Cláudia Reis

Background/Objectives: Digital technologies are increasingly used in audiological assessment; however, evidence supporting clinically evaluated mobile tools for temporal auditory processing screening based on Frequency Pattern Test (FPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT) paradigms remains limited. This study examined preliminary concurrent validity of digital FPT and DPT implementations in the Evollu Hear A4A mobile application against corresponding measures from the Bateria de Avaliação do Processamento Auditivo para o Português Europeu (BAPA-PE)—Battery for Auditory Processing Assessment in European Portuguese. Methods: Twenty-seven adults with normal hearing (20–58 years) completed app-based and BAPA-PE versions of the DPT and FPT. Ten four-stimulus sequences were administered for each test and format, yielding scores from 0 to 10. Paired scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and concurrent validity was examined using Spearman’s rank-order correlations. Results: Median DPT scores were 8 for both the app-based (IQR = 3) and BAPA-PE (IQR = 2) measures, while median FPT scores were 9 (IQR = 2) for both formats. No statistically significant differences were observed between app-based and BAPA-PE scores for the DPT (Z = −0.650, p = 0.516) or FPT (Z = −0.408, p = 0.683). Significant positive correlations were found between formats for both the DPT (ρ = 0.665, p < 0.001) and FPT (ρ = 0.614, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The app-based DPT and FPT showed significant positive associations with their corresponding BAPA-PE reference measures, providing preliminary evidence of concurrent validity in adults with normal hearing. Further studies involving broader performance ranges and clinical populations should evaluate reliability, screening cut-offs, sensitivity, and specificity.

Background/Objectives: Digital technologies are increasingly used in audiological as-sessment; however, evidence supporting clinically evaluated mobile tools for temporal auditory processing screening based on Frequency Pattern Test (FPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT) paradigms remains limited. This study examined preliminary con-current validity of digital FPT and DPT implementations in the Evollu Hear A4A mobile application against corresponding BAPA-PE reference measures. Methods: Twen-ty-seven adults with normal hearing (20–58 years) completed app-based and BAPA-PE versions of the DPT and FPT. Ten four-stimulus sequences were administered for each test and format, yielding scores from 0 to 10. Paired scores were compared using Wil-coxon signed-rank tests, and concurrent validity was examined using Spearman’s rank-order correlations. Results: Median DPT scores were 8 for both the app-based (IQR = 3) and BAPA-PE (IQR = 2) measures, while median FPT scores were 9 (IQR = 2) for both formats. No statistically significant differences were observed between app-based and BAPA-PE scores for the DPT (Z = −0.650, p = .516) or FPT (Z = −0.408, p = .683). Significant positive correlations were found between formats for both the DPT (ρ = .665, p < .001) and FPT (ρ = .614, p < .001). Conclusions: The app-based DPT and FPT showed significant positive associations with their corresponding BAPA-PE reference measures, providing preliminary evidence of concurrent validity in adults with normal hearing. Further studies involving broader performance ranges and clinical populations should evaluate reliability, screening cut-offs, sensitivity, and specificity.

Background: Working memory (WM) is essential for reasoning, learning, and everyday cognitive tasks and can be influenced by stress. This study investigated the relationship between perceived stress and auditory working memory in 24 adults (16 women, 8 men; median age = 22). Methods: Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and a pseudoword span task assessing auditory memory under phonologically demanding conditions. Results: Participants with higher stress levels exhibited greater variability and a decline in performance across pseudowords sets, particularly in the final set. Correlational analyses revealed that higher PSS-10 scores were significantly associated with lower accuracy on the most demanding memory set (r = −0.467, p = 0.021) and with younger age (r = −0.489, p = 0.015). These findings suggest that elevated stress may impair auditory working memory, with younger adults reporting higher perceived stress. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of considering stress levels in cognitive assessments and supports the hypothesis that stress negatively affects working memory efficiency, particularly in tasks requiring phonological processing.

Background/Objectives: Preschool hearing screening is justified by the risk of late onset hearing loss, the high prevalence of otitis media with effusion in school-aged children, and the critical timing just before children begin formal reading and learn to write. This study describes the results of the annual preschool hearing screening program in Campo Maior from 2007 to 2025 (nineteen years) and correlates the audiological referral to the otoscopy findings by the otolaryngologists. Methodology: Retrospective study using clinical records from nineteen years of preschool hearing screening. Results: Screening identified 310 children (29% of 1068 screened) requiring referral to an ENT specialist. Of the 217 referred children evaluated by ENT, 198 (91.2%) had confirmed pathology or healthcare needs of medical intervention. A statistically significant positive association (r = 0.254, p < 0.05) existed between abnormal otoscopy findings and Type B or C2 tympanograms (versus Type A or C1). Hearing loss occurring with Type A tympanograms (0.8% unilaterally, 0.3% bilaterally) may suggest sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusion: This study reinforces the importance of universal preschool audiological screening for all children, particularly for children facing geographic barriers to healthcare. Community-based interventions facilitated by social solidarity associations can play a crucial role in mitigating healthcare access disparities across populations.

Background/Objectives: Preschool hearing screening is justified by the risk of late-onset hearing loss, the high prevalence of otitis media with effusion in school-aged children, and the critical timing just before children begin formal reading and learn to write. This study describes the results of the annual preschool hearing screening program in Campo Maior from 2007 to 2025 (nineteen years) and correlates the audiological referral to the otoscopy findings by the otolaryngologists. Methodology: Retrospective study using clinical records from nineteen years of preschool hearing screening. Results: Screening identified 310 children (29% of 1,068 screened) requiring referral to an ENT specialist. Of the 217 referred children evaluated by ENT, 198 (91,2%) had confirmed pathology or healthcare needs of medical intervention. A statistically significant positive association (r=0.254, p< 0,05) existed between abnormal otoscopy findings and Type B or C2 tympanograms (versus Type A or C1). Hearing loss occurring with Type A tympanograms (0.8% unilaterally, 0.3% bilaterally) may suggest sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusion: This study reinforces the importance of universal preschool audiological screening for all children, particularly for children facing geographic barriers to healthcare. Community-based interventions facilitated by social solidarity associations can play a crucial role in mitigating healthcare access disparities across populations.