Identifying speech in adverse listening conditions requires both native and non-native listeners to cope with decreased intelligibility. The current study examined in four speech reception threshold (SRT) conditions how speech maskers (two-talker babble Swedish, two-talker babble English) and noise maskers (stationary and fluctuating noise) interfered with target speech in Swedish (native language) and English (non-native language). Listening disturbance for each condition was rated on a continuous scale. The participants also performed standardized tests in English proficiency, nonverbal reasoning and working memory capacity; the latter in both Swedish and English. Normal-hearing (n = 23) and hearing-impaired (n = 23) native Swedish listeners participated, age-range between 28 and 65 years.

The SRTs were better for native as compared to non-native speech. In both groups, speech perception performance was lower for the speech than the noise maskers, especially for non-native target speech. The level of English proficiency is important for non-native speech intelligibility in noise. A three-way interaction effect on the subjective rating scores indicated that the hearing loss affects the subjective disturbance of Swedish babble in native and non-native language perception.

Conclusion: Speech perception and subjective disturbance is influenced by a complex interaction between masker types and individual abilities.