Pre-Stimulus Head Position and Its Effect on Sound Localization Metrics in Children

This study investigates the impact of initial head position prior to stimulus presentation on sound localization accuracy in children. The quadratic angular root mean square error (RMSE) and the linear mean-absolute-error (MAE) have been considered for this study. MATERIAL AND

Clinicians conducting sound localization testing in children should standardize and record pre-stimulus head position, as it measurably influences localization accuracy metrics.

Uncontrolled head position is a methodological confound in pediatric sound localization assessments; identifying its effect is important for standardizing test protocols.

1. 01Pre-stimulus head position significantly influences sound localization accuracy in children.
2. 02Quadratic angular RMSE used as a quantitative metric for localization error.
3. 03Findings have implications for standardizing pediatric spatial hearing test protocols.
4. 04Study population is children, a group where localization testing is less standardized.
5. 05Published in Audiology Research (2026).

PMID

42201120

DOI

10.3390/audiolres16030066.

Journal

Audiology Research

Publication type

research_article

Evidence level

4

Population

Children undergoing sound localization testing

Intervention

Variation of pre-stimulus head position during sound localization tasks

Comparator

Controlled/standardized head position