title: Psychometric and behavioral measures of central auditory function: the relationship between dichotic listening and digit span tasks.
abstract: We hypothesized that the Digit Span (DS) subtest and component tasks (Wechsler, 1991) would show strong relationships with a dichotic listening test (Musiek, 1983). In two sets of archival clinical data (N = 74 and N = 51) we demonstrated that: (a) individuals with central auditory deficits had lower DS scores, F(1, 72) = 7.34, p = .008; eta2 = .09; and (b) left-ear dichotic deficits impacted forward span, F(2, 48) = 8.45, p = .001. Right-ear dichotic listening performance also accounted for significant variance in digit forward span (R2 = 0.17, p = .003). While limited in scope, the studies conclude that forward but not reverse span performance is strongly related to dichotic listening, and can serve as a marker for possible central auditory deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. Arthur.Maerlender@Dartmouth.Edu
authors.forename: Arthur C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Maerlender
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Isquith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies