A comparison of simple and complex working memory in children with and without central auditory processing disorders

The study aimed to compare simple and complex working memory (WM) between typically developing children and children with central auditory processing disorders [(C)APD].

The study involved 40 children aged 9-12 years, divided into two groups: typically developing children and children with (C)APD. The tests included were simple WM tests [revised auditory memory and sequencing test in Indian English, nonword repetition, and digit span ] and complex WM tests [2 N-back tasks, operation span, and reading span].

The comparison between typically developing children and children with (C)APD showed that children with (C)APD performed poorer in both simple and complex WM than typically developing children. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic curves lie in the top left corner of the plot for all WM tasks, indicating high accuracy in detecting WM deficits in children with (C)APD, with a higher area under the curve value of 0.9 and above.

Hence, considering WM deficits from the test results, children with (C)APD may be associated with broader cognitive deficits beyond auditory processing alone, potentially impacting academic and everyday functioning. These results highlight the importance of comprehensive cognitive assessment and targeted interventions to support children with (C)APD.