Date of Graduation

Spring 2013

Degree

Doctor of Audiology

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Committee Chair

Letitia White

Abstract

Normal language development is dependent upon auditory discrimination of pitch and duration. Behaviorally, discrimination of pitch and duration can be tested using the pitch pattern and duration pattern sequence tests. Electrophysiologically, the P300 offers a means to evaluate pitch and duration discrimination. Researchers have been looking into ways to use electrophysiological tests as a supplement to behavioral testing in the diagnosis of central auditory processing disorder. This study aims to investigate the relationship between behavioral and electophysiological test results in children using pitch and duration pattern sequences as well as P300s. Participants were twelve children aged 7 - 12. All participants presented with normal hearing and no history of otitis media. The pitch and duration pattern sequence tests were administered. Additionally, customized versions of the pitch and duration pattern sequences, in which overall tone duration was shortened, were administered. The purpose of the customized tests was to allow the use of behavioral and electrophysiological tests that incorporate stimuli of the same duration. P300s were collected using a pitch pattern contrast as well as a duration pattern contrast. Results showed that overall, the older children (10.1 – 12) performed better on all behavioral pattern tests than the younger children. As for the P300 results, amplitude was larger and latency longer for boys 10 years of age or younger, for both the conventional and duration protocol, but was more variable for the frequency protocol. Although nearly all children displayed P300 responses across conditions, there was no clear relationship between behavioral and electrophysiological data.

Keywords

pediatric, frequency pattern test, duration pattern test, P300, electrophysiology

Subject Categories

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Copyright

© Katie Beth Jenkins

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