Test-Retest Reliability of Contralateral Suppression of Acoustic Middle Ear Muscle Reflex

Abstract

Background and Objective: The role of efferent system in auditory perception is very important. To assess this, a reliable measure of efferent functioning is necessary. The efferent suppression of otoacoustic emission lacks good test-retest reliability, and there is a need to look for the reliability of other measures of efferent auditory functioning. The current study evaluated the test-retest reliability of contralateral suppression of acoustically evoked middle ear muscle reflexes (MEMR). Method: Nineteen normal hearing adults in the age range of 18–24 years participated in the study. A Repeated measures design was used to establish the reliability of the contralateral suppression of MEMR. Measurements were spaced 1 h and 1 day apart. Results: The results showed acceptable test-retest reliability of contralateral suppression of acoustically evoked MEMR in terms of its Cronbach's alpha. However, inspection of the individual data did not support the impression to call it a reliable tool to assess efferent auditory functioning. The findings of the study are discussed in light of its clinical utility. Conclusion: Contralateral suppression of acoustically evoked MEMR has questionable reliability to be used as a clinical tool.