The Association Between Fluid Intelligence and Speech-in-Noise Performance in Hearing Aid Users Is Moderated by Masker Type and Intelligibility Criterion

Purpose: This study examined how fluid intelligence contributes to speech perception in noise (SPIN) among adults with age-related hearing loss who use hearing aids. We further investigated whether masker type (informational vs. energetic masking) and intelligibility criterion (50% vs. 80%) moderate this relationship. Method: Data were analyzed from 199 adult hearing aid users who completed the Hagerman SPIN test under two masker types (speech-shaped noise, four-talker babble) and two intelligibility criteria (50%, 80%). Fluid intelligence was measured using Raven's Progressive Matrices. Linear mixed-effects models assessed the effects of fluid intelligence, masker type, intelligibility criterion, and their interactions on required signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), controlling for working memory capacity, age, and hearing thresholds. Results: Higher fluid intelligence predicted better SPIN performance (lower required SNR). While no significant two-way interactions emerged between fluid intelligence and masker type or intelligibility criterion alone, a significant three-way interaction showed that the predictive effect of fluid intelligence was strongest in the four-talker babble condition at 80% intelligibility. Under these combined conditions, individuals with higher fluid intelligence required lower SNRs. Conclusions: This study shows that higher fluid intelligence is linked to better SPIN performance in individuals with hearing loss and that this association is stronger when listening conditions include an informational masker and the intelligibility criterion is higher. This suggests that fluid intelligence—a cognitive ability that supports reasoning and pattern recognition—becomes particularly important when multiple sources of cognitive demand are combined in challenging listening conditions.