Validation of the Korean Sentence-Word Identification and Recall Test: Assessing Cognitive Spare Capacity in Noise
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea .
- 2Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
- 3Department of Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea .
- 4Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea .
Abstract
Background: The Sentence Final Word Identification and Recall (SWIR) test is a well-established tool for estimating listening effort under ecologically valid conditions. However, the original task targeting sentence-final words may be less suitable for topic-prominent languages like Korean. We present the Korean version (K-SWIR), which was adapted to assess sentence-first word recall to reflect the linguistic structure of Korean. This study aimed to validate the K-SWIR in normal-hearing adults by examining correlations with working memory capacity and analyzing pupillary responses.
Methods: Sixty-five normal-hearing adults participated in two experiments using 14 seven-sentence lists derived from the Korean Hearing in Noise Test (K-HINT). Participants performed the K-SWIR under three listening conditions: quiet, continuous noise, and four-talker babble. Cognitive function was assessed using the reading span (RS) test and the Korean Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Pupillometry was recorded during stimulus encoding to measure physiological listening effort.
Results: Recall performance was significantly poorer in four-talker babble compared to quiet conditions (P = 0.031). The high-RS group recalled significantly more words than the low-RS group (P < 0.001). Notably, recall performance in four-talker babble showed a strong positive correlation with RS scores (P = 0.010), indicating high sensitivity to working memory capacity. Contrary to expectations, peak pupil dilation was significantly reduced in noise compared to quiet (P = 0.007).
Conclusion: The K-SWIR, adapted for sentence-first word recall, is a valid tool for measuring cognitive spare capacity in Korean speakers. The strong correlation with working memory in competing speech supports its utility for assessing auditory cognitive processing.
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BibTeX
@article{kim2026validation,
title = {{Validation of the Korean Sentence-Word Identification and Recall Test: Assessing Cognitive Spare Capacity in Noise}},
author = {Shin Hye Kim and Miseung Koo and Jihui Jeon and Hwayoung Moon and Myung-Whan Suh and Jun Ho Lee and Moo Kyun Park},
journal = {Journal of Korean Medical Science},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e266},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e266},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Validation of the Korean Sentence-Word Identification and Recall Test: Assessing Cognitive Spare Capacity in Noise
AU - Shin Hye Kim
AU - Miseung Koo
AU - Jihui Jeon
AU - Hwayoung Moon
AU - Myung-Whan Suh
AU - Jun Ho Lee
AU - Moo Kyun Park
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/29
JO - Journal of Korean Medical Science
DO - 10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e266
UR - https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e266
AB - Background: The Sentence Final Word Identification and Recall (SWIR) test is a well-established tool for estimating listening effort under ecologically valid conditions. However, the original task targeting sentence-final words may be less suitable for topic-prominent languages like Korean. We present the Korean version (K-SWIR), which was adapted to assess sentence-first word recall to reflect the linguistic structure of Korean. This study aimed to validate the K-SWIR in normal-hearing adults by examining correlations with working memory capacity and analyzing pupillary responses. Methods: Sixty-five normal-hearing adults participated in two experiments using 14 seven-sentence lists derived from the Korean Hearing in Noise Test (K-HINT). Participants performed the K-SWIR under three listening conditions: quiet, continuous noise, and four-talker babble. Cognitive function was assessed using the reading span (RS) test and the Korean Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Pupillometry was recorded during stimulus encoding to measure physiological listening effort. Results: Recall performance was significantly poorer in four-talker babble compared to quiet conditions (P = 0.031). The high-RS group recalled significantly more words than the low-RS group (P < 0.001). Notably, recall performance in four-talker babble showed a strong positive correlation with RS scores (P = 0.010), indicating high sensitivity to working memory capacity. Contrary to expectations, peak pupil dilation was significantly reduced in noise compared to quiet (P = 0.007). Conclusion: The K-SWIR, adapted for sentence-first word recall, is a valid tool for measuring cognitive spare capacity in Korean speakers. The strong correlation with working memory in competing speech supports its utility for assessing auditory cognitive processing.
SN - 1011-8934
SN - 1598-6357
ER -