Assessing the development of binaural integration ability with the French dichotic digit test: ecoute dichotique de chiffres

Purpose: Binaural integration is assessed by dichotic listening tests. This study aimed to assess the development of binaural integration ability using a newly developed dichotic digit test in French. Method: Twenty-eight children with normal hearing sensitivity and binaural integration capacity, assessed with a dichotic listening word test, participated in the study. The children were divided into 3 groups: nine 6-year-olds, nine 9-year-olds, and ten 12-year-olds. They completed 4 subtests with earphones at normal conversational level. Three subtests consisted of 1, 2, and 3 different digit pairs, respectively, between 1 and 9 that were sent dichotically to the ears. The fourth subtest consisted of 4 digits, but only the 2 middle digits were sent dichotically. Results: Performance improved significantly as a function of age and decreased with increasing number of digits to be repeated. All groups performed significantly better on digits presented in the right ear than the left ear, and on the digit rather than the word test. Conclusion: The new French dichotic digit test would be useful in assessing binaural integration in children. The 4 subtests make it suitable for inclusion in a test battery to assess central auditory processing in children and are an alternative, especially the fourth subtest, to the French version of the Staggered Spondaic Word Test (Rudmin & Normandin, 1983). Key Words: auditory processing, binaural integration, development