Exploring the Correlation between Binaural Processing Abilities and Auditory Processing Domains Questionnaire Scores in Children with Specific Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Background and Aim: A Specific Learning disability (SLD) is a neurological disorder thought to arise from dysfunctions within the central nervous system. Children with SLD often exhibit cognitive, linguistic, and auditory processing challenges, including deficits in binaural processing. Considering the overlapping elements of binaural processing and the areas evaluated by the Auditory Processing Domains Questionnaire (APDQ) —such as auditory, linguistic, and attentional skills—this study sought to examine the correlation between binaural listening, as measured by auditory tests, and the subscales of the APDQ in children with SLD.
Methods: A sample of 20 children aged 8–12 years with diagnosed SLD was selected. The Persian version of the APDQ (APDQ-P) was used to assess some auditory processing, attention, and language skills. Binaural processing abilities were evaluated through Binaural masking level difference (BMLD), Persian auditory recognition of words in noise (PARWIN)  and three dichotic tests. Statistical analysis was conducted to investigate the correlation between APDQ-P scores and binaural processing test results.
Results: A positive correlation was identified between the results of dichotic listening tests and APDQ-P scores. Specifically, the results of the left-ear competing sentence test showed a significant correlation with all the APDQ-P subscales.
Conclusion: The study's results likely demonstrate the validity of the APDQ-P in representing dichotic listening skills. The findings of this study also highlight the significance of integrating both behavioral auditory tests and questionnaire-based evaluations to achieve a deeper understanding of how auditory behaviors, relate to the outcomes of binaural processing assessments in children with SLD.