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Preliminary Concurrent Validity of Abbreviated App-Based Frequency and Duration Pattern Tests in Normal-Hearing Adults

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: 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.
DOI: 10.3390/audiolres16050155
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,689
OpenAlex ID: W7213929455
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Cites: 24
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Related to: 10