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Adults with sensorineural hearing loss often experience increased listening effort and listening-related fatigue, but the extent of these challenges varies widely across individuals. This variability suggests that factors beyond hearing thresholds contribute to effortful listening. The proposed research investigated the relationship between auditory processing abilities and listening effort, aiming to deepen our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that may contribute to variability in listening experiences among adults with sensorineural hearing loss Specifically, this project utilized a combination of behavioral, subjective, and electrophysiological measures to explore how different aspects of auditory processing may influence or interact with varying measures of listening effort. Results indicated that individuals with poorer central auditory processing tended to exhibit greater listening effort, as evidenced by slower reaction times on a dual-task paradigm and higher self-reported listening difficulty on the SSQ-12. Electrophysiological data from cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) further supported this trend, with altered neural responses observed in those demonstrating increased behavioral effort. However, hearing loss severity did not consistently predict listening effort, and group differences between participants with normal hearing and individuals with hearing loss were not always apparent, suggesting that other underlying factors may also play a critical role.