The listening in spatialized noise test: an auditory processing disorder study

The Listening in Spatialized Noise test (LISN) produces a virtual three-dimensional auditory environment under headphones. Various measures assess the extent to which either spatial, vocal, or spatial and vocal cues combined increase a listener's ability to comprehend a target story in the presence of distracter sentences, without being affected by differences between participants in variables such as linguistic skills. Ten children at risk for auditory processing disorder (APD group) were assessed on the LISN, as well as a traditional APD test battery. The APD group performed significantly more poorly on all LISN measures than 48 age-matched controls. On the spatial advantage measure, the APD group achieved a mean advantage of only 3.7 dB when the distracters were spatially separated from the target by +/-90 degrees, compared to 10.0 dB for the controls-the 6.3 dB difference significant at p < 0.000001, with nine children scoring outside the normal range. The LISN was considered a promising addition to an APD test battery.