Abstract
With an increase in linguistic diversity in the United States, it is essential to ensure that speech audiometry assessments conducted in American English are valid even when they are carried out on individuals with multiple linguistic proficiencies. This study aimed to investigate differences in speech perception in noise among monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual English speakers. A total of 49 participants with normal hearing, ranging from ages 18 to 55 years, were categorized into three groups: monolingual (n=16), bilingual (n=19), and multilingual (n=14). Speech perception in noise was assessed using the Quick Speech-in-noise (QuickSIN) and Revised Speech Perception in Noise (R-SPIN) tests. The Listening Effort and Rating Scale was administered to assess self-reported listening effort in noise. Data was analyzed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and non-parametric tests to compare group responses. Results indicated no significant difference among the groups in all the measures obtained, contradicting previous literature suggesting potential disadvantages for bilinguals. Findings contribute to understanding language-related disparities in speech perception testing, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive assessment tools in audiology. Limitations include a small sample size and homogeneity among participants, suggesting avenues for future research with larger, diverse populations. Despite these limitations, this study emphasizes the importance of accommodating linguistic diversity in audiological practice.