| dc.description.abstract | This study seeks to establish a wider normative sample
base for the Auditory Comprehension Test (ACT) (Green
and Krammer, 1983)» The ACT is effective in
differentiating between individuals who have a binaural
deficit in speech comprehension and those who do not.
One hundred and three first year University
students were tested on the ACT (seventy- three females
and thirty males). Three out of this number (2,91%)
were found to have binaural deficits.
No significant differences were found to exist
between males and females on Left, Right, and Both ear
scores of the ACT.
Significant differences were found to exist
between performance on each ear condition for this
current study in comparison with an earlier study
(Green & Kramer, 1984) with a smaller sample. This
indicates a need for more exhaustive methods of
standardising the administration and scoring of the
ACT, as well as testing with larger and more varied
population groups.
Ear plug testing with one of the three subjects
found to have binaural deficits indicated a 27 point
improvement (21,78%) when the ear plug was fitted in V
the weaker ear as compared to the open field binaural
no~ear plug condition.
An interview conducted with the same subject
revealed a preference for visual or audio-visual modes
of assimilating environmental stimuli in comparison to
auditory inputs alone.
This subject showed extreme elevations on the
Hypomania scale of the MMPI,
The Emotional Perception Test (Green & Severson,
1986) did not reveal any differences in the same
subject’s ability to discriminate emotions in
comparison to the test norms, although there was a
relatively more frequent overestimation of the sadness
emotion by this subject in comparison to the normative
sample.
The promise of the ACT both as a diagnostic and
therapeutic tool is emphasized. The need for a
comprehensive scoring manual is emphatically indicated. | |
