[Münchner screening of auditory perception disorders (MAUS)]

The diagnosis of APD (Auditory Perception Disorder) is a time consuming procedure. In Germany at the present, no screening test for APD exists which makes it possible to differentiate between children who are not likely to suffer from an APD and those who need to be diagnosed in detail.

The Munich Auditory Screening of Perception Disorders (MAUS) contains the following subtests: Series of Syllables, Words in Noise and Identification and Differentiation of Phonemes (test duration: 15 minutes).

The MAUS was standardized using 359 primary school children between 6 and 11 years of age. Furthermore, the MAUS was used in addition to the complete, extensive APD-diagnostics in testing 52 children (36 with APD and 16 without APD) within the age group mentioned.

T-scores for each subtest were established by the standardization of the MAUS. The internal consistency of the test was sufficient. The intercorrelation between subtests was very slight. Therefore, each subtest seems to play an independent part in defining the construct of APD. Because of the results of the pilot study which formed the basis for the development of the screening instrument used, and because of the sensitivity scores reached in testing a group of 36 children with diagnosed APD, it can be expected that the MAUS will show a high sensitivity with regard to APD.

Using the MAUS, it can be determined if and to what extent the test results of an individual deviate from those of the normal primary school population. The MAUS can identify children at risk of having an APD and can differentiate these children from those who are unlikely to suffer from an APD.