title: A proposed behavioral tool to assess sustained auditory attention.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, 17012 Bauru, SP. feniman@usp.br
authors.forename: Mariza Ribeiro
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Feniman
authors.forename: Roberta Ribeiro
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ortelan
authors.forename: José Roberto Pereira
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lauris
authors.forename: Carolina Ferreira
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Mariana Sodário
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: 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