RESUMO
Background: This study assessed the relationship between working memory capacity and auditory stream segregation by using the concurrent minimum audible angle in children with a diagnosed auditory processing disorder [APD]
Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional, comparative study were 20 typically developing children and 15 children with a diagnosed APD [age, 9-11 years] according to the subtests of multiple-processing auditory assessment. Auditory stream segregation was investigated using the concurrent minimum audible angle. Working memory capacity was evaluated using the non-word repetition and forward and backward digit span tasks. Nonparametric statistics were utilized to compare the between-group differences. The Pearson correlation was employed to measure the degree of association between working memory capacity and the localization tests between the 2 groups
Results: The group with APD had significantly lower scores than did the typically developing subjects in auditory stream segregation and working memory capacity. There were significant negative correlations between working memory capacity and the concurrent minimum audible angle in the most frontal reference location [0[degree sign] azimuth] and lower negative correlations in the most lateral reference location [60[degree sign] azimuth] in the children with APD
Conclusion: The study revealed a relationship between working memory capacity and auditory stream segregation in children with APD. The research suggests that lower working memory capacity in children with APD may be the possible cause of the inability to segregate and group incoming information
RESUMO
This study investigated the efficacy of working memory training for improving working memory capacity and related auditory stream segregation in auditory processing disorders children. Fifteen subjects [9-11 years], clinically diagnosed with auditory processing disorder participated in this non-randomized case-controlled trial. Working memory abilities and auditory stream segregation were evaluated prior to beginning and six weeks after completing the training program. Ten control subjects, who did not participate in training program, underwent the same battery of tests at time intervals equivalent to the trained subjects. Differences between the two groups were measured using a repeated measures analysis of variance. The results of this study indicated children who received auditory working memory training performed significantly better on working memory abilities and auditory stream segregation task than children do not received training program. Results from this case-control study support the benefits of working memory training for children with auditory processing disorders and indicate that training of auditory working memory is especially important for this population
RESUMO
The aim of the present study was to assess the auditory lateralization ability in children with [central] auditory processing disorder. Participants were divided in two groups: 15 children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder [8-10 years] and 80 normal children [8-11 years] from both genders with pure-tone air-conduction thresholds better than 20 dB HL bilaterally and interaural pure tone threshold difference better than 5 dB . All subjects had normal IQ and normal otoscopy: In the present study 9 imaginary positions were simulated in horizontal plane by Interaural Time Difference [ITD] and Interaural Intensity Difference [IID] to evaluate the auditory lateralization performance in normal and children with [central] Auditory Processing Disorder [C] APD. Lateralization performance were determined by ITD ranging from -880 to +880 microsecond and IID ranging from -10 to +10 dB for high pass and low pass noise[2 kHz cut off point]. Boltzmann function was used to describe the auditory lateralization performance and Independent Samples T-test was used to compare the two groups. According to Boltzmann function two major types of abnormalities were revealed in the lateralization performances: 1- completely disoriented, 2- side-oriented. 86.6% of [C] APD children showed significant increase in mean of test errors compared with normal ones [p<0.001]. The study supports the hypothesis that most children with [C] APD have poor auditory lateralization and abnormal processing of binaural cues