Questionnaires and checklists for central auditory processing screening used in Brazil: a systematic review

The action of listening involves a complex interaction between the peripheral and central auditory systems. Central auditory processing disorder can be described as any problem in one or more auditory abilities. Literature reports that behavioral questionnaires and checklists can be applied to screen individuals at risk for central auditory processing disorder.

To identify and analyze in the national literature questionnaires and checklists for the screening of central auditory processing available in Brazil for the Portuguese language.

The research was carried out in electronic databases and "gray literature". The search strategy was: "questionnaires OR surveys and questionnaires AND auditory OR hearing tests OR auditory perception AND Brazil". The research was carried out between June and August of 2017. Study selection followed inclusion and exclusion criteria. The criteria adopted included Brazilian studies, without date and design restriction, that were carried out, translated, adapted and/or validated to Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese, as tools for central auditory processing screening. International studies that were not adapted to the Portuguese language were excluded, as well as the ones that were not available in full.

A total of 3664 publications were found and seven articles were selected for this systematic review, according to the established criteria.

There is scarce national literature for central auditory processing screening and the only tool validated to Brazilian Portuguese, published as a monograph, is the auditory processing domains questionnaire. It is suggested that new studies with greater methodological stringency related to the processes of tool adaptation and validation be developed and published in the usual scientific databases, aiming at greater diffusion and clinical applicability.