Temporal integration in dysphasic children

Abstract

The issue of a speed constraint on the auditory processing of dysphasic children [P. Tallal and M. Piercy, Neuropsychologia 13, 69–74 (1975)] was reexamined in our study of temporal integration in seven dysphasic children. Temporal integration was indirectly measured in terms of increases and decreases in intensity required for threshold responses to 1000 Hz stimuli of varying durations (20, 200, and 500 msec). Threshold‐duration functions were plotted and mean threshold shifts were computed, reflecting the differences in intensity required to perceive the 200 and 20 msec stimuli. All of the dysphasics responded to both the long and short duration stimuli. A mean threshold shift of 18.11 dB was observed in the dysphasic children. The mean threshold shift of the dysphasic subjects was not significantly different from the 15.72 dB mean threshold shift observed in normal children [A. Maxon and I. Hochberg, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61, S88(A) (1977)] for a tenfold duration change. In conclusion, normal temporal integrative functioning was found in the dysphasic subjects, indicating an ability to use short duration information.