Adult Perfomance on the Sustained Auditory Attention Skill Test

Introduction  The Sustained Auditory Attention Ability Test (SAAAT) is an instrument used to assess sustained auditory attention in children. Difficulties related to this ability are not unique to children alone, as adults have been observed to present with the same deficits. Therefore, there is a need to adapt instruments like the SAAAT and provide reference values for adults. Objective  To assess adult performance on the SAAAT. Methods  Approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee under n° 034/2011. The sample consisted of 30 participants aged between 18 and 30 years old (average age = 24.2 years old), female and male. The inclusion criteria were: peripheral hearing within normal limits, type A tympanometric curve, and no attention-related complaints. The participants were submitted to Tonal Audiometry, Logoaudiometry, Immitanciometry and to the SAAAT. Results  The following mean values and standard deviations (SD) were observed: inattention = 1.7 (SD = 2.2) and impulsivity = 0.8 (SD = 0.9) error types. For the SAAAT, the mean value for the total error score was 2.4 (SD = 2.6), and for the decrease in vigilance, it was 0.3 (SD = 0.5). When comparing the performance of adults and children, a statistically significant difference was observed for inattention ( p  = 0.000) and impulsivity ( p  = 0.001) error types, as well as in the total error score ( p  = 0.000) and in decreased vigilance ( p  = 0.0003). Conclusion  The performance of adults in the SAAAT differed from the children's parameters, since adults showed lower scores in all variables of the instrument.