Correlating performance on the Listening in Spatialised Noise–Sentences test (LiSN-S) with the Listening in Spatialised Noise–Universal test (LiSN-U)

Objective: The aim of this study was to correlate 6- to 7-year-old children’s results on each condition of the Listening in Spatialised Noise–Sentences test (LiSN-S) with the new language-independent version, the Listening in Spatialised Noise–Universal test (LiSN-U), to examine the strength of the relationship between them and with memory in a small sample of typically developing children. Design: Correlational analysis. Study samples: Sixteen typically developing 6- to 7-year-old children completed the LiSN-S and LiSN-U as well as the Test of Auditory Processing Skills–Third Edition (TAPS-3) number memory forward and reversed subtests which assess short-term memory and working memory, respectively. Results: Moderate positive correlations were found between LiSN-S and LiSN-U spatially separated conditions (though this did not reach significance), and co-located conditions. Correlations between the LiSN-S and LiSN-U conditions and number memory forward and reversed subtests were not significant. Conclusion: This study shows a moderate relationship between the LiSN-S and LiSN-U when the distractors and target speech are co-located. A study with a larger sample of participants is needed to further understand the relationship between the two tests, especially for the spatially separated condition.