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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 25(02): e249-e254
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1712481
Original Research

Adult Perfomance on the Sustained Auditory Attention Skill Test

Maria Renata José 
1   Postgraduate Program in Communication Disorders, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
,
Maria Fernanda Capoani Garcia Mondelli 
2   Postgraduate Program in Speech Therapy, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil
,
Jordana Batista Correia 
1   Postgraduate Program in Communication Disorders, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
,
Vanessa Bohn 
1   Postgraduate Program in Communication Disorders, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
4   Instituto Superior e Centro Educacional Luterano Bom Jesus, Joinville, SC, Brazil
,
José Roberto Pereira Lauris 
3   Postgraduate Program in Orthodontics and Dentistry in Collective Health, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil
,
Bianca Simone Zeigelboim 
1   Postgraduate Program in Communication Disorders, Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
,
Mariza Ribeiro Feniman 
2   Postgraduate Program in Speech Therapy, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil
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Abstract

Introduction The Sustained Auditory Attention Ability Test (SAAAT) is an instrument used to assess sustained auditory attention in children. Difficulties related to this ability are not unique to children alone, as adults have been observed to present with the same deficits. Therefore, there is a need to adapt instruments like the SAAAT and provide reference values for adults.

Objective To assess adult performance on the SAAAT.

Methods Approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee under n° 034/2011. The sample consisted of 30 participants aged between 18 and 30 years old (average age = 24.2 years old), female and male. The inclusion criteria were: peripheral hearing within normal limits, type A tympanometric curve, and no attention-related complaints. The participants were submitted to Tonal Audiometry, Logoaudiometry, Immitanciometry and to the SAAAT.

Results The following mean values and standard deviations (SD) were observed: inattention = 1.7 (SD = 2.2) and impulsivity = 0.8 (SD = 0.9) error types. For the SAAAT, the mean value for the total error score was 2.4 (SD = 2.6), and for the decrease in vigilance, it was 0.3 (SD = 0.5). When comparing the performance of adults and children, a statistically significant difference was observed for inattention (p = 0.000) and impulsivity (p = 0.001) error types, as well as in the total error score (p = 0.000) and in decreased vigilance (p = 0.0003).

Conclusion The performance of adults in the SAAAT differed from the children's parameters, since adults showed lower scores in all variables of the instrument.

Keywords

attention - hearing - adult

Note

José M. R. performed data collection, tabulation, literature review and manuscript writing; Mondelli M. F. C. G., Correia J. B., Bohn V and Lauris J. R. P. performed the literature review, manuscript writing and final revision; Feniman M. R. was responsible for the project and study design, in addition to general supervision of the performance steps and manuscript elaboration.




Publication History

Received: 06 February 2020

Accepted: 29 March 2020

Article published online:
23 June 2020

© 2020. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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