Stenger Test - Interacoustics Affinity 2.0 Additional Information

2.0
Affinity Additional Information

1.7.13 Stenger Test

The Stenger test is applied when a patient is suspected of feigning/faking a hearing loss and is based on the
auditory phenomenon, "The Stenger Principle" which states that only the louder of two similar tones
presented to both ears at the same time will be perceived. As a general rule it is has been recommended to
perform the Stenger test in cases of unilateral hearing losses or significant asymmetries.
Required Items:
•
2.0
The Affinity hardware
•
Licensed AC440 Audiometry module within your Affinity
•
Calibrated Headphones or insert phones
•
A patient response button
Test Procedure for Tone Stenger:
1) Open the AC440 module.
2) Choose settings for Stenger using the input and output for channel 1 and channel 2 as illustrated
below:
Note: Man (Manual) and if preferred Multi Pulse should be selected for channel 1 and Sim
(Simultaneous) for channel 2.
3) Typically the instruction to the patient is not different than with normal audiometry. The patient does
not need to be informed that stimuli are presented at both ears simultaneously.
4) Use channel 2 for presenting tones to the better ear and set the intensity level to 20 dB above the
threshold.
5) Use channel 1 for the poorer ear and set the intensity level 20 dB below the level of the good ear.
6) Present the tones to both ears simultaneously. Keep the intensity level of the better ear fixed and
increase the intensity for the worse ear in 5 dB steps. If the hearing loss in the worse ear is genuine
the patient will keep responding to the signal presented to the better ear (Negative Stenger). If the
patient is feigning the hearing impairment he will stop responding when the level of the worse ear
exceeds the signal presented to the good ear (Positive Stenger).
7) Use the arrow buttons on the PC keyboard or the dedicated audiometry keyboard to set the frequency
and intensity. If preferred choose Mouse operated audiometry
the mouse. Left click to stimulate and right click to store the threshold.
Test Procedure for Speech Stenger:
1) Open the AC440 module.
2) To perform speech tests go to the Speech screen
3) Choose settings for Stenger using the input and output for channel 1 and channel 2 as illustrated
below:
Ch1 output:
Ch1 input:
Ch2 output:
Ch2 input:
2.0
hardware
and perform the test using only
.
Right
Mic, CD, or Wave file
Left
Mic, CD, or Wave file
Page 48