[Correlation of Phonological STM-Performances with Language-Based Dimensions in Children with APD].
OBJECTIVE
Phonological short-term memory (PSTM) is a functional component in language processing. This study investigated the association between some language-based dimensions of an eclectic test battery for auditory processing disorders (APD) and test performance in PSTM (recall for digits, sentences; non-word repetition).


METHODS
Correlation analyses in control-group comparisons.


METHODS
n=178 children; 91 children diagnosed with APD (51%) visiting 2nd-4th grade of a primary school; 87 second- to fourth-graders with typical development 49%).


RESULTS
Different patterns were found not only between pSTM-tests and verbal-acoustic test tasks, but above all between children with and without APD. Neither pSTM for digits, nor for sentences or non-word repetition showed significant associations with a verbal-acoustic task for children without APD. In contrast, this was the case in children with APD in some pSTM measures with phoneme identification, phoneme analysis and dichotic word recognition (r=0.29-0.41; p<0.005, Bonferroni-adjusted). Obviously, pSTM is--besides variance according to the specific test tasks--a functional component which condensed in the verbal-acoustic test performance only in children with APD.


CONCLUSIONS
This means that in primary school age, the role of pSTM and verbal-acoustic tasks is influenced by auditory processes in children with APD.
Phoniatrisch/Pädaudiologische Psychologie, Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Göttingen.
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Kiese-Himmel
Kbo-Kinderzentrum München, Abteilung Hören-Sprache-Cochleaimplantate, München.
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Nickisch
D001288:Attention; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010700:Phonetics; D012660:Semantics; D012691:Serial Learning; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014706:Verbal Learning