Which of the following conditions most likely indicates conductive hearing loss?

The condition that most likely indicates conductive hearing loss is a flat configuration on an audiogram. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the transmission of sound waves through the outer ear, middle ear, or both. A flat configuration suggests that the hearing loss is consistent across all frequencies, which is characteristic of conductive issues, as they typically affect all sound frequencies uniformly.

In contrast, high-frequency loss is often associated with sensorineural hearing loss rather than conductive loss, as it reflects damage to the inner ear or auditory pathways. Noise-induced hearing damage can lead to varying patterns of hearing loss, typically affecting higher frequencies and also pointing towards sensorineural problems. Speech recognition deficits can result from a variety of hearing loss types, including conductive, but they are not specific indicators of conductive hearing loss. The flat configuration remains the most reliable indicator of conductive hearing loss due to its uniformity and the nature of how sound is processed in conductive hearing issues.