The Danish test battery for auditory processing disorder evaluated with patient and control data

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluates the Danish test battery for auditory processing disorder (APD). The battery consists of four behavioural tests, two speech and two non-speech stimuli tests. The evaluation includes determination of: (1) new cut-off values (pass-fail criteria), (2) the sensitivity and the specificity of the entire test battery and (3) the failure rate of different test combinations.Design: For each test in the battery, cut-off values were determined using the weighted Youden index. Applying the newly derived cut-off values, the distribution of failing specific test combinations was determined.Study sample: A group of 112 children diagnosed with APD (57 boys, 55 girls, aged 6–16 years) and a control group containing 158 children without auditory problems (75 boys, 83 girls, aged 6–16 years).Results: Cut-off values for different weights of the sensitivity and the specificity have been determined. Using the criterion that at least two tests have to be failed for APD to be suspected, the sensitivity and the specificity of the entire test battery were 95.3% and 91.6%, respectively. Some test combinations were found to have higher failure rates than others.Conclusions: Due to the high sensitivity and specificity the test battery has good predictive value in APD assessment.