Research and Development, Acoustic Pioneer, Ltd., Napier, New Zealand.
Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2020 Apr 7;51(2):416-427. doi: 10.1044/2019_LSHSS-19-00001. Epub 2020 Jan 31.
Background The relationship between auditory processing (AP) test results and reading has shown significant correlations in the literature; however, whether the relationship is more coincidental or more causal is uncertain. Improving AP deficits is also not well understood, especially regarding its impacts on real-world benefits such as with reading and language. Purpose This study investigates the efficacy of two deficit-specific AP therapy programs and compares them to a control therapy program on behavioral AP measures. It also investigates relationships between the improved AP skills and related real-world skills, particularly reading ability. Method From three school regions, 335 children were tested using the Feather Squadron Diagnostic Assessment AP test and, if qualified, given a deficit-specific AP therapy (either Insane Earplane or Zoo Caper Skyscraper) or placed in a control therapy group. After therapy, AP abilities were measured again and compared across groups. For one region, pre- and posttherapy reading abilities were also compared across groups. Results Both experimental therapies were significantly efficacious for the AP areas in which they claimed to target, whereas the control therapy group was not. One experimental therapy revealed significant improvement ( .01) and the other approached significant improvement ( < .02) of the reading ability of the participants, whereas the control group did not. Conclusions The current study found significant improvements for both AP skills and real-world skills compared to the control group. This information provides evidence that bottom-up, deficit-specific therapy approaches are beneficial for the targeted areas and can have associated benefits as well. One of the schools in the study was a special school for children with known speech and language disorders. Of the children tested at this special speech and language school, 83% of them qualified for an AP deficit-specific therapy, indicating a very strong relationship between AP and speech/language difficulties.
文献中已经表明听觉处理（AP）测试结果与阅读之间存在显著相关性；然而，这种关系是偶然的还是因果关系尚不确定。AP 缺陷的改善也不被很好地理解，特别是关于其对阅读和语言等实际益处的影响。
本研究调查了两种特定于缺陷的 AP 治疗方案的疗效，并将其与对照组治疗方案在行为性 AP 测量上进行比较。它还研究了改善的 AP 技能与相关实际技能（特别是阅读能力）之间的关系。
从三个学区中，有 335 名儿童接受了 Feather Squadron 诊断评估 AP 测试，如果符合条件，则给予特定于缺陷的 AP 治疗（Insane Earplane 或 Zoo Caper Skyscraper）或置于对照组治疗。治疗后，再次测量 AP 能力，并比较各组之间的差异。对于一个区域，还比较了治疗前后各组之间的阅读能力。
两种实验性治疗方法在其声称的目标 AP 领域都非常有效，而对照组则不然。一种实验性治疗方法显示出显著的改善（p<.01），另一种方法接近显著改善（p<.02），而对照组则没有。
与对照组相比，本研究发现 AP 技能和实际技能都有显著提高。这些信息表明，自下而上、特定于缺陷的治疗方法对目标领域是有益的，并且可能会带来相关的益处。研究中的一所学校是一所专门为有已知言语和语言障碍的儿童开设的特殊学校。在这所特殊的言语语言学校接受测试的儿童中，有 83%的儿童有资格接受 AP 特定于缺陷的治疗，这表明 AP 与言语/语言障碍之间存在很强的关系。
