Comparison of Children's Performance on Four Tests of Temporal Resolution

This paper presents a brief review of temporal processing, its relevance to audiologists, and methods for its clinical evaluation. Results are then summarized from the administration of four tests of auditory temporal resolution (Auditory Fusion Test-Revised [AFTR], Random Gap Detection Test [RGDT], Binaural Fusion Test [BFT], and Gaps-In-Noise Test [GIN]) to ten children with normal hearing (mean age = 8.7 years). Statistically significant differences in mean temporal resolution thresholds derived from the four tests resulted from differences in stimulus and task variables. From a clinical perspective, however, all tests yielded comparable results, indicating normal temporal resolution for all 10 children. Differences among the four tests with regard to ease of use, time required for administration and scoring, and face validity are discussed. Additional research is needed to determine the relative sensitivity and specificity, and, therefore, the clinical utility of these four temporal resolution tests in both pediatric and adult populations.

Key Words

Auditory processing - children - gap detection - temporal resolution