The Validity and Reliability of the Auditory Localization Scale in the Turkish Population

Abstract

Objective: Our study aimed to make the Turkish version of the Auditory Localization Skills Questionnaire valid and reliable. Materials and Methods: This study included 140 individuals (70 male and 70 female) with normal hearing and 158 individuals (78 male and 80 female) with sen- sorineural hearing loss in both ears. The Auditory Localization Skills Questionnaire and the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) were sent to the participants by e-mail via Google Survey, and filled in. Internal consistency and reliability were evaluated with Cronbach's alpha. To determine the accuracy of the questionnaire findings, 20% of the participants were retested. In order to evaluate the reliability of the auditory localization skills questionnaire, a correlation was made with the SSQ. Results: Internal consistency, according to Cronbach's Alpha values of the Auditory Localization Skills Questionnaire, were found to be high, both for individuals with normal hearing (α = 93.4) and individuals with hearing loss (α = 91.8). The sub-scale scores of the auditory localization skills questionnaire were found to be lower (better) in individuals with normal hearing than in individuals with hearing loss. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the auditory localization skills questionnaire is a valid and reliable questionnaire that evaluates the psychological effects as well as the spatial effects of hearing in individuals with hearing loss and normal hearing.