Auditory perceptions of vocalizations manifested by verbally agitated nursing home residents

The perceived disruptiveness of the vocalizations of 25 verbally agitated nursing home residents was assessed by ten experienced and ten non-experienced female listeners. Both groups agreed on the ratings attributed to the vocalizations of each resident. However, overall, non-experienced listeners perceived the vocalizations as more disruptive than experienced listeners. Although generally, no significant relationships were found between the perceived disruptiveness and the demographic and functional characteristics of the residents, nor with the vocalizations' acoustic features, both types of listener rated the vocalizations of Alzheimer's residents as more disruptive than those of other demented residents.