Auditory Processing Test Battery Research Articles

Associations Between Auditory Working Memory, Self-Perceived Listening Effort, and Hearing Difficulty in Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have persistent effects in the auditory domain (e.g., difficulty listening in noise), despite individuals having normal pure-tone auditory sensitivity. Individuals with a history of mild TBI often perceive hearing difficulty and greater listening effort in complex listening situations. The purpose of the present study was to examine self-perceived hearing difficulty, listening effort, and performance on an auditory processing test battery in adults with a history of mild TBI compared with a control group. Twenty adults ages 20 to 53 years old participated divided into a mild TBI (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). Perceived hearing difficulties were measured using the Adult Auditory Processing Scale and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults. Listening effort was measured using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index. Listening effort ratings were obtained at baseline, after each auditory processing test, and at the completion of the test battery. The auditory processing test battery included (1) dichotic word recognition, (2) the 500-Hz masking level difference, (3) the Listening in Spatialized Noise-Sentences test, and (4) the Word Auditory Recognition and Recall Measure (WARRM). Results indicated that individuals with a history of mild TBI perceived significantly greater degrees of hearing difficulty and listening effort than the control group. There were no significant group differences on two of the auditory processing tasks (dichotic word recognition or Listening in Spatialized Noise-Sentences). The mild TBI group exhibited significantly poorer performance on the 500-Hz MLD and the WARRM, a measure of auditory working memory, than the control group. Greater degrees of self-perceived hearing difficulty were significantly associated with greater listening effort and poorer auditory working memory. Greater listening effort was also significantly associated with poorer auditory working memory. Results demonstrate that adults with a history of mild TBI may experience subjective hearing difficulty and listening effort when listening in challenging acoustic environments. Poorer auditory working memory on the WARRM task was observed for the adults with mild TBI and was associated with greater hearing difficulty and listening effort. Taken together, the present study suggests that conventional clinical audiometric battery alone may not provide enough information about auditory processing deficits in individuals with a history of mild TBI. The results support the use of a multifaceted battery of auditory processing tasks and subjective measures when evaluating individuals with a history of mild TBI.

Effect of central auditory processing disorders on contralateral routing of offside signals (CROS) hearing aids performance

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess central auditory processing (CAP) tests in patients with single sided deafness (SSD)and to study the effect of central auditory processing disorders(CAPD) on the contralateral routing of signal (CROS) hearing aid performance in these subjects. Design This case-control study was performed in Audiovestibular unit, ENT Department. The study included 20 children with SSD and 20 healthy control children. All participants were subjected to CAP tests including pitch pattern sequence (PPS), gap in noise (GIN) and speech intelligibility in noise (SPIN) tests. The child was fitted with CROS and evaluated by SPIN test and bern benefit in single - sided deafness (BBSS) questionnaire. Results There were lower SPIN, PPS, and GIN total correct scores in children with SSD than the control group. The group with normal central test battery has higher SPIN score and significant performance with questionnaire when fitted with CROS. Conclusions Children with normal central auditory processing test battery performed better when fitted with CROS than those with abnormal test battery.

Domain-general auditory processing as a conceptual and measurement framework for second language speech learning aptitude: A test-retest reliability study

Abstract This article proposes a conceptual and measurement framework for postpubertal, L2 speech learning aptitude that is centered around domain-general auditory processing (i.e., representing spectral and temporal characteristics of sounds). To this end, we examine the construct and reliability of a battery of auditory processing tests by presenting the results of an empirical study wherein 100 participants took the tests twice. The findings showed (a) that the tasks tapped into multiple dimensions of auditory processing ability (e.g., perceptual acuity, audio-motor integration); and (b) that test-retest reliability ranged from “fair” to “excellent” (ICC (2,2) = .4–.8). Last, we introduce an offline version of the tests (deposited at L2 Speech Tools for Researchers & Teachers; http://sla-speech-tools.com/), provide a brief user manual, and invite researchers to use these tests to examine the role of auditory processing in various aspects of L2 speech learning (naturalistic vs. classroom, perception- vs. production-based practice).

Remote auditory assessment using Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART) and participant-owned devices.

Remote testing of auditory function can be transformative to both basic research and hearing healthcare; however, historically, many obstacles have limited remote collection of reliable and valid auditory psychometric data. Here, we report performance on a battery of auditory processing tests using a remotely administered system, Portable Automatic Rapid Testing. We compare a previously reported dataset collected in a laboratory setting with the same measures using uncalibrated, participant-owned devices in remote settings (experiment 1, n = 40) remote with and without calibrated hardware (experiment 2, n = 36) and laboratory with and without calibrated hardware (experiment 3, n = 58). Results were well-matched across datasets and had similar reliability, but overall performance was slightly worse than published norms. Analyses of potential nuisance factors such as environmental noise, distraction, or lack of calibration failed to provide reliable evidence that these factors contributed to the observed variance in performance. These data indicate feasibility of remote testing of suprathreshold auditory processing using participants' own devices. Although the current investigation was limited to young participants without hearing difficulties, its outcomes demonstrate the potential for large-scale, remote hearing testing of more hearing-diverse populations both to advance basic science and to establish the clinical viability of auditory remote testing.

Auditory Processing Skills in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is neurological disease of the central nervous system. Central auditory nervous system can also be affected by MS. The present study aimed to evaluate monaural and binaural auditory processing in patients with MS.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 patients with MS and 45 normal peers as controls aged 25–45 years. They underwent a central auditory processing test battery including the Persian versions of Buffalo model questionnaire (BMQ), staggered spondee word (SSW) test, quick speech in noise test (QSIN), phonemic synthesis test (PST), and two- pair dichotic digit test (DDT).
 Results: The results of SSW test, QSIN test, PST, DDT and BMQ in the MS group were significantly different than in the control group (p≤0.001). The results showed the poor performance of patients compared to controls in some monaural and binaural auditory processing skills.
 Conclusion: Central auditory processing disorder is common among patients with MS. The BMQ is a suitable screening tool for identifying affected people. Dichotic listening skills, phonemic processing and speech perception in noise are impaired in MS patients which can have significant impacts on their quality of life.
 Keywords: Auditory processing; multiple sclerosis, central auditory nervous system; adults; speech perception

Relationship between Verbal and Nonverbal Tests of Auditory Temporal Processing.

Audiologists may choose to evaluate auditory temporal processing in assessing auditory processing abilities. Some may decide to use measures of nonverbal stimuli such as tonal or noise gap detection. Others may decide to use verbal measures such as time compressed sentences (TCS). Many may choose to use both. Since people typically come to audiologists for auditory processing testing complaining of problems processing verbal stimuli, the question arises whether measures of nonverbal stimuli provide evidence regarding a person's abilities to processing verbal stimuli. That is, are there significant correlations between measures of verbal stimuli and nonverbal stimuli that are used to evaluate auditory temporal processing? The present investigation is an exploratory study using file review of 104 people seen for routine auditory processing evaluations by the authors. A file review was completed based on data from 104 people seen for auditory processing evaluations. The data from these 104 files were used to evaluate whether there are any correlations between verbal and nonverbal measures of auditory temporal processing. The verbal measure used was the TCS subtest of the SCAN-3 while the nonverbal measures included the gap detection screening from the SCAN-3 as well as the gaps-in-noise measures. Results from these tests were compared to determine whether any significant correlations were found based on results from Pearson product moment correlational analyses. None of the nonverbal measures were found to have a significant correlation with the TCS test findings based on the Pearson correlations used to analyze the data. Results indicate that there are no significant correlations (relationships) between measures of auditory temporal processing using nonverbal stimuli versus verbal stimuli based on the tests used in the present investigation. These findings lead to a conclusion that tests using nonverbal stimuli are measuring different auditory processes than the measure of verbal stimuli used in the present investigation. Since people typically come complaining about understanding verbal input, it is concluded that audiologists should use some verbal measure of auditory temporal processing in their auditory processing test battery.

Masking Level Difference: Performance of School Children Aged 7–12 Years

Background and ObjectivesIn masking level difference (MLD), the masked detection threshold for a signal is determined as a function of the relative interaural differences between the signal and the masker. Study 1 analyzed the results of school-aged children with good school performance in the MLD test, and study 2 compared their results with those of a group of children with poor academic performance.Subjects and MethodsStudy 1 was conducted with 47 school-aged children with good academic performance (GI) and study 2 was carried out with 32 school-aged children with poor academic performance (GII). The inclusion criteria adopted for both studies were hearing thresholds within normal limits in basic audiological evaluation. Study 1 also considered normal performance in the central auditory processing test battery and absence of auditory complaints and/or of attention, language or speech issues. The MLD test was administered with a pure pulsatile tone of 500 Hz, in a binaural mode and intensity of 50 dBSL, using a CD player and audiometer.ResultsIn study 1, no significant correlation was observed, considering the influence of the variables age and sex in relation to the results obtained in homophase (SoNo), antiphase (SπNo) and MLD threshold conditions. The final mean MLD threshold was 13.66 dB. In study 2, the variables did not influence the test performance either. There was a significant difference between test results in SπNo conditions of the two groups, while no differences were found both in SoNo conditions and the final result of MLD.ConclusionsIn study 1, the cut-off criterion of school-aged children in the MLD test was 9.3 dB. The variables (sex and age) did not interfere with the MLD results. In study 2, school performance did not differ in the MLD results. GII group showed inferior results than GI group, only in SπNo condition.

Absence of Rhythm Benefit on Speech in Noise Recognition in Children Diagnosed With Auditory Processing Disorder.

Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a specific deficit in the processing of auditory information along the central auditory nervous system. It is characterized mainly by deficits in speech in noise recognition. APD children may also present with deficits in processing of auditory rhythm. Rhythmic neural entrainment is commonly present in perception of both speech and music, while auditory rhythmic priming of speech in noise has been known to enhance recognition in typical children. Here, we test the hypothesis that the effect of rhythmic priming is compromised in APD children, and further assessed for correlations with verbal and non-verbal auditory processing and cognition. Forty APD children and 33 neurotypical ones were assessed through (a) WRRC, a test measuring the effects of rhythmic priming on speech in noise recognition, (b) a battery of auditory processing tests, commonly used in APD diagnosis, and (c) two cognitive tests, assessing working memory and auditory attention respectively. Findings revealed that (a) the effect of rhythmic priming on speech in noise recognition is absent in APD children, (b) it is linked to non-verbal auditory processing, and (c) it is only weakly dependent on cognition. We discuss these findings in light of Dynamic Attention Theory, neural entrainment and neural oscillations and suggest that these functions may be compromised in APD children. Further research is needed (a) to explore the nature of the mechanics of rhythmic priming on speech in noise perception and why the effect is absent in APD children, (b) which other mechanisms related to both rhythm and language are also affected in this population, and (c) whether music/rhythm training can restore deficits in rhythm effects.

Normative data for diagnosing auditory processing disorder in Norwegian children aged 7–12 years

Objective: The main purpose of this research was to obtain normative data for auditory processing tests for Norwegian speaking children. Design: Participants were administered routine audiological tests and an auditory processing test-battery consisting of Filtered Words, Competing Words, Dichotic Digits, Gaps In Noise, Duration– and Frequency Pattern, Binaural Masking Level Difference and HIST Speech in Noise test. A group of 10-year-old children were retested after two weeks. The effects ear, age and gender and the test–retest reliability were investigated. Study sample: There were 268 normal hearing children aged 7–12 years who participated in the study. Results: Results revealed no differences between genders. The children showed improving performance by age on all tests, except from the Gaps In Noise and Binaural Masking Level Difference. As expected, the children showed a right ear advantage on dichotic speech tests that decreased with age. The test–retest reliability for the tests was good, with a small learning effect on the Filtered Words test. Conclusion: Normative data were established and the preferred tests for diagnosing Auditory Processing Disorder were suggested for Norwegian children aged 7–12 years.

A specific deficit of auditory processing in children with Rolandic Epilepsy and their relatives.

Previous research shows that children with Rolandic Epilepsy have deficits of auditory processing. We wanted to confirm the nature of this deficit and whether it aggregates in families. We compared 40 children with Rolandic Epilepsy and 32 unaffected siblings with 99 typically developing children and 71 parents of RE children with 31 healthy adults on a battery of auditory processing tests. We also examined ear advantage in children with RE, their siblings and parents using population norms and measured non-word reading performance. We found a specific deficit for competing words in patients, their siblings and their parents, suggesting that this particular impairment of auditory processing present in children with RE, is heritable and likely to be persistent. Importantly, scores on this subtest in patients and siblings were significantly correlated with non-word reading performance. We saw increased rates of atypical left ear advantage in patients and siblings but no evidence of this in parents. We present these findings as evidence of familial incidence of dichotic listening and ear advantage abnormalities in relatives of children with Rolandic Epilepsy.

Evaluating test data for the duration pattern test and pitch pattern test

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate test data for the Duration Pattern test before incorporating this procedure into an auditory processing disorder (APD) test battery at speech and hearing clinics at Auburn University and Auburn University Montgomery. A total of 30 participants completed an otoscopic examination, tympanometry, a hearing screening, the Pitch Pattern tests, the Duration Pattern tests, and subtests of the SCAN-3:A. Twenty-seven participants had clear otoscopy, type A tympanograms, normal hearing, and yielded scores within normal limits on all completed subtests. For the Pitch Pattern test, 96% of participants scored 78% or higher in the right ear. In the left ear, 96% of participants scored 78% or higher. For the Duration Pattern test, 85% of the participants scored 73% or higher in the right ear. In the left ear 78% of participants scored 73% or higher. Performance on the Duration Pattern test in this study is lower than the norms established by Musiek, F. E. (1994b). Frequency (pitch) and duration pattern tests. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 5, 265–268. Musiek recommended using 73 and 78%, respectively, to define normal performance in a young adult population on the Duration Pattern test and Pitch Pattern test. No relationship was found between the Pitch Pattern test and the Duration Pattern test suggesting that the two tests should not be used interchangeably within an auditory processing test battery until further research either confirm or deny these tests are measuring the same auditory processing skill.

Avaliação simplificada e comportamental do processamento auditivo em escolares: estabelecendo relações

Objetivo caracterizar o processamento auditivo de escolares que falharam na avaliação simplificada do processamento auditivo e comparar esses achados com os resultados na avaliação comportamental do processamento auditivo. Métodos realizou-se a avaliação audiológica básica (audiometria tonal e vocal e medidas de imitância acústica), bateria comportamental do processamento auditivo composta pelos testes PSI (Pediatric Speech Intelligibility) versão em português, PPS (Pitch Pattern Sequence), MLD (Masking Level Difference), SSW (Stagged Spondaic Words) versão em português e GIN (Gap in Noise) e reteste da avaliação simplificada do processamento auditivo com escolares de 9 a 14 anos, matriculados entre o 4º ano e a 8ª série do ensino fundamental de uma escola de ensino público de Porto Alegre. Resultados dos 11 escolares avaliados que falharam na avaliação simplificada, 10 (90,9%) apresentaram alterações na bateria comportamental do processamento auditivo. Os subperfis com maior número de alterações foram os de decodificação e integração, as habilidades auditivas mais prejudicadas foram de interação binaural e separação e integração binaural concomitantemente. Não houve associação significante entre as tarefas da avaliação simplificada e os testes da bateria comportamental ao comparar o mesmo correlato neurofisiológico ou tarefa semelhante. Conclusão foi possível caracterizar o processamento auditivo dos escolares avaliados. A partir da comparação entre a avaliação simplificada e a bateria comportamental verificou-se que a avaliação simplificada pode ser um preditor sensível às alterações de processamento auditivo, apesar de não se identificar associação específica entre as habilidades comparadas.

Psychometric Evaluation of Children With Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): Comparison With Normal-Hearing and Clinical Non-APD Groups

To investigate the clinical utility of the Children's Auditory Processing Performance Scale (CHAPPS; Smoski, Brunt, & Tannahill, 1992) to evaluate listening ability in 12-year-old children referred for auditory processing assessment. This was a prospective case control study of 97 children (age range = 11;4 [years;months] to 12;7). Auditory processing disorder (APD) was diagnosed based on findings of deficits on at least 1 nonverbal test and on at least 2 tests of an auditory processing test battery. Clinically referred children were grouped as APD (n = 38) or non-APD (n = 20). The study found that (a) the APD group performed lower than the non-APD group on the Quiet, Ideal, Memory (p < .0001), and Attention (p < .05) subscales of the CHAPPS; (b) the non-APD group performed lower than the group with normal hearing on the Noise, Multiple Inputs, and Attention subscales (p < .0001); and (c) there were significant moderate-to-strong correlations (Spearman's ρ > .04) between Dichotic Digits, Duration Pattern tests, and the CHAPPS Attention, Memory, and total scores. The CHAPPS may be a clinically useful tool to evaluate listening ability in 12-year-old children suspected of having APD. Restricting use of the CHAPPS to older children may help address its limitations as reported by other studies.

Efeito do metilfenidato no processamento auditivo em crianças e adolescentes com transtorno do deficit de atenção/hiperatividade

To compare the performance of a group of children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pre and post-methylphenidate use in a behavioral auditory processing test battery (AP). Twenty-nine subjects, male and female, ranging from 7 to 15 years old have undergone different behavioral auditory processing tests. A control group composed of 29 subjects with and without learning disabilities was also evaluated. The group with ADHD had a performance similar to the control group without learning disabilities which improved after medication. The group with learning disabilities and without ADHD had the worst performance in tests while the group without learning disabilities and without ADHD exhibited the best ones. The AP battery was unable to distinguish ADHD patients from paired controls; the use of methylphenidate improved the performance on AP tests of ADHD group in the post-medication evaluation.

Auditory Processing Disorder in Children Diagnosed With Nonverbal Learning Disability

To determine whether children with a nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) have a higher incidence of auditory processing disorder (APD), especially in the tolerance-fading memory type of APD, and what associations could be found between performance on neuropsychological, intellectual, memory, and academic measures and APD. Eighteen children with NVLD ranging in age from 6 to 18 years received a central auditory processing test battery to determine incidence and subtype of APD. Psychological measures for assessment of NVLD included the Wechsler Scales, Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, and Wechsler Individual Achievement Test. Neuropsychological measures included the Category Test, Trails A and B, the Tactual Performance Test, Grooved Pegs, and the Speech Sounds Perception Test. Neuropsychological test scores of the NVLD+APD and NVLD groups were compared using analysis of covariance procedures, with Verbal IQ and Performance IQ as covariates. Sixty-one percent of the children were diagnosed with APD, primarily in the tolerance-fading memory subtype. The group of children with APD and NVLD had significantly lower scores on Verbal IQ, Digit Span, Sentence Memory, Block Design, and Speech Sounds Perception than children without APD. An ancillary finding was that the incidence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder was significantly higher in children with NVLD (with and without APD) than in the general population. The results indicate that children with NVLD are at risk for APD and that there are several indicators on neuropsychological assessment suggestive of APD. Collaborative, interdisciplinary evaluation of children with learning disorders is needed in order to provide effective therapeutic interventions.

Electrophysiological and behavioral evidence of auditory processing deficits in children with reading disorder

Objective The aim of the research was to investigate auditory processing abilities in children with reading disorders using electrophysiological and behavioral tasks. Methods Differences in auditory processing between control, compensated (age appropriate reading skills with a history of reading disorder), and reading disordered groups were systematically investigated. Results The reading disorder group had significantly lower results than control and compensated reader groups for most tests in the reading and auditory processing test battery. All children with a reading disorder did not pass at least one behavioral test of auditory processing, and hence would be diagnosed clinically as having an auditory processing disorder (APD). The reading disorder group also had significantly smaller /ga/-evoked mismatch negativity (MMN) area than the control group. Compensated and control groups had similar results for the electrophysiological and behavioral auditory processing tests. Correlation analyses showed that reading fluency and accuracy and nonword scores (measured using Castle and Coltheart's word/nonword test) correlated significantly with most APD measures. Conclusions The general profile of auditory processing deficits in children with reading disorder was a combination of deficits on frequency patterns (i.e. frequency pattern test) and absent or small /ga/-evoked MMN. Significant results from the correlation analyses support the co-morbidity of reading and auditory processing disorders. Significance Children with reading disorders are likely to have auditory processing disorders.

Auditory processing in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A.

It is unclear whether Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, type 1A, causes auditory processing disorders. Therefore, auditory processing abilities were investigated in five CMT1A patients with normal hearing. Previous studies have failed to separate peripheral from central auditory processing disorders. Five genetically confirmed CMT1A cases in patients with normal hearing underwent behavioral and objective testing. Pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and OAE assessment were followed-up by an auditory processing test battery comprising sentences-in-noise test, pattern recognition tests, words-in-noise test, dichotic digit test, filtered speech test, binaural fusion test, and categorical speech perception test. Subsequently, ABR and ERP measurements were conducted. Either the behavioral or objective test scores of 4 out of the 5 CMT1A patients did not differ significantly from those of subjects with normal hearing. Significantly lower scores of one patient on auditory processing tests and ABR measurements could be ascribed to subnormal hearing. The authors conclude that CMT1A patients with normal peripheral hearing have auditory processing abilities that were not indicative for an auditory processing disorder. Furthermore, the presence of a peripheral hearing loss complicates the interpretation of auditory processing abilities.

Assessment of electromagnetic characteristics of the Willeford Central Auditory Processing Test Battery.

Electromagnetic characteristics of eight tape recordings of the Willeford Central Auditory Processing Test Battery were assessed. Measurements indicate that when recording levels are referenced to the calibration tone preceding a given subtest of that battery, significant intertape differences, interest differences, and interchannel differences in the recording levels of test items exist. Mean recording levels of items used in the Rapidly Alternating Speech Perception, Low-Pass Filtered Speech, and Competing Sentences subtests typically were within 10 dB of the reference tone. Recording levels for the Binaural Fusion subtest yielded intertape differences of as much as 26.5 dB. Given the large intertape inconsistencies in recording levels, extreme caution should be exercised in the use of these recordings.

Utilization of a Central Auditory Processing Test Battery in Evaluating Residual Effects of Decompression Sickness

Six professional divers were examined as patients who presented peripheral auditory, vestibular, or central symptoms attributed to incidents which occurred while diving. Each diver received a central auditory processing (CAP) test battery consisting of: (1) a dichotic sentence listening task, (2) a monotic filtered word task, (3) a binaural fusion task, and (4) an alternating speech task. The CAP test results, in all cases substantiated other neurological/vestibular test battery results which we have reported in detail previously.