Screening of auditory processing disorder in children with learning disabilities using the Persian version of the auditory processing domains questionnaire

Auditory processing disorder (APD), as a sensory processing defect, can be comorbid with other disorders such as learning disability (LD). LD has shown a greater likelihood of comorbidity with APD. Therefore, the deficits associated with APD needs to be identified in children with LD.
Given the high likelihood of APD comorbidity in children with LD, this study aimed to screen for APD in 8−12-year-old children with LD using the Persian auditory processing domains questionnaire (APDQ-P).

In this cross-sectional study, APDQ-P was administered on 250 normal children with a mean (SD) age of 10 (1.48) years old (153 girls and 97 boys), and 110 children with LD with a mean (SD) age of 9 (1.92) years old (40 girls and 61 boys). After obtaining the cut-off point, the scores of the two groups were compared by a t-test in 5 age categories. Finally, we calculated the number of children with suspected APD using APDQ-P.

There was a significant difference between the scores of LD and normal group in all subscales including auditory processing, language and attention. About 75% of LD children failed in auditory processing, 86% in attention skills, and 82% in language skills.

A significant proportion of children with LD were suspected of APD, which could be indicative of a high likelihood of comorbidity of APD in children with LD. More accurate identification of the degree and type of APD in these children requires central auditory diagnostic tests.