Identification of Auditory Processing Disorder Based on the Persian Version of Multiple Auditory Processing Assessment in School-aged Children in Arak City, Iran

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Auditory processing (AP) takes place throughout the central auditory nervous system. Therefore, to correctly assess auditory processing disorder (APD), it is necessary to use a test battery so that each of these tests can evaluate specific auditory skills. Therefore, considering the importance of detecting children with APD, the Persian version of the multiple auditory processing assessment (MAPA-P) was used in the present study. Methods: The study method was descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional. A total of 300 children aged 9-12 years old in equal numbers in both genders and at any age, from 7 primary schools in Arak City, Iran were enrolled. After ensuring the health of children’s peripheral hearing level, to check their central auditory system, the MAPA-P test battery was performed on laptops with headphones. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-test were used to analyze the results. The mean scores in each age group were calculated and finally, the prevalence of APD was determined based on the cut-off point of the whole test. Results: The results showed that the mean scores in all 5 tests had a statistically significant difference in different age groups (P<0.0001), and the mean scores increased with age. Also, no significant difference was observed in the scores of any of the 5 tests between the two genders (P>0.05). The prevalence of APD in the school-age population was 5%. Conclusion: According to the valid results of the MAPA model in many studies, the Persian version of this test battery has been introduced as a standardized test battery. In addition to covering the three crucial domains of AP, it can easily be used in a calm classroom using a CD-RAM. The results of the present study showed that 5% of the children were suspected of APD, which was consistent with the results of the other studies.