A smartphone application to objectively monitor music listening habits in adolescents

Abstract

Background Listening to music through personal listening devices (PLDs) has become more prevalent during last decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate music listening habits through PLDs in adolescents with a smartphone application, and to assess the accuracy of self-reported listening habits. Methods This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective birth cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. A smartphone application for Android operating systems was developed to objectively monitor music listening habits for a period of 35 days. A postal questionnaire was used to subjectively assess listening habits. The level of agreement between the objectively measured and self-reported listening habits were evaluated using weighted kappa coefficients. Data were collected from May 2017 to March 2019. Results A total of 311 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years were included, of whom 237 (76.2%) completed the postal questionnaire. The results of the smartphone application showed that the median listening frequency was 2.1 days a week (IQR 1.0–3.4), the median listening time 21.1 min a day (IQR 9.1–53.7), and the mean listening level 54.5% (SD 18.1%). There was a slight to fair agreement between the objectively measured, and self-reported listening habits according to the weighted kappa coefficients (k = 0.179 to 0.364). Conclusions The results of the current study suggest that self-reported measures of listening habits are not always accurate. We consider a smartphone application to monitor listening habits of added value in future research investigating the possible damaging effects of PLDs on hearing acuity. Graphical abstract

Objective Measurement of Listening Device Use and Its Relation to Hearing Acuity

“…Our research group recently examined the accuracy of self-reported listening habits. 18 The results showed that the majority of adolescents were not able to estimate their PLD use in a reliable manner. Listening habits were overestimated by a quarter to a half of the participants.…”

“…When participants completed the questionnaire, the application started to run constantly in the background to collect data on listening habits. For the specific methodology on how listening habits were recorded, see Paping et al 18 Although the application period was intended to be 35 days, participants could delete the application at any time. After 35 days, participants received a notification that the study ended and the application could be deleted.…”

“…Self‐reports measuring listening habits at a single point in time may not account for this variability. Our research group recently examined the accuracy of self‐reported listening habits 18 . The results showed that the majority of adolescents were not able to estimate their PLD use in a reliable manner.…”

m-Health Applications for Hearing Loss: A Scoping Review

“…These services included health promotion, such as monitoring of listening habits. 29 Screening through mobile apps has been conducted at schools, communities and in homes, [30][31][32][33] and diagnostic approaches differentiated between types of hearing loss to ensure directed referrals. 34 Treatment has been provided in the form of self-fitting hearing aids 35 with support providing rehabilitation, education, and applications to control device settings.…”

Correction to: A smartphone application to objectively monitor music listening habits in adolescents

“…Following publication of the original article [ 1 ], the authors identified an error (omitted text) in Fig. 1 .…”