[Influence of temporal aspects in auditory temporal processing tests]

Auditory temporal processing.

To compare the performance of children in auditory temporal processing tests according to different temporal variables such as inter-stimulus interval, stimuli duration and type of task (discrimination or ordering).

27 children, with ages between 9 to 12 years, were evaluated. In order to analyze the effect of temporal variables, an adaptation of the American "Repetition test" was developed, containing four tests of frequency discrimination and ordering, and four tests of temporal discrimination and ordering. In order to investigate the variable 'type of requested task', tests involving frequency and temporal discrimination and ordering were elaborated. In order to evaluate the variable 'stimulus duration', frequency discrimination and ordering tests were elaborated, with stimulus durations of 200 ms and 100 ms. In addition, temporal discrimination and ordering tests were carried out, with stimulus durations of 200/400 ms and 300/600 ms. In order to evaluate the variable 'inter-stimulus interval', tests were elaborated with randomly variable inter-stimulus intervals, ranging between 50 ms and 250 ms.

Regarding inter-stimulus interval, there was no statistically significant difference between the average number of correct answers when intervals varied between 50 and 250 ms, in all of the tests. Regarding stimulus duration, the research group presented a poor performance for when stimulus had a shorter duration (100 ms), compared to those with longer duration, but only in the tests involving frequency. Regarding order, the research group presented a poor performance in ordering tasks when compared to discrimination tasks.

Temporal variables such stimuli duration and type of task (discrimination and ordering) can interfere in the performance of children in tests of auditory temporal processing.