Children's item and other errors on time-compressed, sequenced rhyming words.

This investigation provided normative data for the performance of 36 M and 36 F children in 3 groups averaging 8, 10, and 12 yrs old, presented time-compressed (TC) rhyme sequences under multitalker masking and no masking conditions. Analysis of both item and order errors yielded significant effects for TC and masking conditions. These effects were consistent with findings for stimuli previously found useful in assessing auditory perceptual problems, thereby supporting the diagnostic potential of these stimuli. Analysis of the order errors also yielded several higher-order interactions which appeared to be clinically negligible but supportive of the suggestion that order errors may be especially sensitive to subtle pathological problems.