone, N., Mamo, S. K., Betz, J., Choi, J. S., Contrera, K. J., Thorpe, R. J., Gitlin, L. N., Tanner, E. K., Han, H. R., Szanton, S. L., & Lin, F. R. (2016). The Baltimore HEARS Pilot Study: An Affordable, Accessible, Community-Delivered Hearing Care Intervention. The Gerontologist.
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  Age-related hearing loss negatively affects health outcomes, yet disparities in hearing care, such as hearing aid use, exist based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position. Recent national efforts highlight reduction of hearing care disparities as a public health imperative. This study a) describes a community engagement approach to addressing disparities, b) reports preliminary outcomes of a novel intervention, and c) discusses implementation processes and potential for wide-scale testing and use.
• Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Alt, M., Alt, M., Alt, M., DeDe, G. L., DeDe, G. L., DeDe, G. L., Olson, S., Olson, S., Olson, S., Shehorn, J., Shehorn, J., & Shehorn, J. (2015). Effects of steady-state noise on verbal working memory in young adults. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 58, 1793-1804.
• Marrone, N., Alt, M., DeDe, G., Olson, S., & Shehorn, J. (2015). Effects of Steady-State Noise on Verbal Working Memory in Young Adults. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR.
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  To examine the impact of perceptual, linguistic, and capacity demands on performance of verbal working memory tasks. The Ease of Language Understanding Model (Rönnberg et al., 2013) provides a framework for testing the dynamics of these interactions within the auditory-cognitive system.
• Miller, G., Miller, C., Marrone, N., Howe, C., Fain, M., & Jacob, A. (2015). The impact of cochlear implantation on cognition in older adults: a systematic review of clinical evidence. BMC Geriatrics, 15, 16.
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  Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic condition faced by older adults and has been linked to difficulties in speech perception, activities of daily living, and social interaction. Recent studies have suggested a correlation between severity of hearing loss and an individual's cognitive function; however, a causative link has yet to be established. One intervention option for management of the most severe to profound hearing loss in older adults is cochlear implantation. We performed a review to determine the status of the literature on the potential influence of cochlear implantation on cognition in the older adult population.
• Nieman, C. L., Marrone, N., Szanton, S. L., Thorpe, R. J., & Lin, F. R. (2015). Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Hearing Health Care Among Older Americans. Journal of Aging and Health.
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  OBJECTIVE: Hearing impairment is highly prevalent, but little is known about hearing health care among older minority adults.METHOD: We analyzed nationally representative, cross-sectional data from 1,544 older adults ≥70 years with audiometry and hearing care data from the 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys.RESULTS: After adjusting for age and speech frequency pure tone average, Blacks (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, vs. Whites) and those with greater education (OR = 1.63, ≥college vs.
• Wright, B. A., Baese-Berk, M. M., Marrone, N., & Bradlow, A. R. (2015). Enhancing speech learning by combining task practice with periods of stimulus exposure without practice. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 138(2), 928-37.
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  Language acquisition typically involves periods when the learner speaks and listens to the new language, and others when the learner is exposed to the language without consciously speaking or listening to it. Adaptation to variants of a native language occurs under similar conditions. Here, speech learning by adults was assessed following a training regimen that mimicked this common situation of language immersion without continuous active language processing. Experiment 1 focused on the acquisition of a novel phonetic category along the voice-onset-time continuum, while Experiment 2 focused on adaptation to foreign-accented speech. The critical training regimens of each experiment involved alternation between periods of practice with the task of phonetic classification (Experiment 1) or sentence recognition (Experiment 2) and periods of stimulus exposure without practice. These practice and exposure periods yielded little to no improvement separately, but alternation between them generated as much or more improvement as did practicing during every period. Practice appears to serve as a catalyst that enables stimulus exposures encountered both during and outside of the practice periods to contribute to quite distinct cases of speech learning. It follows that practice-plus-exposure combinations may tap a general learning mechanism that facilitates language acquisition and speech processing.
• Miller, G., Miller, C., Marrone, N. L., Howe, C. L., Fain, M. J., & Jacob, A. (2014). The impact of cochlear implantation on cognition in older adults: A review of clinical evidence. BMC Geriatrics.
• Best, V., Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd Jr., G. (2012). The influence of non-spatial factors on measures of spatial release from masking.. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131(4), 3103-3110.
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  PMID: 22501083;PMCID: PMC3339507;Abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that the reduction in spatial release from masking (SRM) resulting from sensorineural hearing loss in competing speech mixtures is influenced by the characteristics of the interfering speech. A frontal speech target was presented simultaneously with two intelligible or two time-reversed (unintelligible) speech maskers that were either colocated with the target or were symmetrically separated from the target in the horizontal plane. The difference in SRM between listeners with hearing impairment and listeners with normal hearing was substantially larger for the forward maskers (deficit of 5.8 dB) than for the reversed maskers (deficit of 1.6 dB). This was driven by the fact that all listeners, regardless of hearing abilities, performed similarly (and poorly) in the colocated condition with intelligible maskers. The same conditions were then tested in listeners with normal hearing using headphone stimuli that were degraded by noise vocoding. Reducing the number of available spectral channels systematically reduced the measured SRM, and again, more so for forward (reduction of 3.8 dB) than for reversed speech maskers (reduction of 1.8 dB). The results suggest that non-spatial factors can strongly influence both the magnitude of SRM and the apparent deficit in SRM for listeners with impaired hearing.
• Best, V., Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd, G. (2012). The influence of non-spatial factors on measures of spatial release from masking. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131(4), 3103-10.
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  This study tested the hypothesis that the reduction in spatial release from masking (SRM) resulting from sensorineural hearing loss in competing speech mixtures is influenced by the characteristics of the interfering speech. A frontal speech target was presented simultaneously with two intelligible or two time-reversed (unintelligible) speech maskers that were either colocated with the target or were symmetrically separated from the target in the horizontal plane. The difference in SRM between listeners with hearing impairment and listeners with normal hearing was substantially larger for the forward maskers (deficit of 5.8 dB) than for the reversed maskers (deficit of 1.6 dB). This was driven by the fact that all listeners, regardless of hearing abilities, performed similarly (and poorly) in the colocated condition with intelligible maskers. The same conditions were then tested in listeners with normal hearing using headphone stimuli that were degraded by noise vocoding. Reducing the number of available spectral channels systematically reduced the measured SRM, and again, more so for forward (reduction of 3.8 dB) than for reversed speech maskers (reduction of 1.8 dB). The results suggest that non-spatial factors can strongly influence both the magnitude of SRM and the apparent deficit in SRM for listeners with impaired hearing.
• Sabin, A. T., Hardies, L., Dhar, S., & Marrone, N. L. (2011). Weighting function-based mapping of descriptors to frequency-gain curves in listeners with hearing loss. Ear and Hearing, 32(3), 399-409.
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  The frequency-gain curve (FGC) is among the most important parameters to consider when fitting a hearing aid. In practice, a prescriptive FGC, derived from the audiogram, is initially applied. In the subsequent fine-tuning stage, the patient often communicates their concerns about the sound quality using descriptors (e.g., "it sounds hollow") and the clinician modifies the FGC accordingly. In this study, we present and evaluate a method that could enhance this process by rapidly mapping descriptors to FGC shapes. In addition, we begin to use this method to examine the extent to which there is across-individual agreement in how descriptors map to FGC shapes.
• Sabin, A. T., Hardies, L., Marrone, N., & Dhar, S. (2011). Weighting function-based mapping of descriptors to frequency-gain curves in listeners with hearing loss. Ear and Hearing, 32(3), 399-409.
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  PMID: 21330927;Abstract: Objectives: The frequency-gain curve (FGC) is among the most important parameters to consider when fitting a hearing aid. In practice, a prescriptive FGC, derived from the audiogram, is initially applied. In the subsequent fine-tuning stage, the patient often communicates their concerns about the sound quality using descriptors (e.g., "it sounds hollow") and the clinician modifies the FGC accordingly. In this study, we present and evaluate a method that could enhance this process by rapidly mapping descriptors to FGC shapes. In addition, we begin to use this method to examine the extent to which there is across-individual agreement in how descriptors map to FGC shapes. Design: Ten listeners with hearing loss rated the extent to which each of a series of FGCs captured the meaning of a particular descriptor. Regression analyses were conducted to determine the degree to which these ratings were correlated with the gain values associated with each of 25 frequency bands. The array of slopes of these regression lines across frequency bands is termed the weighting function and was interpreted as the FGC shape that corresponded to the descriptor. We used this procedure to determine the FGC shapes associated with four of the most common descriptors used to describe hearing aid sound quality problems ("tinny," "sharp," "hollow," and "in a barrel, tunnel, or well"). Results: The weighting function shape was highly replicable despite variable listener responses, reached asymptotic performance quickly (
• Kidd Jr., G., Mason, C. R., Best, V., & Marrone, N. (2010). Stimulus factors influencing spatial release from speech-on-speech masking.. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 128(4), 1965-1978.
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  PMID: 20968368;PMCID: PMC2981113;Abstract: This study examined spatial release from masking (SRM) when a target talker was masked by competing talkers or by other types of sounds. The focus was on the role of interaural time differences (ITDs) and time-varying interaural level differences (ILDs) under conditions varying in the strength of informational masking (IM). In the first experiment, a target talker was masked by two other talkers that were either colocated with the target or were symmetrically spatially separated from the target with the stimuli presented through loudspeakers. The sounds were filtered into different frequency regions to restrict the available interaural cues. The largest SRM occurred for the broadband condition followed by a low-pass condition. However, even the highest frequency bandpass-filtered condition (3-6 kHz) yielded a significant SRM. In the second experiment the stimuli were presented via earphones. The listeners identified the speech of a target talker masked by one or two other talkers or noises when the maskers were colocated with the target or were perceptually separated by ITDs. The results revealed a complex pattern of masking in which the factors affecting performance in colocated and spatially separated conditions are to a large degree independent.
• Kidd, G., Mason, C. R., Best, V., & Marrone, N. (2010). Stimulus factors influencing spatial release from speech-on-speech masking. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 128(4), 1965-78.
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  This study examined spatial release from masking (SRM) when a target talker was masked by competing talkers or by other types of sounds. The focus was on the role of interaural time differences (ITDs) and time-varying interaural level differences (ILDs) under conditions varying in the strength of informational masking (IM). In the first experiment, a target talker was masked by two other talkers that were either colocated with the target or were symmetrically spatially separated from the target with the stimuli presented through loudspeakers. The sounds were filtered into different frequency regions to restrict the available interaural cues. The largest SRM occurred for the broadband condition followed by a low-pass condition. However, even the highest frequency bandpass-filtered condition (3-6 kHz) yielded a significant SRM. In the second experiment the stimuli were presented via earphones. The listeners identified the speech of a target talker masked by one or two other talkers or noises when the maskers were colocated with the target or were perceptually separated by ITDs. The results revealed a complex pattern of masking in which the factors affecting performance in colocated and spatially separated conditions are to a large degree independent.
• Marrone, N. (2010). Audiologic Interpretation Across the Lifespan. Ear and hearing.
• Marrone, N. (2010). Audiologic interpretation across the lifespan. Ear and Hearing.
• Wright, B. A., Sabin, A. T., Zhang, Y., Marrone, N., & Fitzgerald, M. B. (2010). Enhancing perceptual learning by combining practice with periods of additional sensory stimulation. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(38), 12868-12877.
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  PMID: 20861390;PMCID: PMC3103946;Abstract: Perceptual skills can be improved even in adulthood, but this learning seldom occurs by stimulus exposure alone. Instead, it requires considerable practice performing a perceptual task with relevant stimuli. It is thought that task performance permits the stimuli to drive learning. A corresponding assumption is that the same stimuli do not contribute to improvement when encountered separately from relevant task performance because of the absence of this permissive signal. However, these ideas are based on only two types of studies, in which the task was either always performed or not performed at all. Here we demonstrate enhanced perceptual learning on an auditory frequency-discrimination task in human listeners when practice on that target task was combined with additional stimulation. Learning was enhanced regardless of whether the periods of additional stimulation were interleaved with or provided exclusively before or after target-task performance, and even though that stimulation occurred during the performance of an irrelevant (auditory or written) task. The additional exposures were only beneficial when they shared the same frequency with, though they did not need to be identical to, those used during target-task performance. Their effectiveness also was diminished when they were presented 15 min after practice on the target task and was eliminated when that separation was increased to 4 h. These data show that exposure to an acoustic stimulus can facilitate learning when encountered outside of the time of practice on a perceptual task. By properly using additional stimulation one may markedly improve the efficiency of perceptual training regimens. Copyright © 2010 the authors.
• Wright, B. A., Sabin, A. T., Zhang, Y., Marrone, N., & Fitzgerald, M. B. (2010). Enhancing perceptual learning by combining practice with periods of additional sensory stimulation. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 30(38), 12868-77.
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  Perceptual skills can be improved even in adulthood, but this learning seldom occurs by stimulus exposure alone. Instead, it requires considerable practice performing a perceptual task with relevant stimuli. It is thought that task performance permits the stimuli to drive learning. A corresponding assumption is that the same stimuli do not contribute to improvement when encountered separately from relevant task performance because of the absence of this permissive signal. However, these ideas are based on only two types of studies, in which the task was either always performed or not performed at all. Here we demonstrate enhanced perceptual learning on an auditory frequency-discrimination task in human listeners when practice on that target task was combined with additional stimulation. Learning was enhanced regardless of whether the periods of additional stimulation were interleaved with or provided exclusively before or after target-task performance, and even though that stimulation occurred during the performance of an irrelevant (auditory or written) task. The additional exposures were only beneficial when they shared the same frequency with, though they did not need to be identical to, those used during target-task performance. Their effectiveness also was diminished when they were presented 15 min after practice on the target task and was eliminated when that separation was increased to 4 h. These data show that exposure to an acoustic stimulus can facilitate learning when encountered outside of the time of practice on a perceptual task. By properly using additional stimulation one may markedly improve the efficiency of perceptual training regimens.
• Best, V., Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., Kidd Jr., G., & Shinn-Cunningham, B. G. (2009). Effects of sensorineural hearing loss on visually guided attention in a multitalker environment. JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, 10(1), 142-148.
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  PMID: 19009321;PMCID: PMC2644386;Abstract: This study asked whether or not listeners with sensorineural hearing loss have an impaired ability to use top-down attention to enhance speech intelligibility in the presence of interfering talkers. Listeners were presented with a target string of spoken digits embedded in a mixture of five spatially separated speech streams. The benefit of providing simple visual cues indicating when and/or where the target would occur was measured in listeners with hearing loss, listeners with normal hearing, and a control group of listeners with normal hearing who were tested at a lower target-to-masker ratio to equate their baseline (no cue) performance with the hearing-loss group. All groups received robust benefits from the visual cues. The magnitude of the spatial-cue benefit, however, was significantly smaller in listeners with hearing loss. Results suggest that reduced utility of selective attention for resolving competition between simultaneous sounds contributes to the communication difficulties experienced by listeners with hearing loss in everyday listening situations. © 2008 Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
• Best, V., Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., Kidd, G., & Shinn-Cunningham, B. G. (2009). Effects of sensorineural hearing loss on visually guided attention in a multitalker environment. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology : JARO, 10(1), 142-9.
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  This study asked whether or not listeners with sensorineural hearing loss have an impaired ability to use top-down attention to enhance speech intelligibility in the presence of interfering talkers. Listeners were presented with a target string of spoken digits embedded in a mixture of five spatially separated speech streams. The benefit of providing simple visual cues indicating when and/or where the target would occur was measured in listeners with hearing loss, listeners with normal hearing, and a control group of listeners with normal hearing who were tested at a lower target-to-masker ratio to equate their baseline (no cue) performance with the hearing-loss group. All groups received robust benefits from the visual cues. The magnitude of the spatial-cue benefit, however, was significantly smaller in listeners with hearing loss. Results suggest that reduced utility of selective attention for resolving competition between simultaneous sounds contributes to the communication difficulties experienced by listeners with hearing loss in everyday listening situations.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd Jr., G. (2008). Evaluating the benefit of hearing aids in solving the cocktail party problem. Trends in Amplification, 12(4), 300-315.
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  PMID: 19010794;PMCID: PMC2836772;Abstract: The benefit of wearing hearing aids in multitalker, reverberant listening environments was evaluated in a study of speech-on-speech masking with two groups of listeners with hearing loss (younger/older). Listeners selectively attended a known spatial location in two room conditions (low/high reverberation) and identified target speech in the presence of two competing talkers that were either colocated or symmetrically spatially separated from the target. The amount of spatial release from masking (SRM) with bilateral aids was similar to that when listening unaided at or near an equivalent sensation level and was negatively correlated with the amount of hearing loss. When using a single aid, SRM was reduced and was related to the level of the stimulus in the unaided ear. Increased reverberation also reduced SRM in all listening conditions. Results suggest a complex interaction between hearing loss, hearing aid use, reverberation, and performance in auditory selective attention tasks. © 2008 SAGE Publications.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd Jr., G. (2008). The effects of hearing loss and age on the benefit of spatial separation between multiple talkers in reverberant rooms. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 124(5), 3064-3075.
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  PMID: 19045792;PMCID: PMC2736722;Abstract: This study investigated the interaction between hearing loss, reverberation, and age on the benefit of spatially separating multiple masking talkers from a target talker. Four listener groups were tested based on hearing status and age. On every trial listeners heard three different sentences spoken simultaneously by different female talkers. Listeners reported keywords from the target sentence, which was presented at a fixed and known location. Maskers were colocated with the target or presented from spatially separated and symmetrically placed loudspeakers, creating a situation with no simple "better-ear." Reverberation was also varied. The target-to-masker ratio at threshold for identification of the fixed-level target was measured by adapting the level of the maskers. On average, listeners with hearing loss showed less spatial release from masking than normal-hearing listeners. Age was a significant factor although small differences in hearing sensitivity across age groups may have contributed to this effect. Spatial release was reduced in the more reverberant room condition but in most cases a significant advantage remained. These results provide evidence for a large benefit of spatial separation in a multitalker situation that is likely due to perceptual factors. However, this benefit is significantly reduced by both hearing loss and reverberation. © 2008 Acoustical Society of America.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd Jr., G. (2008). Tuning in the spatial dimension: Evidence from a masked speech identification task. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 124(2), 1146-1158.
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  PMID: 18681603;PMCID: PMC2809679;Abstract: Spatial release from masking was studied in a three-talker soundfield listening experiment. The target talker was presented at 0° azimuth and the maskers were either colocated or symmetrically positioned around the target, with a different masker talker on each side. The symmetric placement greatly reduced any "better ear" listening advantage. When the maskers were separated from the target by ±15°, the average spatial release from masking was 8 dB. Wider separations increased the release to more than 12 dB. This large effect was eliminated when binaural cues and perceived spatial separation were degraded by covering one ear with an earplug and earmuff. Increasing reverberation in the room increased the target-to-masker ratio (TM) for the separated, but not colocated, conditions reducing the release from masking, although a significant advantage of spatial separation remained. Time reversing the masker speech improved performance in both the colocated and spatially separated cases but lowered TM the most for the colocated condition, also resulting in a reduction in the spatial release from masking. Overall, the spatial tuning observed appears to depend on the presence of interaural differences that improve the perceptual segregation of sources and facilitate the focus of attention at a point in space. © 2008 Acoustical Society of America.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd, G. (2008). Evaluating the benefit of hearing aids in solving the cocktail party problem. Trends in amplification, 12(4), 300-15.
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  The benefit of wearing hearing aids in multitalker, reverberant listening environments was evaluated in a study of speech-on-speech masking with two groups of listeners with hearing loss (younger/older). Listeners selectively attended a known spatial location in two room conditions (low/high reverberation) and identified target speech in the presence of two competing talkers that were either co-located or symmetrically spatially separated from the target. The amount of spatial release from masking (SRM) with bilateral aids was similar to that when listening unaided at or near an equivalent sensation level and was negatively correlated with the amount of hearing loss. When using a single aid, SRM was reduced and was related to the level of the stimulus in the unaided ear. Increased reverberation also reduced SRM in all listening conditions. Results suggest a complex interaction between hearing loss, hearing aid use, reverberation, and performance in auditory selective attention tasks.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd, G. (2008). The effects of hearing loss and age on the benefit of spatial separation between multiple talkers in reverberant rooms. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 124(5), 3064-75.
  More info

  This study investigated the interaction between hearing loss, reverberation, and age on the benefit of spatially separating multiple masking talkers from a target talker. Four listener groups were tested based on hearing status and age. On every trial listeners heard three different sentences spoken simultaneously by different female talkers. Listeners reported keywords from the target sentence, which was presented at a fixed and known location. Maskers were colocated with the target or presented from spatially separated and symmetrically placed loudspeakers, creating a situation with no simple "better-ear." Reverberation was also varied. The target-to-masker ratio at threshold for identification of the fixed-level target was measured by adapting the level of the maskers. On average, listeners with hearing loss showed less spatial release from masking than normal-hearing listeners. Age was a significant factor although small differences in hearing sensitivity across age groups may have contributed to this effect. Spatial release was reduced in the more reverberant room condition but in most cases a significant advantage remained. These results provide evidence for a large benefit of spatial separation in a multitalker situation that is likely due to perceptual factors. However, this benefit is significantly reduced by both hearing loss and reverberation.
• Marrone, N., Mason, C. R., & Kidd, G. (2008). Tuning in the spatial dimension: evidence from a masked speech identification task. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 124(2), 1146-58.
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  Spatial release from masking was studied in a three-talker soundfield listening experiment. The target talker was presented at 0 degrees azimuth and the maskers were either colocated or symmetrically positioned around the target, with a different masker talker on each side. The symmetric placement greatly reduced any "better ear" listening advantage. When the maskers were separated from the target by +/-15 degrees , the average spatial release from masking was 8 dB. Wider separations increased the release to more than 12 dB. This large effect was eliminated when binaural cues and perceived spatial separation were degraded by covering one ear with an earplug and earmuff. Increasing reverberation in the room increased the target-to-masker ratio (TM) for the separated, but not colocated, conditions reducing the release from masking, although a significant advantage of spatial separation remained. Time reversing the masker speech improved performance in both the colocated and spatially separated cases but lowered TM the most for the colocated condition, also resulting in a reduction in the spatial release from masking. Overall, the spatial tuning observed appears to depend on the presence of interaural differences that improve the perceptual segregation of sources and facilitate the focus of attention at a point in space.
• Lane, H., Denny, M., Guenther, F. H., Hanson, H. M., Marrone, N., Matthies, M. L., Perkell, J. S., Stockmann, E., Tiede, M., Vick, J., & Zandipour, M. (2007). On the structure of phoneme categories in listeners with cochlear implants. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 50(1), 2-14.
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  PMID: 17344544;Abstract: Purpose: To describe cochlear implant users' phoneme labeling, discrimination, and prototypes for a vowel and a sibilant contrast, and to assess the effects of 1 year's experience with prosthetic hearing. Method: Based on naturally produced clear examples of "boot," "beet," "said," and "shed" by 1 male and 1 female speaker, continua with 13 stimuli were synthesized for each contrast. Seven hearing controls labeled those stimuli and assigned them goodness ratings, as did 7 implant users at 1-month postimplant. One year later, these measures were repeated, and within category discrimination, d′, was assessed. Results: Compared with controls, implant users' vowel and sibilant labeling slopes were substantially shallower but improved over 1 year of prosthesis use. Their sensitivity to phonetic differences within phoneme categories was about half that of controls. The slopes of their goodness rating functions were shallower and did not improve. Their prototypes for the sibilant contrast (but not the vowels) were closer to one another and did not improve by moving apart. Conclusions: Implant users' phoneme labeling and within-category perceptual structure were anomalous at 1-month postimplant. After 1 year of prosthesis use, phoneme labeling categories had sharpened but within category discrimination was well below that of hearing controls. © American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Lane, H., Denny, M., Guenther, F. H., Hanson, H. M., Marrone, N., Matthies, M. L., Perkell, J. S., Stockmann, E., Tiede, M., Vick, J., & Zandipour, M. (2007). On the structure of phoneme categories in listeners with cochlear implants. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 50(1), 2-14.
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  To describe cochlear implant users' phoneme labeling, discrimination, and prototypes for a vowel and a sibilant contrast, and to assess the effects of 1 year's experience with prosthetic hearing.
• Ménard, L., Polak, M., Denny, M., Burton, E., Lane, H., Matthies, M. L., Marrone, N., Perkell, J. S., Tiede, M., & Vick, J. (2007). Interactions of speaking condition and auditory feedback on vowel production in postlingually deaf adults with cochlear implants. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 121(6), 3790-3801.
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  PMID: 17552727;Abstract: This study investigates the effects of speaking condition and auditory feedback on vowel production by postlingually deafened adults. Thirteen cochlear implant users produced repetitions of nine American English vowels prior to implantation, and at one month and one year after implantation. There were three speaking conditions (clear, normal, and fast), and two feedback conditions after implantation (implant processor turned on and off). Ten normal-hearing controls were also recorded once. Vowel contrasts in the formant space (expressed in mels) were larger in the clear than in the fast condition, both for controls and for implant users at all three time samples. Implant users also produced differences in duration between clear and fast conditions that were in the range of those obtained from the controls. In agreement with prior work, the implant users had contrast values lower than did the controls. The implant users' contrasts were larger with hearing on than off and improved from one month to one year postimplant. Because the controls and implant users responded similarly to a change in speaking condition, it is inferred that auditory feedback, although demonstrably important for maintaining normative values of vowel contrasts, is not needed to maintain the distinctiveness of those contrasts in different speaking conditions. © 2007 Acoustical Society of America.
• Ménard, L., Polak, M., Denny, M., Burton, E., Lane, H., Matthies, M. L., Marrone, N., Perkell, J. S., Tiede, M., & Vick, J. (2007). Interactions of speaking condition and auditory feedback on vowel production in postlingually deaf adults with cochlear implants. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 121(6), 3790-801.
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  This study investigates the effects of speaking condition and auditory feedback on vowel production by postlingually deafened adults. Thirteen cochlear implant users produced repetitions of nine American English vowels prior to implantation, and at one month and one year after implantation. There were three speaking conditions (clear, normal, and fast), and two feedback conditions after implantation (implant processor turned on and off). Ten normal-hearing controls were also recorded once. Vowel contrasts in the formant space (expressed in mels) were larger in the clear than in the fast condition, both for controls and for implant users at all three time samples. Implant users also produced differences in duration between clear and fast conditions that were in the range of those obtained from the controls. In agreement with prior work, the implant users had contrast values lower than did the controls. The implant users' contrasts were larger with hearing on than off and improved from one month to one year postimplant. Because the controls and implant users responded similarly to a change in speaking condition, it is inferred that auditory feedback, although demonstrably important for maintaining normative values of vowel contrasts, is not needed to maintain the distinctiveness of those contrasts in different speaking conditions.
• Perkell, J. S., Matthies, M. L., Tiede, M., Lane, H., Zandipour, M., Marrone, N., Stockmann, E., & Guenther, F. H. (2004). The distinctness of speakers' /s/-/S/ contrast is related to their auditory discrimination and use of an articulatory saturation effect. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 47(6), 1259-69.
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  This study examines individual differences in producing the sibilant contrast in American English and the relation of those differences to 2 speaker characteristics: (a) use of a quantal biomechanical effect (called a "saturation effect") in producing the sibilants and (b) performance on a test of sibilant discrimination. Twenty participants produced the sibilants /s/ and /S/ in normal-, clear-, and fast-speaking conditions. The degree to which the participants used a saturation effect in producing /s/ and /S/ was assessed with a custom-made sensor that measured contact of the underside of the tongue tip with the lower alveolar ridge; such contact normally occurs during the production of /s/ but not /S/. The acuteness of the participants' discrimination of the sibilant contrast was measured using the ABX paradigm and synthesized sibilants. Differences among speakers in the degree of acoustic contrast between /s/ and /S/ that they produced proved related to differences among them in their use of contact contrastively and in their discriminative performance. The most distinct sibilant productions were obtained from participants who used contact in producing /s/ but not /S/ and who had high discrimination scores. The participants who did not use contact differentially when producing the 2 sibilants and who also discriminated the synthetic sibilants less well produced the least distinct sibilant contrasts. Intermediate degrees of sibilant contrast were found with participants who used contact differentially or discriminated well. These findings are compatible with a model of speech motor planning in which goals for phonemic speech movements are in somatosensory and auditory spaces.
• Perkell, J. S., Matthies, M. L., Tiede, M., Lane, H., Zandipour, M., Marrone, N., Stockmann, E., & Guenther, F. H. (2004). The distinctness of speakers' /s/-/∫/ contrast is related to their auditory discrimination and use of an articulatory saturation effect. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47(6), 1259-1269.
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  PMID: 15842009;Abstract: This study examines individual differences in producing the sibilant contrast in American English and the relation of those differences to 2 speaker characteristics: (a) use of a quantal biomechanical effect (called a "saturation effect") in producing the sibilants and (b) performance on a test of sibilant discrimination. Twenty participants produced the sibilants /s/ and /∫/ in normal-, clear-, and fast-speaking conditions. The degree to which the participants used a saturation effect in producing /s/ and /∫/ was assessed with a custom-made sensor that measured contact of the underside of the tongue tip with the lower alveolar ridge; such contact normally occurs during the production of /s/ but not /∫/. The acuteness of the participants' discrimination of the sibilant contrast was measured using the ABX paradigm and synthesized sibilants. Differences among speakers in the degree of acoustic contrast between /s/ and /∫/ that they produced proved related to differences among them in their use of contact contrastively and in their discriminative performance. The most distinct sibilant productions were obtained from participants who used contact in producing /s/ but not /∫/ and who had high discrimination scores. The participants who did not use contact differentially when producing the 2 sibilants and who also discriminated the synthetic sibilants less well produced the least distinct sibilant contrasts. Intermediate degrees of sibilant contrast were found with participants who used contact differentially or discriminated well. These findings are compatible with a model of speech motor planning in which goals for phonemic speech movements are in somatosensory and auditory spaces.

Presentations

• Marrone, N. L., Wong, A., & Coco, L. (2021, Spring). Reducing Disparities in Access to Hearing Healthcare on the US-Mexico Border. Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health Webinar SeriesJohn Hopkins University.
• Coco, L., & Marrone, N. L. (2020, April). CONEXIONES: Community health worker-supported teleaudiology, a strategy to minimize barriers to hearing health care. World Congress of Audiology (Canceled due to COVID). Warsaw, Poland.
• Colina, S., Marrone, N. L., Rodriguez, M., Arizmendi, G., & Navarro, K. (2020, April). Two approaches to the translation of a health survey: Comparing their usability.. American Translation and Interpretation Association (Conference postponed due to COVID). Santa Barbara, CA.
• Marrone, N. L., & Coco, L. (2020, March). Hearing Health Care Access on the US Mexico Border. Population Hearing Health Care Meeting. Scottsdale, AZ.
• Coco, L., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, October). Minimizing barriers to access through CONEXIONES: a teleaudiology study. Coalition for Global Hearing Health. Temple, AZ.
• Coco, L., Piper, R., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, May). Teleaudiology supports patients with hearing loss in rural and underserved communities. Border Health: Information for Action conference. Nogales, Mexico.
• Marrone, N. L., & Samlan, R. A. (2019, November). Addressing Age Related Changes in Perception and Production. Annual Convention. Orlando, FL: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Real-Arrayga, A., Wong, A., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, August). Hearing Healthcare Treatment: What influences adherence?. UA Health Sciences Border Latino & American Indian Summer Exposure to Research symposium. Tucson, AZ.
• Rodriguez, B., Wong, A. A., McClure, L. A., Lee, D., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, November). Building research capacity, mobilization and engagement of Hispanic/Latinx over 50 with age-related hearing loss and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices in two states. APHA's 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2 - Nov. 6) in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: American Public Health Association.
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  Table 1: Building Research Capacity, Mobilization and Engagement of Hispanic/Latinx over 50 with age-related hearing loss and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices in two statesBrendaly Rodriguez, MA, CPH1, Aileen Wong, AuD2, Laura A. McClure, MSPH3, David Lee, Ph.D.4 and Nicole Marrone, PhD, CCC-A2, (1)Opnia Health, Miami, FL, (2)University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, (3)University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, (4)University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
• Rodriguez, B., Wong, A., McClure, L., Lee, D., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, November). Building Research Capacity, Mobilization and Engagemnet of Hispanic/Latinx over 50 with age-related hearing loss and OTC hearing devices in two states. American Public Health Association. Philadelphia, PA.
• Tinder, D., Griffin, S., Ramirez, A., Hernandez, G., Garivaldo, B., Frisby, M., Esquivias, M., Marrone, N. L., & Wong, A. A. (2019, 11/25/2019). Capacity-building Activities to Increase Diversity in SLHS. SLHS Colloquium. University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona: Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona.
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  Discussed overarching theme: Increasing diversity in SLHS.Covered 4 topics: 1. HSI Fellows Program, 2. STEM in HSI Adaptive Case Study, 3. Creating New Student Clubs to Support Underrepresented Students, 4. Leadership and Diversity Independent Study Experience.
• Coco, L., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2018, October). Knowledge and Skill Competencies for Teleaudiology Patient-site Facilitators. World Congress of Audiology. Cape Town, South Africa.
• Coco, L., Sorlie Titlow, K., & Marrone, N. L. (2018, February). Initial Teleaudiology Planning Assessment for the State of Arizona: Geographic Workforce Analysis. Meeting of Association for Research in Otolaryngology. San Diego, CA.
• Ingram, M., Coco, L., & Marrone, N. L. (2018, November). A Community Health Worker intervention to improve hearing loss-related communication and quality of life among older Latino adults. American Public Health Association. San Diego, CA.
• Marrone, N. L. (2018, November). Service-Learning in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. ASHA Convention. Boston, MA.
• Marrone, N. L., Ingram, M., & CoCo, L. (2018, November). A Community Health Worker intervention to improve hearing loss-related communication and quality of life among older Latino adults. APHA Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA: American Public Health Association.
• Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., Wong, A. A., Ingram, M., Ingram, M., Coco, L. S., Coco, L. S., Piper, R., Piper, R., Colina, S., Colina, S., Carvajal, S. C., & Carvajal, S. C. (2018, November 15). Community-based Hearing Loss Education and Support Groups for Older Hispanic/Latinx Adults. The Gerontological Society of America 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting. John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts: The Gerontological Society of America.
• Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., Ingram, M., Coco, L. S., Piper, R., Colina, S., & Carvajal, S. C. (2018, November 15). Community-based Hearing Loss Education and Support Groups for Older Hispanic/Latinx Adults. The Gerontological Society of America 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting. John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts: The Gerontological Society of America.
• Barakat, F. R., Wong, A. A., & Marrone, N. L. (2017, Fall). The community-engaged audiologist: expanding our reach. Canadian Academy of Audiology.
• Barakat, F. R., Wong, A. A., & Marrone, N. L. (2017, October). The community-engaged audiologist: expanding our reach. Canadian Academy of Audiology. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Academy of Audiology.
• Marrone, N. L., Redondo, F., Ingram, M., Coco, L. S., & Peterson, R. (2017, Fall). Training Community Health Workers on hearing health concerns in aging: A feasibility study. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Atlanta, Georgia: APHA.
• Wong, A. A., Barakat, F. R., & Marrone, N. L. (2017, Fall). Group audiologic rehabilitation for adults with hearing loss and communication partners. Canadian Academy of Audiology.
• Wong, A. A., Barakat, F. R., & Marrone, N. L. (2017, October). Group audiologic rehabilitation for adults with hearing loss and communication partners. Canadian Academy of Audiology. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Academy of Audiology.
• Adamovich, S. L., Marrone, N. L., Erdman, S., Tucker, D., Compton, M. V., Wark, D., & Scarinci, S. (2015, June). Grin and bear it-Group rehabilitation is in-Biopsychosocial elements of AR-It’s therapeutic.. Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation Eighth International Adult Aural Rehabilitation Conference. St. Pete Beach, Florida: Hearing Rehabilitation Foundation.
• Marrone, N. L., & Ingram, M. (2015, March). Community-based participatory research on hearing loss in a border/low-resource community. American Auditory Society Annual Meeting. Phoenix, AZ.
• Muller, T. F., Marrone, N. L., Norrix, L. W., Le, G., & Wong, A. A. (2015, October). Toward an Affordable Hearing Aid Option for Adult Arizonans with Limited Income. Meeting of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Tucson, Arizona: Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
• Muller, T. F., Marrone, N. L., Norrix, L. W., Le, G., & Wong, A. A. (2015, October). Toward an Affordable Hearing Aid Option for. Meeting of the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Tucson, Arizona: Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
• Adamovich, S. L., Adamovich, S. L., Hopwood, L., Hopwood, L., Le, G., Le, G., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Rubiano, V., Rubiano, V., Wong, A. A., & Wong, A. A. (2014, Fall (October)). The 2014 Arizona Affordable Hearing Aid Task Force. Hearing Assistive Devices. Tucson: University of Arizona, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
  More info

  Adamovich, S., Hopwood, L., Le, G., Marrone, N., Muller, T., Norrix, L., Rubiano, V., Wong, A. (2014, Oct. 3). The 2014 Arizona Affordable Hearing Aid Task Force. Podium presentation at the 2014 University of Arizona, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences “Hearing Assistive Devices” Conference, Tucson, AZ.
• Adamovich, S. L., Hopwood, L., Le, G., Marrone, N. L., Muller, T. F., Norrix, L. W., Rubiano, V., & Wong, A. A. (2014, Fall (October)). The 2014 Arizona Affordable Hearing Aid Task Force. SLHS Colloquium. Tucson: University of Arizona, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
  More info

  Adamovich, S., Hopwood, L., Le, G., Marrone, N., Muller, T., Norrix, L., Rubiano, V., Wong, A. (2014, Oct. 3). The 2014 Arizona Affordable Hearing Aid Task Force. Podium presentation at the 2014 University of Arizona, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences “Hearing Assistive Devices” Conference, Tucson, AZ.
• Adamovich, S. L., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., & Adamovich, S. L. (2014, May). Community hearing health on the US-Mexico Border.. XXXII World Congress of Audiology. Brisbane, Australia: World Congress of Australia.
  More info

  Marrone, N. and Adamovich, S. (May 2014) Community hearing health on the US-Mexico Border. Podium presentation at the XXXII World Congress of Audiology. Brisbane: Australia, May 7. (S.Adamovich Presenter)
• Erdman, S. A., Erdman, S. A., Scarinci, N., Scarinci, N., Tucker, D., Tucker, D., Compton, M., Compton, M., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Adamovich, S. L., & Adamovich, S. L. (2014, November). Group Aural Rehab: Evidence-Based Intervention for Adults with Hearing Impairment”. American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention,. Orlando, FL: ASHA/ SIG 7.
  More info

  Marrone, N. and Adamovich, S. (November, 2014) Living Well with Hearing Loss at The University of Arizona, Invited seminar coordinated by SIG7 for the American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention, “Group Aural Rehab: Evidence-Based Intervention for Adults with Hearing Impairment” presented by Erdman, S.A., Scarinci, N., Tucker, D., Compton, M., and Marrone, N., Orlando, FL.
• Erdman, S. A., Scarinci, N., Tucker, D., Compton, M., Marrone, N. L., & Adamovich, S. L. (2014, November). Group Aural Rehab: Evidence-Based Intervention for Adults with Hearing Impairment”. American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention,. Orlando, FL: ASHA/ SIG 7.
  More info

  Marrone, N. and Adamovich, S. (November, 2014) Living Well with Hearing Loss at The University of Arizona, Invited seminar coordinated by SIG7 for the American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention, “Group Aural Rehab: Evidence-Based Intervention for Adults with Hearing Impairment” presented by Erdman, S.A., Scarinci, N., Tucker, D., Compton, M., and Marrone, N., Orlando, FL.
• Marrone, N. L. (2014, April). Emotional Aspects of Living Well with Hearing Loss. Adult Loss of Hearing Association. Tucson, AZ: Adult Loss of Hearing Association.
• Marrone, N. L. (2014, January). Reducing Disparities in Access to Hearing Healthcare: A Community Health Worker Approach. Institute of Medicine/National Research Council Workshop on Hearing Loss and Healthy Aging. Washington, D.C.: National Academies of Sciences Institute of Medicine.
• Marrone, N. L. (2014, November). Development of a Community Health Worker Approach to Expand Access to Hearing Health Care. Gerontological Society of America. Washington, D.C.: Gerontological Society of America.
• Marrone, N. L. (2014, October). Depression and Hearing Loss. Adult Loss of Hearing Association. Tucson, AZ: Adult Loss of Hearing Association.
• Marrone, N. L., Sanchez, D., Ingram, M., De Zapien, J. G., Harris, F. P., Colina, S., Piper, R., & Carvajal, S. (2014, November). Development of a Community Health Worker Approach to Expand Access to Hearing Health Care. Gerontological Society of America Scientific Meeting. Washington, DC: Gerontological Society of America.
• Marrone, N. L., & Adamovich, S. L. (2014, May). Community hearing health on the US-Mexico Border.. XXXII World Congress of Audiology. Brisbane, Australia: World Congress of Australia.
  More info

  Marrone, N. and Adamovich, S. (May 2014) Community hearing health on the US-Mexico Border. Podium presentation at the XXXII World Congress of Audiology. Brisbane: Australia, May 7. (S.Adamovich Presenter)

Poster Presentations

• Coco, L., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, June). Teleaudiology Facilitators: Identifying roles and training needs.. Internet and Audiology Meeting. Southhampton, UK.
• Everett, A., Marrone, N. L., Wong, B., & Musiek, F. (2019, March). Can Auditory Processing Abilities Predict Hearing Aid Satisfaction?. American Auditory Society. Scottsdale, AZ.
• Everett, A., Marrone, N. L., Wong, B., & Musiek, F. (2019, May). Can Auditory Processing Abilities Predict Hearing Aid Satisfaction? A systematic review. International Hearing Loss Conference. Ontario, Canada.
• Real-Arrayga, A., Wong, A., & Marrone, N. L. (2019, August). Hearing Healthcare Treatment: What influences adherence?. UA Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium annual research conference. Tucson, AZ.
• Coco, L., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2018, March). Qualitative Observation as an Approach to Evaluating Aural Rehabilitation. American Auditory Society. Scottsdale, AZ.
• Coco, L., Peterson, R., & Marrone, N. L. (2018, October). Hearing Health Training builds capacity for Community Health Workers in the US. Coalition of Global Hearing Health. Cape Town, South Africa.
• Nieman, C., Suen, J., Marrone, N. L., Szanton, S., Han, H., & Lin, F. (2018, October). Adapting a Community Health Worker Model for Accessible and Affordable care to Address Age-Related Hearing Loss. Coalition of Global Hearing Health. Cape Town, South Africa.
• Pourjavid, A., Marrone, N. L., & McFarlane, K. (2018, March). Electrophysiologic Investigation of Spatial Release from Masking. American Auditory Society Conference/Meeting. Scottsdale, AZ: American Auditory Society.
• Real-Arrayga, A., Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., Coco, L., & Le, G. (2018, August 2018). Hearing Healthcare Treatment: What Influences Adherence?. The Border Latino & American Indian Summer Exposure to Research (BLAISER) Poster Session. University or Arizona: The Border Latino & American Indian Summer Exposure to Research (BLAISER).
• Vitkus, L., Marrone, N. L., & Glisky, E. (2018, July). Elder Care: A Resource for Interprofessional Providers. Hearing Loss an Cognitive Assessment. Alzheimer's Association International Conference. Chicago, IL.
• Samlan, R. A., & Marrone, N. L. (2017, November). How Background Noise During Dialogues Alters Production & Comprehension for Older Adults. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Los Angeles, CA.
• Sanchez, A., Marrone, N. L., Ingram, M., Sanchez, D., Colina, S., De Zapien, J. G., Adamovich, S. L., & Carvajal, S. C. (2016, October). Family Perspectives on Hearing and Communication Among Mexican American Older Adults. World Congress of Audiology. Vancouver, Canada.
  More info

  Sanchez, A., Marrone, N., Ingram, M., Sánchez, D.,Wong, A., Colina, S., de Zapien, J., Adamovich, S., &Carvajal, S. (September 2016) Family perspectives onhearing and communication among Mexican-Americanolder adults. Poster presented at the 33rd World Congressof Audiology. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
• Le, G., Le, G., Le, G., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Wong, A. A., Wong, A. A., Wong, A. A., Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Adamovich, S. L., Adamovich, S. L., Norrix, L. W., Rubiano, V., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Hopwood, L., , Hopwood, L., et al. (2015, March). Provider Perspectives on the Accessibility of Hearing Healthcare in Arizona. Meeting of the American Auditory Society. Phoenix, Arizona: American Auditory Society.
• Baudo, R., Marrone, N. L., & Wright, B. A. (2014, February). Differential Constraints on the Acquisition and Consolidation of Learning on an Interaural Level Difference Discrimination Task. Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
• Hellmann, J., & Marrone, N. L. (2014, May). A retrospective study of Living Well with Hearing Loss groups at The University of Arizona. World Congress of Audiology.
• Hellmann, J., Marrone, N. L., & Bos, D. (2014, March). Effects of multi-talker babble on dual-task performance. American Auditory Society.
• Little, D., Marrone, N. L., Han, H., & Wright, B. A. (2014, February). Prevention of auditory perceptual learning attributed to distinct representations of the same auditory stimulus in quiet and in noise. Association for Research in Otolaryngology.
• Marrone, N. L., Nieman, C., Szanton, S., Thorpe, R., & Lin, F. (2014, March). Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Hearing Care Among Older Americans. American Auditory Society.
• Nieman, C., Marrone, N. L., Szanton, S., Thorpe, R., & Lin, F. (2014, September). Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Hearing Care Among Older Americans. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery conference.
• Olson, S., Shehorn, J., Marrone, N. L., Alt, M., & DeDe, G. L. (2014, March). Auditory working memory under varying cognitive and perceptual load. American Auditory Society.
• Sanchez, A., Ingram, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2014, August). Los Mas Cercanos al Afectado: Nogales Community Perspectives on the Effects of Hearing Loss on Family Members. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Conference.
• Wright, B. A., Conderman, J., Waggenspack, M., & Marrone, N. L. (2014, November). Prevention of learning of a non-native phonetic contrast by prior exposure to the contrasting stimuli while performing an irrelevant visual task. Acoustical Society of America.

Others

• Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Muller, T. F., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Marrone, N. L., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Norrix, L. W., Le, G., Le, G., Le, G., Le, G., Wong, A. A., Wong, A. A., Wong, A. A., , Wong, A. A., et al. (2015, October). Toward an Affordable Hearing Aid Option for Adult Arizonans with Limited Income. Report Commissioned by and Presented to the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACDHH).