A proposed behavioral tool to assess sustained auditory attention.
Sustained attention and vigilance are processes that characterize attention, and are essential for the development of certain abilities


OBJECTIVE
a prospective study to propose a simple, easy and quick behavioral tool to support the assessment of sustained auditory attention.


METHODS
volunteer children aged between 6 and 11 years (139 female and 141 male) were selected. The test was named Sustained Auditory Attention Ability Test, and is based on the Continuous Performance Test. It consist of a binaural and diotic presentation of a list of 100 monosyllabic words in which a target monosyllable is included 20 times. This list was presented six times with no breaks. The test was carried out in a soundproofed room, using a CD player attached to a two-channel audiometer at 50 dBSL during 9 minutes. The test resulted in a total score and a vigilance decrement.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference between genders, but a significant difference was found between ages.


CONCLUSIONS
The proposed test had no discomfort for the participants, and was shown to be extremely promising to assess the sustained auditory attention ability in children.
Feniman
Mariza Ribeiro
MR
Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, 17012 Bauru, SP. feniman@usp.br
Ortelan
Roberta Ribeiro
RR
Lauris
José Roberto Pereira
JR
Campos
Carolina Ferreira
CF
Cruz
Mariana Sodário
MS
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies