A Comparison of Two Conditioning Procedures in the Use of Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA)

¹ University of Washington, Seattle

This study compared the effects of two conditioning procedures in the use of visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) with 1- and 2-year-old high-risk infants. One conditioning procedure used a relatively soft initial stimulus presentation level (30 dB HL) and only two conditioning trials prior to minimum-response-level (MRL) exploration. The other procedure used a 60-dB HL initial presentation level and five conditioning trials prior to MRL exploration. Results indicated no significant differences between conditioning procedures in regard to obtained MRLs, number of stimulus presentations required to establish MRL (discounting conditioning trials), and number of false-positive responses observed during control trials. Age was a significant factor only in regard to the number of stimulus presentations required to establish MRL. 2-year-olds required fewer presentations than 1-year-olds. Results are discussed in relation to the auditory stimulus used to obtain responses and in regard to individual clinical circumstances which may dictate the use of one procedure over the other.

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